If it snows this year, these will be your top 5 biggest regrets

The first snow always feels peaceful—until the power flickers, the driveway ices over, and you realize you weren’t ready for any of it. Winter has a way of exposing every weak spot in your setup, and once the temperature drops, there’s not much you can do except ride it out.

If you don’t want to spend the next storm wishing you’d prepared differently, here’s what you’ll likely regret skipping when the flakes start to fall.

Not stocking up before the shelves are empty

Every year, people wait until the forecast calls for snow to grab bread, milk, and propane—and by then, it’s too late. Stores get picked clean in a matter of hours, and delivery trucks can’t restock fast once the roads get slick. You don’t need to panic-buy, but it’s smart to keep a few extra basics tucked away long before winter weather hits.

Think beyond groceries, too. Salt, batteries, and backup heat sources sell out fast when everyone else is scrambling. A little planning now means you’ll be comfortable at home while others are fighting over the last loaf of bread at the store.

Forgetting how much fuel you actually need

You might have a generator, kerosene heater, or wood stove—but none of it matters if you run out of fuel halfway through a cold snap. It’s easy to underestimate how much you’ll go through when the power’s out for days or the temperatures never rise above freezing.

Fill propane tanks early, top off gas cans, and stock plenty of dry firewood. Don’t forget fuel stabilizer if you store gas for months. When a storm’s blowing through and everything’s shut down, you’ll be thankful you didn’t put it off.

Ignoring your pipes until they burst

Every winter, thousands of homeowners learn the hard way that pipes don’t need to be exposed to freeze. All it takes is one cold night, a little wind, and a line along an exterior wall to turn solid. When that happens, you won’t know it until it thaws—and suddenly, you’re dealing with flooding in the middle of winter.

Wrap pipes in unheated areas, disconnect garden hoses, and let faucets drip when temperatures dip. It takes minutes to do and saves you from the nightmare of calling a plumber when everyone else’s pipes are bursting too.

Skipping a check on your heating setup

You don’t want to find out your furnace or wood stove needs work when it’s already below freezing. A simple maintenance check before the first cold front can keep your system running efficiently and prevent sudden breakdowns.

Clean out filters, check vents for blockages, and make sure you’ve got a safe backup heat option if the power goes out. Space heaters, wood stoves, or propane heaters can fill the gap—but only if you’ve tested and maintained them ahead of time. Once the snow’s falling, it’s too late to troubleshoot.

Not planning for when you’re stuck

Snowstorms have a way of trapping you longer than expected. Even if you think you’ll be fine for a day or two, all it takes is one more round of freezing rain to keep you homebound. That’s when people start realizing they don’t have pet food, medication, or a way to keep the house warm when the power’s been off for 48 hours.

Keep a few days’ worth of essentials ready—food that doesn’t need cooking, bottled water, warm blankets, and backup lighting. If you’re in a rural area, don’t forget extra feed for livestock or ice melt for walkways. You’ll never regret being overprepared, but you’ll definitely regret being caught off guard.

When the snow hits, there’s no running to the store, no calling a plumber, and no fast fixes. The time to get ready isn’t when the storm rolls in—it’s when the forecast still looks calm. Because once the power’s out and the pipes are frozen, the only thing left to do is wish you’d taken those extra steps while you still could.