Winter Prep: What Every State College Apartment Needs

With winter around the corner, it's time to start thinking about how you'll prep your State College apartment for the cooler months ahead. Fortunately, there are many wintertime products and hacks that can keep your space feeling light and bright throughout the year. Some of the best tips and finds are listed below to make it easy for any Penn State student to get through winter successfully.

When your heater is on more frequently because of cooler weather, a humidifier is helpful to have around. It can help prevent dryness that normally leads to dry skin, difficulty breathing, and even dry mouth. A humidifier can also help keep you feeling better if you happen to get sick with a cold. Fortunately, most of these are small in size so you can easily fit one on a side table in any room of the apartment.

During the winter, it can be harder to wake up in the morning when it's darker outside. To help boost your mood and make waking up less of a struggle, a lighted alarm clock can be helpful. These transition from dim to bright light so you wake up more naturally. This may help improve your mood while also keeping your space lighter and brighter in the darker morning hours.

Nothing will warm you up like hot chocolate during the winter months. Instead of taking an expensive trip to a local coffee shop, you can make your own at home. Instant hot chocolate is surprisingly good, costs pennies per package, and is easy to whip up with milk or water. It's also easy to store in any size apartment, so you won't need a lot of storage space in your pantry. Want to mix your own? Just combine a 1 to 1 ratio of sugar and cocoa powder. Delicious!

If you don't have a lot of space in your apartment, then storing your summer clothes to make room for winter clothes can be a struggle. Fortunately, with under-bed storage bins, you can tuck clothes and linens away with ease. These slim bins slide under most beds easily and are clear so you can see what's in them without taking everything out.

Cozy slippers are the best accessories to have in your apartment in the winter. Even if the temperature inside is warm, some nice slippers will help keep you feeling toasty and comfortable all day long. The padding in these can also help soothe sore feet after a long day of school or working.

When it starts to snow or rain in the winter, a welcome mat will help keep mud off of your apartment floors. While you can have guests take their shoes off to come inside, it's still a good idea to have them wipe their shoes so they don't track dirt or mud in the hallway.

Some days, it can be too cold to head to the store or out to grab a bite to eat. To avoid unnecessary trips, stock your pantry with goods that can be cooked easily. This can include pasta, canned vegetables, and meal kits kept in the freezer. It Should be easy to find affordable foods you can keep stocked at all times.

Winter doesn't have to be a dark and cold time in your college apartment. With the right light, storage, and food in your pantry, it'll be much easier to enjoy the months ahead. In fact, by preparing ahead of time, you may find yourself perfectly comfortable when you least expected to.