Canadian winters are something else. Not only are they freezing, but they also completely change how we go about our daily chores, especially the things we don’t notice when the weather’s mild.
We asked our readers about how winter changes their daily routines & here are thirteen of the most common things they mentioned. What’s something you’re not looking forward to once the snow arrives?
Morning plug-in checks for block heaters
The morning routine is one of the first things that changes when the temperature falls. Quite a few readers said plugging in their car is no longer optional when it’s −25°C at 6 a.m. They have to run their block heater. They said they have to make sure the timer clicks on before bed, and the next morning, they begin by making sure there’s no snow on the plug.
Failing to plug in the block heater isn’t an option. Without it, there’s no way they’d be able to start their cars in the morning.
Extra time for windshield defog and ice
That’s not all for cars. Several readers also mentioned that they have to wake up early to scrape the ice off their vehicles because there’s always so much of it, especially when temperatures are below −15°C. A few of them said they even carry a spare scraper in the garage, just in case the car doors don’t open.
Footwear swaps at the office door
Practically every Canadian knows that, come January, salt gets almost everywhere. It sticks to your boots & leaves white marks on all sorts of surfaces. It also chews through the seams when you forget to clean it. Many readers said they have to take an extra pair of shoes with them to swap into.
At work, they’ll have indoor shoes that they wear. It stops them from having to worry about making a mess anywhere, and some readers also said they’ll stomp their boots dry in the hallway before doing anything.
Trash and recycling move to freeze-friendly times
Frozen bin lids are a real problem during the winter, and several readers said they can’t put the bins out the night before. They have to change their routine by keeping the bins in the garage overnight and putting them out in the early morning, sometimes after clearing the snow and ice from the end of the driveway.
One reader mentioned that they wedge a stick under the lid to stop it from freezing, while others said they have to sprinkle some salt around.
Slow cooker mornings replace evening prep
The majority of Canadian winters involve the sun setting before 5 p.m. & snow blowing sideways. Unlike summer barbeques and picnics, many don’t want to cook after battling the snow and slush home. They also want heartier, warmer meals.
Several readers admitted that they’ll prepare dinner in the slow cooker in the morning before going to work. They’ll leave the food to cook through the day.
When they come back home, their place smells great, and they don’t have to worry about preparing any food. It’s not exactly easy when you have numb fingers from digging your car back in to the driveway.
Laundry timing adapts to long drying
The sheer cold also causes items of clothing that you can’t put in the dryer, like fancy dresses and sweaters, to take forever to hang dry. Unless people are willing to blast the heat and live with ultra dry skin, the air indoors is just too cold & dense. Not like you can hang the clothes outside.
But there is a way to make things a little easier. According to a couple of readers, doing laundry early in the morning gives you time to leave your clothes by the heat vent all afternoon. They also mentioned rotating sweaters and dresses halfway through to maximize air flow to all.
Transit cushions expand for snow
All the snow in winter makes almost every schedule pointless since public transport slows to a crawl. A few commuters said they have to change their routines by leaving earlier. They admitted that they check transit apps obsessively. Leaving twice as early is the best chance of arriving on time in winter.
Mail and parcel checks shift to warmer hours
Getting the mail after work is a normal part of many people’s routines. Not in the winter. Frozen locks make mailboxes far harder to open, so several readers said they have to change their routine.
Now, they get their mail around mid-day when they’re home over the weekends. The metal’s warmer at that time.
Nightly wiper lift becomes part of shutting down the car
Quite a few readers told us that lifting their car’s wipers becomes muscle memory during winter. They’ve suffered from too many late mornings, dealing with ice.
They have to make sure they flip the blades up & tap around the base to avoid any packed snow from hardening overnight. It takes a few minutes to do each day. But it’s well worth it to save time later.
Shower timing shifts so hair fully dries before leaving
Bath time is another thing that changes during the winter. A few readers said they have to shower earlier than normal because they need to leave some buffer time for hair drying. The cold air makes slightly damp hair freeze rather quickly. It doesn’t feel good walking around with hair like that.
One reader also said they swap out their hair products for heavier conditioners because it’s the only way they can survive the cold.
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