Game of Thrones makes for some pretty entertaining programming. If you haven’t already seen the HBO series, I suggest you track down the episodes and get yourself caught up.Without giving anything away about all my favorite characters and all the plot lines, I think I can safely talk about one of the major themes and catch phrases of the show, “Winter is coming.”

Seasons are just different where they live. Summers can last months and winters can last a lifetime. I don’t even know how to prepare for a lifetime of winter, but as the days get colder, all I keep hearing in my head is Ned Stark saying “Winter is coming.” I’ve got to do something about it.

I think a lot of times, we all get too distracted by pumpkin spiced lattes, Halloween costumes and premature “Santa’s Villages” at our local malls to really think about preparing for actual winter. I’m talking about REALLY doing something about the cold that is coming your way if you live in a place like I do, where things get icy and bitter cold. AKA Chicago.

Don’t freak out. Here are some simple ways you can prep yourself:

1. Dress Warm-
This may seem easy, but I see under-dressed people all the time in frigid weather. Get a good winter coat, gloves, a hat and some snow boots. Also, put those handwarmers in all your belongings.

2. Bring the Outdoors In-
I’m not saying you should bring anything cold inside, but if you want to feel like you’re experiencing winter without the added hassles of ice, sleet and other wintry mixes, you can maybe get some potted seasonal plants and create a nice winter scape. Or just look out your window.

3. Start Knitting-
Knit everything a woolen covering. If everything is warm, nothing can be cold. You’re going to have to get started soon if you want to cover the exterior of your apartment, but I know you can do it.

4. Borrow Someone’s Shovel Today-
Don’t wait until the first snow, because then your friend/neighbor will need it, too. If you borrow the shovel in September and say you need it to haul mulch or sand places, no one will even think you’re trying to use it for snow in 3 months when you keep it. Your friend will forget about it, buy a new one and then you’ll have a free shovel.

5. Hibernate-
I don’t know how to do this one either, but if you can figure it out, you can sleep through winter, which would be ideal.

6. Find Somebody Sexy and Tell Them Hey-
Listen, I think having a significant other around for some added body heat is a really eco-friendly way to stay warm for the winter with out spending a fortune on your heating bill.You’ve got to start looking now though. I realize that’s a lot of pressure. Just do your best.

7. Gain Weight-
Why wait to the holidays to gain a few pounds? C’mon, you lost too much weight dancing at summer festivals for the past 3 months, anyway. If you gain a few pounds, you’re sure to stay warm.

8. Make sure all your loved ones are Skype Savvy-
Tell your friends you’re going to need to solely Skype for the cold months. You’re not going anywhere outdoors, but you still want to be a part of the big stuff. You know, weddings, engagement parties, funerals, etc? You’ll just need to be video chatted in. This is a super popular technique for business conferences, so you better believe you’re life events are important enough for some live coverage.

9. Start Looking for Groupon/Living Social specials on Dog Sleds and Snow Shoes-
No matter how much a city prepares for a major blizzard, it’s never enough. There are always issues with clearing roads. So make sure you keep scanning all the coupon sites for transportation options. This way, you won’t have to rely on anyone to get places in the snow. All you’ll have to do is worry about feeding your $100 for $5,000 worth of dogs and a dog sled.

10. Use The Secret-
Oprah says it works. I don’t know why we can’t utilize this law of attraction idea to keep summer around longer. It’s all about the positive energy we put into the universe. Winter will just stay away.