10) Scrub brush and detergent – Your car will be covered in mud from the combination of snowmelt and dirt. You must clean it frequently because, if you don’t, no one can see your brake lights, and every time you brush up against your car, the gunk will leap onto your clothes. You could drive through a car wash if you have two hours to wait in line and an extra $20 to throw away. Your car will be bright and shiny while you’re in the parking lot, but the second you drive on the road, it will be covered again. The same happens if you wash your car at home, but at least it’s cheaper. And hey, you also get some exercise.

9) Ice chipper – This is handy when removing the remaining ice off the glacier on your driveway. The melting during the day and refreezing at night causes chaos.

8) Snow shovel – You still need this essential item because it will most definitely snow again. (Insert eye roll here.)

7) Sunscreen – The days are getting longer (hallelujah!), and the sun will feel wonderful. However, it will reflect off the three feet of snow still in your yard, and since you haven’t seen the sun in nine months, your skin will burn to a crisp.

6) Lawnmower – Wait, Judy, didn’t you just say three feet of snow is still in your yard? Why would you need a lawnmower? I am so glad you asked. There is always that one patch of yard where the wind blew most of the snow away. Now the grass in said patch is six inches high and waving in the wind. It looks ridiculous next to the snowdrift beside it.

5) Pooper Scooper – No one likes to talk about this, but poop happens. For dog owners, hundreds of piles in your yard are being uncovered daily by the melting snow. (You don’t pick these up as they happen in the winter because 1) who wants to go out when it’s cold? and 2) those things freeze instantly to the snow, making them difficult to extract.) Someone must pick up and dispose of all the nastiness, and a pooper scooper makes the job much easier.

4) Seeds, potting soil, seed starting trays, grow lights, etc. – You need ALL this stuff because every good Alaskan starts seeds indoors to get a jump on the growing season. If you’ve waited until now, you may already be too late. Summer is short. Time’s a tickin’, and that growing season won’t last forever. If you are like me, you can’t get to your supplies because three feet of snow is blocking the garden shed door. So, you go to the store to buy new. Maybe I will remember to put my supplies in the garage instead of the shed next year. Maybe not.

3) Bug Spray – Humans aren’t the only ones with spring fever. Mosquitoes the size of small birds are hungry. Thankfully, many birds are hungry for mosquitoes, so that helps. But still, one must be prepared to fight off the monsters who want to suck your blood.

2) Fishing supplies – Even though fishing season is two months away if you plan to sport fish in the summer with a rod and reel, buy your supplies now – hooks, lures, fly-tying materials, and whatever you need. If you wait until the season opener, every single store in town will be completely out for the remainder of summer. You’d think stores would know how much stock they need to carry, but it’s the same story every year—big sigh.

Finally, the number one thing you need for breakup:

1) XtraTufs – These are practically indestructible rubber boots that are somewhat of a status symbol in Southcentral Alaska. They keep feet dry and protected from all the slush, mud, and water everywhere you step. And let’s be honest, jumping in puddles is still fun, but avoid the ones in the road because you have no idea how deep those puppies are. You might fall in and not be found for days.

Once you have acquired all these items, you will navigate breakup successfully and embrace summer in all its glory when it makes its long-awaited arrival.