Prepare yourself…
It’s November and snow shoveling has already becoming a part of our morning routine.
As many Indian Ridge residents have noticed, shoveling the driveway and walkways isn’t exactly the most fun in the world. The worse part is the longer you wait to shovel these areas, the worse they’ll get; melting and refreezing, resulting in a sheet of ice slipping-hazard like no other!
And sure, while applying ice-melt products after the fact can help, it’s not always the case. Even if you own a snowblower you still have those other hard to get areas where only a shovel will work. Basically, sometimes everyone has to put a little elbow grease into their winter work ethic and brave the epic showdown that is Man and Shovel vs. Snow.
1. Don’t Throw Your Back Out (Or Injure Anything Else for that Matter)!
Before you decide to go out wielding your snow shovel like King Arthur’s sword, it’s always a good idea to take into account comfort and efficiency. Here’s a few helpful tips.
– Wear plenty of clothes! Momma’ wasn’t lying when she told you to dress in layers before going out and having a snowball fight. With that said, it’s probably a good idea to do the same when out shoveling as well.
A few tips:
– Do some stretches! You don’t want to have to miss work because you pulled a hammy snow shoveling.
– TAKE BREAKS! If you’re not in the best of the shape, believe it or not even snow shoveling could be hazardous to your health.
– “Wax” your shovel blade. Not necessarily because it makes that big of a difference but because hey, it’ll look cool when your neighbors see you doing it.
*Note: So the idea behind waxing your blade is if it’s slippery, it will prevent snow from sticking to it. Even Pam spray will work.
2. Form is Everything!
While the stretches we mentioned above will certainly help get you ready to shovel, there are a few things you need to remember when actually doing the shoveling as well:
– Always bend your knees and lift with your legs.
– The closer the shovel blade is to you the less back strain you’ll encounter.
– Switch off between hands when shoveling to keep different muscles working.
– When snowfall is heavier than a foot in depth, don’t worry about cleaning it right to the ground with one scoop. Instead, try skimming the top layer off, following by a bottom later.
3. What to Ponder While You’re Snow Shoveling’
When you’re snow shoveling, you’re going to need to keep your mind occupied otherwise the time will drag on and on and on…
Here are a few suggestions to keep the brain juices flowing while shoveling:
– Listen to music. (The easiest solution of them all.)
– Sing songs in your head to yourself.
– Ponder the meaning of life.
– Start thinking about what type of snazzy toaster to get your in-laws for Christmas. ”
– Or just come up with your own thing because, hey everyone is different ; )
4. Don’t Do the Same Job Twice!!!
It’s simple. This happens when you put snow one place, only to have to come back later and put it another place.
Who wants to do the same job twice?
Why do this to yourself?
When snow shoveling don’t create huge mountains of snow along your driveway. For one thing, many of those snow and ice chunks will end up falling right back down on your driveway again anyways. Instead, take a few extra steps to shovel it a decent distance away from the driveway, at least two feet to be safe. You’ll be happy you did once the next snowfall hits and you have more room to work with when shoveling.
5. Mulching in Winter?!?!
You heard us right! Did you know snow is actually a great insulator for your planting beds so why not direct some of your tosses in them.
Two things to note if you do decide to try out your Ice Mulch:
– Keep the tosses low though you don’t want to snap off some of your plant or shrubs branches.
– Don’t use snow from the street as it will contain road salt. Some plants are more prone to being killed off by salt than others.
6. Clear Some of those Heavy, Snow-Covered Branches Off!
Remember, it’s important to take care of your shrubs, trees and bushes as well. If their is a ton of snow on any, take a little time to knock it off. Believe it or not it can definitely help prevent branches from snapping.