Happy November!

As I look out the window, there’s no denying it any longer. The trees are bare, snowflakes are falling, and the sky has that greyish dreary hue. Winter is here. I know it doesn’t officially begin until late December. But here in Ontario, winter weather typically begins to sneak up right about now. And when winter weather strikes, it’s time to organize for winter! Personally, the first two places I think of when it comes to winter organizing are the entryway and the car. In this blog post, you’ll find tips and tricks on how to organize your entryway for winter, as well as a winter emergency car kit checklist to ensure you're always prepared for the worst of the Canadian winters.

The Entryway

Living in a northern climate means that we have to deal with a whole lot more than just snow. It means that we need all the snow gear that takes up SO much room. It also means that we track in the snow, salt and sand when we come into the house. The entryway is the designated area for all the winter clutter such as coats, scarves, boots, etc, and keeping this space organized will not only ensure you don't damage your items (curse those salt stains) but also ensures a fast and easy transition from outside to inside or vice-versa.

If you’re dealing with a small space, every square inch matters. Even the biggest foyers need a system to keep things in check. Unfortunately, I can’t make your space bigger, but I can share some key ideas to incorporate if you’re looking to maximize space, keep things organized and ensure that everyone in the family can stick with the plan, all winter long

Step 1: Declutter to Make Space

• The first step of any organizing project is to declutter the space and empty everything out. This enables you to see everything you have and determine if it's worth keeping, donating or tossing.

• If you have a bigger space, consider moving summer/spring clothes into storage to make room for the winter essentials. This way, all the winter items and essentials can be stored front and centre for easy use.

• If you're dealing with a smaller space, you can still store seasonal items here, but move them to the sides of the closet or top of the shelves so that winter items are clearly visible.

Step 2: Start from the Bottom

I personally don't have children myself, but I have lived with 5 twenty-year-old girls, and know that the front entry gets trampled on with wet, muddy, sandy boots. Our floor was constantly slippery and stained with salt and was almost impossible to enter/exit the house without falling.

• My first solution is to purchase a large weather-proof area rug or, my personal favourite, a large water hog carpet mat. These not only provide you with a designated space to get undressed but also contains the water/snow/salt runoff and prevents it from damaging the floors or items.

• Next, we got a designated  “wet” boot tray for immediate drop off and a boot rack for the footwear that isn’t used as often. By storing all wet or dirty boots in one designated area you're minimizing the chances of other shoes getting dirty.

Step 3: Make Room

When it comes to putting everything back into place, having a system is essential, especially with the excessive amount of winter items that need to be stored. My student house didn't even have a coat closet, so I had to get really creative with the winter storage.

Winter Coats

• If you're in a similar situation to me, the first solution is to get a large wall-mounted coat rack with enough hooks for everyone in the family. This way every member has their own designated coat hook to hang their winter jackets for quick and easy access.

• If you’re lucky enough to have a coat closet, consider purchasing an extra closet rack that hooks onto the top rack to maximize this space. This allows you to have two levels of hanging storage, with the bottom level perfect for kid's items as it’s easily accessible for the little ones. If you're stuck with one level of hanging space, you can always section off areas of the closet for each member or have name tags on hangers.

Winter accessories

• This will vary depending on your space.

• For my space personally, I bought each of my housemates a storage basket from the dollar store, labelled it with their names, and placed them on the entryway table. Our entryway table is directly underneath the wall-mounted coat rack, so we aligned everyone's basket underneath their own coat hook. You can apply this to your family by designating each member a storage bin for their accessories.

• If you have a coat closet, my favourite solution for winter accessories is an over-the-door shoe organizer. Here, instead, of using it for shoes, you’ll be using the shoe slots for gloves, hats, mitts, etc. These slots are also super easy to label, allowing you to designate specific rows or columns to different family members.

Emergency Winter Car Kit

If you experience severe winter weather where you live, then you know all too well how important it is to prepare for the worst. Creating a winter emergency car kit can literally be a lifesaver, whether it be your own life or someone else's.

• Water and food

• Matches

• Flashlight

• Hot Hands hand and foot warmers

• Blankets/hats/gloves

• Ice scrapers

My Winter Emergency Car Kit Includes:

• Windshield washer fluid

• Jumper cables 

• Tire Tracks

• Bag of sand

• Small shovel

• Brightly coloured cloth to tie to your antenna & other items that can help with roadside visibility

PRO TIP: always ensure you have at least a half tank of gas when going on drives for over an hour. Heating your car consumes gas a lot faster, and blankets can only do so much.

I know it may seem excessive to keep all this in your car, but Canadian winters are long, dark and so so cold. Plus you never know when you’ll find yourself stuck in 24-hour traffic in the golden horseshoe in the dead of winter, wishing you had those hand warmers.  

Thanks for reading and I hope these organizational tips and tricks will ensure that this winter season is a wonderland. 

Nikki