Things You Can Skip in the South That Northerners Can’t
Living in the South comes with its own set of perks—longer growing seasons, less snow, and more days outside. Some of the things folks up north have to worry about? You can skip ’em.
Snow Prep
Most of us don’t have to shovel driveways or prep for heavy snow. Snow tires, salt, or ice scrapers aren’t top of the list.
A cold snap might hit, but a full winter storm routine? Usually unnecessary unless you’re in higher elevations.
Full Gutter Heat Cables
Northerners deal with ice dams and frozen gutters. Down here, most winters aren’t severe enough to justify heating elements in your gutters.
Save your money—unless you’ve got trees dropping leaves, basic cleaning is usually enough.
Heavy Insulation for Pipes
Pipes still need protection in the South, but not the way Northern homes do.
Full foam wraps and heating tape might be overkill. A little pipe wrap and knowing how to drip your faucets goes a long way during the rare freeze.
Annual Roof Shoveling
Shoveling a roof to keep it from collapsing under snow isn’t something most Southerners even think about.
Our roofs are built differently, and our winters don’t stack up snow like that. One more chore you don’t need to worry about.
Frost-Proofing Perennials
Perennials that die off in northern states often survive just fine here.
No need to pull everything or insulate beds with straw unless you’re dealing with an unusual cold snap.
Sealing Windows for Winter
We’re more worried about keeping cool air in than cold air out.
Northern homes need layers of insulation and storm windows. Here, simple weather stripping usually covers what we need.
Planting Annuals in June
By June in the South, planting annuals is often too late. The heat’s already here.
That’s a problem Northern gardeners don’t have to worry about. They plant well into summer—while we’re already in survival mode.
Winterizing Mowers or Outdoor Tools
If you’re still mowing into December, full winterization doesn’t always make sense.
A quick clean, fuel stabilizer, and storage in a shed is usually enough—no need to pull the battery or drain every drop of gas.
Snow Shovels
If you moved from up north and brought your shovel, chances are it’s collecting dust.
A broom or leaf blower usually handles the rare dusting we get. Save the storage space.
De-icing Sidewalks
Unless you’re dealing with an actual ice storm, sidewalk salt and melt pellets aren’t necessary.
Those supplies often sit unused for years at a time down here.
*This article was developed with AI-powered tools and has been carefully reviewed by our editors.
