Winter Prep for Montana Winters
Montana winters are wonderful and magical but also demand preparedness. When the snow begins to fall, and the ice on the road is black, you need to be ready for everything winter might throw at you. As fellow Montanans, we bet you already have your favorite winter emergency kit essentials in mind! We hope this blog can serve as a checklist for restocking and refreshing your bag! From home essentials to car kits, we have everything you need to get ready for winter in Montana.
If you’re already finished preparing your home for winter, read on for the best winter emergency tools and survival supplies in Bozeman! Get your winter prep for Montana winters started with these tips.
Emergency Kit to Keep in Your Car
You never know when you might get stuck in the snow or (heaven forbid) slide off the road in a storm! While we hope you never have to use it, we encourage everyone to have a well-equipped emergency kit in their cars. Here are our go-to items that we keep in our cars in case of emergency:
Small Shovels
At Owenhouse, we carry trunk shovels! These are great for digging your car out if it gets stuck in a drift. They also come in handy if you need to make a ramp for your sledding adventures, but that’s for another blog.
Tow Straps
Well, do we need to explain? Tow straps are made of lengthy nylon strands with securely fastened hooks at each end. Their compact and lightweight design makes them a crucial addition to your vehicle’s emergency kit.
Cat Litter / Lava Grip
Keep some kitty litter in your trunk—it’s like magic for getting your car unstuck. Sometimes, your tires need extra traction to pull out of a deep snowbank or a slick spot of road, and kitty litter provides a little grip. Just pour some all around your tires and drive right out! We also like to recommend Lava Grip for a clean alternative! It’s sustainably sourced from a volcano in British Columbia.
Sandbags
These are especially helpful if you have rear-wheel drive! Toss some sandbags in the trunk to provide extra weight to improve control in winter conditions. Sand can also be used for traction, like cat litter, but make sure to restock it if you need the extra weight!
Warm Blankets
Having extra layers in your car is a godsend if you stall out or are stuck in the cold waiting for a tow truck. We carry Rumpl blankets at Owenhouse, which are both super stylish and practical. They roll up into a little bag, so you don’t need to worry about them taking up space, and the down-like puffy blanket is made from 100% post-consumer recycled polyester. Oh, and it’s super warm. Did we mention that?
Home Prep Products for Winter Preparedness
Now that your car is ready for winter, you need to make sure you have emergency supplies for your home! If you have a power outage or can’t make it to the store for days on end, you’ll need essentials at home. Here’s what we’d stock in our home emergency kits:
Warm Blankets, Warm Jackets, Warm EVERYTHING
When in doubt, grab more layers. There’s nothing worse than not being able to get warm in the middle of a winter storm in Montana! We have Rumpl blankets (which double as a poncho!), electric-heated Milwaukee jackets, hand warmers, gloves, and even some socks!
Candles, Batteries, and More
It’s a good idea to stock up on these classic power outage goodies. If a storm knocks out your power, having candles or battery-operated lamps in lieu of lights will be a godsend.
Generator
There’s nothing wrong with being extra prepared! While it’s possible to rough it with candles and lamps, sometimes a generator can be a worthwhile investment. Especially if you have an electric stove or maybe you have energy-dependent medical equipment. Come to Owenhouse today to pick one up! Or, give us a call to talk through the options.
Food & Water
Having a five-day supply of food for everyone in your household is a good rule of thumb for an emergency kit. This includes pets! Stick to canned goods and dry food that stays safe to eat without refrigeration. If you need something to do this fall, make a hobby out of it, and try your hand at canning!
First-Aid Kit
Make sure to keep it up to date. Your first-aid kit might include medication, bandages, topical ointments, scissors, and ibuprofen. We carry basic first-aid kits at Owenhouse if you need one for your emergency kit.
How To Store Your Emergency Kits
The Greenmade yellow and black storage containers are a great option for storing your home emergency kit. Pro tip: keep a list on top with all the contents and write the expiration date by the products or supplies (for things like food, medical supplies, even batteries). You can even set a reminder in your calendar to check on or refresh expired goods. For your car, you can use a skinny plastic storage container that fits in your trunk. Or, sometimes, a small duffel bag works well.
Are You Ready for Montana Winters?
Montana winters can be hard, but they’re not all doom and gloom! Prepare for the worst so you don’t have to think about it. Hopefully, we can all just go skiing and bobsledding instead. Get everything you need for your winter emergency kit at Owenhouse Ace. Or, we can special order survival emergency kits for winter outdoor enthusiasts. We can also special order Automotive Emergency kits if you don’t want to build your own. Give us a call and we’ll do everything we can!
Stay warm, Bozeman!
