6 Top must haves for keeping warm as the temperatures drop...

I wish you could smell this! Heaven!

There’s no doubt about it but the nights have closed in and the temperature has mostly definitely dropped. It would be amazing to slip under a duvet and curl up till spring but quite frankly unless you’re a bear that’s not likely to be a possibility. Obviously you can notch up the heating but then you freeze the second you step outdoors and of course there’s the gigantic bill to face when Spring comes. So is it possible to stay warm and toasty throughout autumn & winter?  

Well since our kids go to a forest school and spend at least one day a term knee high in mud even in the depths of winter we’ve got pretty good at mastering the season.  There are brands around who are after many years our firm favourites and instant go to – Aroma Home (absolutely perfect & great for kids) Mountain Warehouse (every child needs a pair of salopettes whether you ski or not) Thermos (they’ve been around for so long for a reason)

First up its worth remembering its easier to change your body’s temperature than the rooms! It’s also cheaper too.

1, Hands – Hand warmers are to me a must have. Whether you’re out taking the dog for a walk, heading round the shops, out in the car, just out to enjoy the changing of seasons or even watching the rugby hand warmers are an essential. We’ve been through A LOT of hard warmers and have fast decided that the only ones worth bothering about are the snap and click hand warmers. Personally I’m lazy and do not have the time nor patience to reboil your hand warmers every evening. So these snap and click ones are the best. Plus it means you can snap them for your kids in the morning and they will still be warm come lunch. Pop your gloves around them too – toasty hands! Aroma Home have by far the best range – especially for kids with the warmers being safely covered in a range of different styles. Arent these just gorgeous? I love Aroma home!

2, Toes – Proper socks another must have. How often have you been out and about and wiggled your toes to find they’d frozen solid?! Whether its at a fireworks display, Christmas shopping or even just chatting in the playground cold toes can ruin a lovely day! Make sure you get a good pair. You don’t want sweaty feet that rub!!

3, Bodys – If you haven’t got a hot house there is bound to be one or two evenings coming up where a hot water bottle is a must have. Aroma Home have the most amazing child friendly ones. Do need to worry about hot water spilling out on your kids. These gorgeous furry toys have tummy’s that heat up in the microwave and give your little ones warm friends to snuggle up too. The youngest has not been separated from his Monkey since it arrived. We have to sneak out the tummy when he’s not paying attention! And for the grown up among us they have the most amazing scented hot water bottles. I have been down with a cold all week and can barely be parted from the lovely lavender and rosemary scented one I have. A very fashionable stag one by the way!

4, Salopettes – For growns ups & kids. Head down to Mountain Warehouse and snap up a pair for all of you. Ours are worn pretty much every day throughout winter. From wearing them at the beach and rock pooling to being pretty much waist deep in mud at forest schools these are guaranteed to be water proof and warm! They keep skiers warm so they are a perfect accompaniment to any outdoor activity!

5, Drinks – No matter whether I’m heading out for a dog water after drop off or a winters day at the beach my trusty thermos comes too. I have a variety of different sizes and have been a firm believer in carrying one around where ever. After being stuck in a torrential storm on a dog walk a fellow dog walker also taking cover in the rain produced his thermos full of hot coffee. Absolutely amazing to be standing in the dry under the leaves sipping hot coffee while cold air and water whirled around us!

6, Footwear – When you’ve taken off your wellies I don’t think theres a nicer feeling than slipping on some slippers to keep your feet warm at home. We’ve just tiled the kitchen floor and in the morning you run the risk of frost bite unless you’re slippers to cope with the cold. Plus they also keep your feet warm away from low level draughts!

Nearly every product featured on this page RRPs for less than £10. Head over to Aromahome & Mountain Warehouse now . Or come back in a couple of weeks and see some of the best Aroma Home feature in my stockings fillers & presents guides!