All winters are intense here, compared to what you experience – so instead of considering them to be intense, we consider them to be normal. No, that doesn’t stop us from complaining!
For my apartment, I cover the windows in plastic wrap, and install weatherproofing around the edges of doors. I pull out my winter coats, hats and scarves. I use hot water bottles in bed, which is covered in several wool blankets. I tend to drink more tea than during the rest of the year. All of this is because I’m a poor grad student – most people just turn up the heat, which is assumed to be a necessary expense.
Car batteries are an issue for those with cars, so most people plug their cars in overnight. like this. A shovel and scraper live in the trunk, just in case.
You check the weather before going out, to find out what the windchill is. The first steps on the stairs or sidewalks are tentative, until you know how your shoes or boots will fare on the ice or snow that day. Your foot muscles get a workout in winter.
You stock up on a few canned goods or boxed foods, so that if you just can’t face venturing out in the cold, you’re still comfortable. You keep a flashlight and candles and matches where you can find them if the power goes out.