One of the most important things to keep on hand this winter is a good, sturdy outdoor broom.  But don’t keep in outdoors when snow is in the forecast.  Keep it in your basement, a utility closet, by the front door - anywhere but outside!  We’ve found that, much like in Warner Brothers cartoons, “That first step is a doosy!”

Having an outdoor broom indoors will help you get outside and put your best foot (cleanly!) forward.

We’ve tested a lot of brooms over the years, and we’ve found that a nice sturdy broom, like the Goldblatt 16164 Wood Finishing Broom provides the best combination of value and durability.  In our particular corner of the Midwest, we get an awful lot of sleet, freezing rain and snow.  Each bout of inclement weather brings us a new challenge, and time and time again, the Goldblatt has been up for the task of clearing off our porch and some of the steps leading down to our walkway.  Sure, everything eventually gets shoveled, but why put up with the hassle of having to keep a shovel inside?  It’s not like you’re going to shovel the area outside of your door while still inside your house, right?

Now, I’m a big supporter of the United States Postal Service, so I always make sure my walkways are cleared before I leave for work.  It may take a little extra time and effort, but imagine how it must make your mail carrier feel to not have to trod through snow, sleet and/or freezing rain and have favorable conditions to walk on?  The broom is an essential first step to get rid of the top layers of snow to make everyone’s lives easier.

(Please note: this post was not approved by the Nor’easterly affected folks in the Northeast.  They’d scoff at the use of a broom to clear the top layers of snow off their porches.  But for you midwesterners and southerners, this is a good first step!)