If you live in Michigan...

[NannyBeBe]

I need advice from any of you who live in Michigan. My daughter is moving to central Michigan in January. We live in the desert and know nothing about living in a cold climate. I would welcome any advice you can give me as to what clothes she will need, anything she will need for her apartment, etc. Apparently it gets down to about 17 degrees with lots of snow and wind. This is very foreign to us.

 

[MIGrandma]

I’ve lived in Michigan all my 66 years. Yes, it is cold and many times windy during the winter. Dress in layers when going out. A good winter coat is a must, and a few sweaters. Winter hat, scarf and gloves. Good warm snow boots too.

Im retired so I tend to hibernate a lot in the winter and only get out when I have to. We keep our thermostat at 68-70, and I usually have a cardigan on.

A sunny non-windy day is beautiful though.

 

[Lord Manhammer]

I need advice from any of you who live in Michigan. My daughter is moving to central Michigan in January. We live in the desert and know nothing about living in a cold climate. I would welcome any advice you can give me as to what clothes she will need, anything she will need for her apartment, etc. Apparently it gets down to about 17 degrees with lots of snow and wind. This is very foreign to us.

I grew up in metro Detroit and can give some tips. They are the same tips that I gave to my college roommate who was from south Texas. Michigan gets a lot of snow. If your daughter drives a lighter car (e.g. Toyota Corolla) snow tires will come in handy. Bundling up with warm puffy jackets, scarves, hats, gloves are essential. There is an outlet mall near Saginaw that has tons of places where she could stack up on cold weather gear. Layers are very important.

Michigan does have amazing skiing, so that could be something she gets into.

Her apartment will likely (hopefully) have good heat/insulation given the location. If the bottom of the front door is drafty, you could put something down to seal the crack. The Mitten is a cool place to live and Detroit is a culinary Mecca. I hope she enjoys it there.

 

[luvnwdwgal]

I live in northern Ohio and yes winters can get pretty cold up in Michigan. Blankets, snow shovel, snow/ice scraper for the car, ice melt is always handy for slippery sidewalks.

 

[2SLM]

I would have her invest in a remote starter for her vehicle.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

While I don't live in MI I live in the midwest with winter weather just part of it and wind is very much part of that here. We used to get bad ice storms but those aren't quite as common as they used to be.

If she's not used to winter weather like snow or ice I would have her brush up on learning how to drive in those conditions. We don't use snow tires or chains around here as a norm (I only know of a few people who switch to winter tires no one I know uses chains) but it's quite clear the people who either have zero clue on how to drive in inclement weather or rely on their 4 wheel drive and many times those spun out are the SUVs and trucks.

Have a blanket in the car in case of disablement. I've just had a cheap fleece blanket but it's something and doesn't take up too much space. Ice scrapers are a must and I generally have two of them. I have a smaller one meant for mirrors and small parts of windows and then a larger one with a long handle meant for large parts of the windows and windshields. I have used in the past de-icing spray on the windshield which works and doesn't work.

In general the higher risk is your ice including black ice which is just ice that is not noticeable. Obviously high amounts of snow are an issue but that ice doesn't take much to make you lose traction and become extremely dangerous. Even worse is when there's an ice layer under snow. In my area it's common enough for ice or snow to melt if the sun is out and temps at a certain point only to refreeze overnight so just be aware if that is the norm where she's moving you'll still need to be aware especially when walking on sidewalks or trying to drive. Since she'll be living in an apartment she should ask what the apartment complexes duties are in the event of poor weather from ice melt to snow plowing. It will help her understand if they are on top of it or if the complex is lacking.

If she likes to use her phone/electronics while wearing gloves get the ones compatible for that. I have tougher gloves meant for when I'm snowshoveling and my husband uses his for that as well as skiing and then I have smartphone compatible ones.

 

[carouselDL]

For the car: extra hat and gloves, chemical hand warmers, and a space blanket (folds up to the size of your palm and is much warmer than an ordinary blanket)

 

[EACarlson]

I'm from the other side of the lake in WI. Get a good set of winter gear: Coat, hat, gloves, snow pants and boots. I just picked up a wonderfully warm Columbia coat for $50 from one of their stores. Once you have that stuff, what you need for your car is more important than what you need for an apartment. I always have a space blanket, snow brush and jumper cables in my vehicle.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

chemical hand warmers,

If you're talking about Hot Hands and the like I'd be careful about doing that. Pay close attention to the storage directions.

The various ones I have say avoid direct sunlight, cool dry place (but in winter you're going to get cold not just cool), avoid heat (and a car sitting in the sun even in winter can heat up in certain parts of it) and low humidity (which winter usually comes with low humidity). In general your residence is going to be the more appropriate place for long-term storage

 

[unrequited23]

Flannel sheets, warm, wicking socks (I prefer alpaca), snow brush with ice scrapper for car, at least two pairs of gloves, waterproof snow boots at least mid calf or higher, a plastic shoe tray for snowy shoes. We also try to not let the car get lower than 1/3 tank in the winter, partly in case of car trouble and partly because no one wants to have to pump gas when the wind chill is below zero.

