Heating and Air Conditioning to the Elements Outdoors

Charles Darwin taught us that one must adapt in order to survive. This lesson proves itself true time and again for individuals and families who find themselves packing up and moving house — especially when the move is to a drastically different climate.

Whether your move is a work-related mandate or spurred from your own desire for a change, adjusting to the weather after a cross-country relocation can leave you feeling like a fish out of water. Emotional strength and openness to change will take you the furthest, but practical solutions — and the miracle of central heating and air — don't hurt.

Braving the Cold

A longtime resident of San Antonio may find himself frostbitten trying to survive his first bitter winter in Boston. However, there are a variety of things one can do to withstand the constant chill that time of year.

Investing in the right clothes is vital. Attempting to strut out of your comfy, heating and air-conditioned home into the icy chill of a Chicago snow day in the clothes you wore during what Southerners consider cold will simply not cut it. You will need to sandwich your usual layers between a heavy, insulated, full-length coat on the outside and long johns on the inside. Try to find something that is packed with down and/or trimmed or covered in fur.

Waterproof snow boots are a must if you intend to keep your feet from turning into blocks of ice. That snow that looks like a light, heavenly layer of powder in the movies is really a sloppy, slippery frozen puddle. Those who make the mistake of wearing the wrong shoes will find their feet soaked (and frozen) to the bone.

Heat and Humidity

When the heat is on, the clothes come off. But relocating to an area closer the the equator means more direct and constant contact with the sun's harmful rays. The most important thing to remember is to apply sunscreen, preferably SPF 30 or higher, in the morning before you leave the house and then every two hours of exposure.

Ladies who may have spent their whole lives enjoying the benefits of the clear, cool air in Denver may find themselves wanting to shave their heads when they touch down in the wet, sticky Miami heat. A little moisture in the air can transform their polished dos into tragic tumbleweeds.

Fortunately, a bevy of products exist to add the right kind of moisture to hair before the nasty stuff in the air has a chance to wreak its havoc. Silicone-based hair products are the best because the silicone is water-resistant and helps smooth and style hair. Also experiment with tighter updos, such as braids and buns.

After battling the elements, it is always a relief to come home to a comfortable, climate-controlled home. Be sure to keep your local heating and air company's number on hand during the harshest of months. Having to stick your head in the open freezer during a heat wave does not sound like home sweet home.