Winter is Coming!
In ten days Britain will turn back the clocks for the hundredth time.
For many the ‘clocks going back’ marks the unofficial start of winter. As the days grow shorter and dark nights close in, 42% of us will batten down the hatches and go into hibernation mode for the next few months! Researchers have discovered as a nation we stock up on winter woollies, food and beer in preparation for the winter months; most only venture out socially one night per week and the average Brit only sees 3.5 hours of daylight per day.
So why do the clocks change anyway?
The idea of ‘British Summer Time’ was first suggested by a chap called William Willett in 1907 – he believed that valuable hours of daylight were wasted during the summer months and proposed the change as a bid to get people out of bed earlier. His proposal didn’t receive much support however until 1916, at the height of the First World War, when it was argued that the scheme could reduce domestic coal consumption and therefore increase the supplies available for manufacturing and the war effort. The ‘Summer Time Act of 1916’ was quickly passed through parliament and the first ever British Summer Time began on 21 May 1916.
Over the years there has been much debate over the pros and cons of ‘Daylight Saving’ but for now at least the end of British Summer Time remains a significant marker in our calendar.
But before we all snuggle down with a fire and a good book…
Are you prepared for the changes winter brings?
The change in season can’t be ignored and brings with it a host of ‘jobs to do’ before we can safely close our doors and settle down for a few months. There are gardens to tidy and hedges to trim; gutters to check and boilers to service! Not forgetting a safety check for the car and changing from summer to winter wardbrobes!! If you’ve got an open fire the chimney will need to be swept and it’s probably worth giving the roof a once over too…
How can we help?
We have a number of customers who use our facilities at this time of year to help ease the strain of all this Autumn ‘busyness’ – here’s a few ways self-storage can help you prepare for Winter!
- Storage of seasonal clothes or garden furniture! Time to pack away all remaining ‘summer’ items such as holiday clothes and deck-chairs. If you’re short of storage space a small unit can be a useful addition to your home and come spring the Christmas decorations and snow shovels can go in while the summer stuff comes out again.
- Clear the decks before starting any DIY. Before you embark on home maintenance tasks or renovations give yourself space to work by clearing all non-essential items into storage for a few weeks. The job will get done much quicker and easier if you’re not trying to work around pieces of furniture, and you’ll be able to settle down and enjoy the coming winter months in peace!
- Finally, for those looking ahead to Christmas and thinking perhaps the spare room may need turning from a junk room back into a guest room, why not box up all your junk and hide it away until next Spring when energies will be revived and you’ll be ready to tackle it (see our article on decluttering here!)
So if you haven’t done so already, make the most of the remaining crisp Autumn days to prepare yourself and your home for the months that lie ahead. Then come 30th October when the dark nights close in you can snuggle up with your onesie and a mug of hot chocolate, safe in the knowledge that the elements will be kept at bay!
We’d love to know how everyone else feels about the on-set of winter – share your thoughts on our facebook or twitter page!