 

[Beezle2]

You got a lot of good advice already but I will add keep a few heavy bags of sidewalk salt in the trunk to put a bit of weight on the back end.

 

[Kitty 34]

Lots of great cold weather advice. I will add, if she's driving be very careful of Lake Effect snow....it's very fluffy and pretty but can cause dangerous roads and whiteouts in a heart beat.

 

[jimmymc]

I've lived in Michigan for 7 years and in places where it snows almost all of my life.

1st advice is layers. Have a closet with long underwear, thicker yoga pants, fleeces, sweaters, flannels, wool socks, and sweatshirts to wear under your winter coat.

Down jackets are a safe bet for staying warm, but there are other winter options too. Leather with a nice thick interior works well, and there are plenty of snow jackets in stores up north.

Check the tires on her car. You should switch to all-season tires, and if you're in a rural area or somewhere that doesn't get plowed often, consider winter tires. You don't need 4 wheel drive unless you'll be driving off-road in the winter.

At home, thick pajama pants, blankets, and slippers all make the cold floor more comfortable in the morning. Heating is generally cheaper than AC, so use the thermostat. Also consider a foam insert to slide under the doors and prevent drafts. Most newer buildings are well-insulated, but older houses may have gaps in the doors and windows.

Take a Vitamin D supplement in the winter, since we don't get a lot of sun.

Hats, scarves, and earmuffs are all good in different ways. Try each one of them.

Make sure the gloves you get are waterproof. Cloth gloves don't help when you're cleaning off your car.

Speaking of, buy an ice scraper and brush combo and always leave it in the car, even in the summer. Also leave a blanket in the trunk. It's useful.

Learn to ice skate. It's a lot of fun and a good place to make friends.

 

[NannyBeBe]

Thank you so much for all the wonderful advice. She will be spending a lot on clothes. She does not drive, which causes me some concern, because she will have to walk to wherever she goes and the town she is in does not have any kind of transportation.
I have heard about things that you can attach to your shoes or boots to avoid slipping on the ice. Is that something we should consider?

 

[Dan Murphy]

Apparently it gets down to about 17 degrees with lots of snow and wind.

Chicago here, but similar to Michigan. 17 for winter temperature is a good benchmark. but probably there will be a few time periods where actual temperature, or at least wind chill (the feel of the cold from the combination of the actual temperature and wind on the skin of people or animals) will be below zero. And there's a big difference between 17 above and 5 or 10 below.

 

[GreatLakes]

Learn to layer. 2 or 3 layers of the right clothing will work better than just a heavy coat.

Do not overlook hats and gloves or go cheap. On really cold days the right hat and gloves, or mittens, will make as much of an impact as you coat choice.

We spend a lot of time outside in winter and have a lot of different weight coats. If you count my running coats I probably have a out 15 different coats of different weights including some back country ski fleece jackets.

Get a Marino wool base layer. Smartwool is what I like and it makes such a difference. I can go out down to about 20 degrees for a run in just a Marino turtleneck and no jacket at all.

If she will be walking a lot yes, yak tracks or similar are a good idea but good waterproof boots are important. If she is walking to work she will likely carry her work shoes with her.

 

[EACarlson]

I have heard about things that you can attach to your shoes or boots to avoid slipping on the ice. Is that something we should consider?

They are something to definitely consider if she is going to be walking everywhere. On snowy or icy days they can be a lifesaver. My wife severely sprained her ankle slipping on a patch of ice a couple years ago and almost lost our dog. I bought these for myself, her, my older son, my FIL and my mother after that.
https://www.jjkeller.com/shop/Product/SafeGear-Slip-On-Ice-Cleats

 

[Forevermarypoppins]

I would have her invest in a remote starter for her vehicle.

YES !!!!!

 

[slo]

I’ve lived in NW Indiana my whole life and our winters can get crazy with lake effect snow.

I love the remote started suggestion - they are the best! I use mine all the time.

There’s a spray you can spray on your car windows to melt the ice faster - I don’t know what it’s called right now, but my DH gets it from Menards.

Warm pajamas - there’s nothing more wonderful than warm pajamas in the winter

I hope your DD enjoys her new home - good luck to her

 

[luvthatduke]

Thank you so much for all the wonderful advice. She will be spending a lot on clothes. She does not drive, which causes me some concern, because she will have to walk to wherever she goes and the town she is in does not have any kind of transportation.
I have heard about things that you can attach to your shoes or boots to avoid slipping on the ice. Is that something we should consider?

I don't live there but this caught my attention.
If it were me I'd be using Google earth + MapQuest (or other mapping app)
to see exactly where she'll be living, where she will need to walk to, etc.