Every part of the year has its advantages, but we can’t all be in love with every single season. Me, I’m a guy who likes winter – scratch that: I love winter!
And I especially love winters in Dublin, because the streets look amazing, the air is crisp and you can get warm and cozy with a pint of Guinness basically at any corner.
However, winter also requires some preparation and I like being on top of my game, which is why I’m getting myself and my home ready for the winter a month or two in advance.
If you’re just like me and don’t like being surprised by the first snow, here’s what you need to do in order to welcome winter adequately.
Check the Insulation
Winters in Ireland are tough – to be honest, the weather here can be tough all year long, with all the wind and rain – which is why you need to be 100% sure your home is ready for it. Checking the insulation is first on my order of business and I know how important being protected against the harsh winter conditions is.
I actually realized a couple of years ago that my home isn’t as cozy and warm as it should be and started looking for a reason. After some time, I understood that my insulation isn’t effective at all, so, a couple of days later, the problem was fixed.
Using foam board insulation, I managed to elevate the temperature in my rooms quite significantly, and this is something you too can do on your own, so there’s no reason to avoid this project.
Check the Fireplace and Chimney
My fireplace is one of the most interesting and visually attractive features in my home, and something I love a lot, particularly in the winter. It’s located in the middle of the living room and I just love sitting in front of it and catching up on the latest John Grisham (a very guilty pleasure).
ut, if you want your fireplace to keep you warm from November to March, you have to give it some love first.
I know that cleaning the fireplace is tiring and boring, but it’s just one of those things you have to do, whether you like it or not.
n the end, if you want to use it all winter long, you have to make sure it’s spotless. The same goes for the chimney too – hire a chimney sweeper to check if everything’s all right before the winter comes. Remember to do that every year and you’ll be able to enjoy the fireplace in the years to come as well.
Start Moisturizing
Look, I know this isn’t something every guy likes doing, but it just needs to be done. Trust me, I’ve had my fair share of teasing from my friends at the pub, but when the winter comes, guess whose skin is perfect – mine, not theirs! Moisturizing is an important part of skincare and something you need to do all year long, but it’s especially important in the winter.
No matter where you live and how old you are, the wind, snow and cold are going to attack your face, dry your skin and mess it all up – unless you do something about it first, of course.
I thought this was a bit funny several years ago, but I got quite used to using a moisturizer and now can’t imagine welcoming winter without it. It makes my skin smooth, fresh and younger, but it also protects me against the low temperatures, and that’s something I love more than anything else.
f I am really looking for a splurge, I will sometimes look into a treatment at Auralia. Long since have gone the times when men were be ashamed of taking care of themselves!
Fix Your Beard
Once you reach a certain age, you simply stop paying that much attention to the way you look: you have other things on your mind and you just want to feel comfortable in your own skin. Nevertheless, you can’t look scruffy if you’re a professional running his own business, so you have to take care of your facial hair even in the middle of winter.
Since Dublin winters are quite cold, I prefer trimming my beard instead of shaving it completely. This way, I still look elegant, manly and professional, but I’m not as cold as I’d be if I shaved my face morning after morning.
Also, frequent shaving can irritate your skin and cause acnes in certain cases, and that’s definitely something you need to avoid in the winter.
As you can see, preparing yourself and your home for the winter isn’t as hard as it sounds. If you take care of your health and maintain your living space all year long, you won’t have a problem adapting to the cold weather.
Consistency is the key, both in housekeeping and personal hygiene, so don’t neglect your skincare, even if you don’t think that’s the manliest thing in the world.