It's pretty chilly right now and instead of having the heating on constantly, I started thinking about alternative ways to stay warm. I did some research and came up with a list of things we can do fairly easily to keep the house cosy in winter.
Here are thirteen money-saving ways to boost inner warmth, in both your home and body!
Layer Up
We love merino base layers for their cosiness. Wool has a high warmth to weight ratio, which means that you can add a couple of layers without adding bulk, and making it difficult to move around! You'll need to add a jumper too, as base layers themselves don't provide enough warmth. The downside is cost, but a good merino wool base layer should last you for years. Buy a size bigger for kids. You can find secondhand base layers on Vinted too.
Make a Door Snake
Do you remember having a cotton snake that acted as a draught excluder as a kid? We had a few in our drafty, old house growing up. I think my mum probably made them, maybe from Clothkits kits?! Door snakes are great for insulating a room and stopping cold draughts from coming in under the door. Here's a tutorial on making your own to prevent heat loss.
Wear Woolly Socks and Slippers
You can save on the heating bill by making one simple tweak and investing in a pair of slippers. Of course they keep your feet warm and toasty, but they can also make you feel warmer. Heating the extremities such as hands and feet is one of the simplest ways to boost your internal temperature. Our youngest has a pair of sheepskin house boots from Shepherd's of Sweden. Woolly socks are also a no-brainer - here's a pattern for knitting your own.
Eat Warming Foods
If possible, make sure that at least one of your meals a day is a hot one. And add fire-boosting foods like chillis, leeks, onions and garlic. All of these increase blood flow and therefore boost body heat. Kirsten Chick, nutritionist, suggests eating warming, hydrating foods, like casseroles, soups, porridge, well cooked brown rice risottos, sauce-rich bakes etc.
Close Curtains and Blinds Before Sunset
Open the windows to air rooms for the first hour or so, after you wake up. Then close windows, and during the day let south facing rooms warm up - use solar energy to naturally heat your space. Keep curtains drawn in north facing rooms where possible. Close all curtains and blinds before the sun sets, to retain heat. One suggestion I read today from a money saving expert is to hang a shower curtain behind your actual curtains to add an extra layer of insulation. Or add a quilt - see below.
Carry a Hot Water Bottle
A hot warm bottle strapped to your body, or tucked into trousers will give you situational warmth, so that you can wander around with a warm glow! Also use to ease aches and pains, or pop one between the covers 15 minutes before you go to bed to warm up your sleeping space. Here's a guide on what size to opt for and how to use a hot water bottle to ease pain.
Move Your Body
This is one of the best ways to increase your internal temperature. Even light physical activity elevates your body temperature. Go for a brisk walk, head to the park to go on the swings, chop wood, have a kitchen disco - choose something that makes you feel joyful too, for added mood boosting hormones!
Double Down on Insulation
Carpets and rugs keep our houses warmer. Bare floorboards can account for 10% of heat loss from a room. You can also add window film, which is where most buildings lose most heat. This film reflects heat back into your house and significantly reduces heat loss through the glazing.
Exclude Draughts
Go round your house and test with your hands to see where your house leaks energy. Check around door and window seals. Anywhere you can feel a cold draught is an area where you could improve on insulation. Think door snakes (see above), window film, duvet as an extra layer over windows and doors, etc.
Get Some Fingerless Gloves
In the same vein as wearing slippers, fingerless gloves stop your extrematies from getting too cold. We love the recycled cashmere wrist warmers from Turtle Doves - I'm wearing some right now, which were a gift from my sister and niece! Here's a tutorial on crocheting your own fingerless gloves.
Move Furniture
If you can, move furniture away from radiators so that the warmth from your central heating can circulate around your space. Position sofas and chairs away from external walls, if possible, as these are the coldest spaces in your house. You might choose to just heat one room.
Add a Quilt
As well as adding quilts, blankets and eiderdowns to your bed to create a snuggly nest, quilts can also be pinned up against external doors to reduce heat loss. Hanging a quilt up at the window after dark is said to reduce heat loss by 80%! I like this idea from Tiny House blog that suggests crafting simple button fastenings to keep quilts up in daylight and allows them to be easily let down once darkness falls.
Get Social
One of the most fun ways to get warmer is to add more people! The more people and animals in your living space, the warmer you'll be. Sharing body heat is an effective and connective way to stay warm.
Got more ideas? Drop us a line and let us know your staying warm hacks!
