Bundle Up! Five Ways to Keep Your Home Warm this Winter
It’s officially winter in the Northern Hemisphere and while it’s already been pretty chilly, it’s only going to get colder now. Depending on where you live, trying to keep your home warm in the cold winter months can be a real challenge. You can always just crank up the heat, but that generally ends up costing a lot of money that you may not want to or be able to part with. Luckily there are some easy ways to help keep your home warm that don’t cost much (if anything at all!). Let’s take a look at some tips on how to keep a cozy home this winter.
Find and Stop Drafts
The first thing you should do if you want your home to be warmer is determine if you have any drafts. The main sources of drafts are windows and doors. But there can be sneaky spots as well, like fireplaces and even outlets. The easiest way to find drafts is to simply hold your hand by those common sources and feel if it’s colder there than other spots in the room. Once you’ve figured out where the cold air is sneaking in, it’s easy to stop it. Fabric draft stoppers are a good option for doors. For windows you may need to cover them with plastic insulation. For fireplaces, make sure that your flue is closed when the fireplace is not in use. Outlets can be sealed up with plastic outlet plugs.
Use Curtains Wisely
A simple thing like opening and closing your curtains can make a big difference in the temperature of a room. Heat from the sun is free, so you want to make the most of it when you have it. Make sure any windows that get sun during the day are open to let the sunlight and the warmth in. At night make sure to close the curtains since this will help act as another layer of insulation. If you have rooms that don’t get much sunlight you may want to consider keeping the curtains closed during the day as well for the insulation.
Be Aware of Furniture Placement
You might think that it makes sense to keep furniture in front of the radiator so all the heat goes right to you. And while that is a good way to keep yourself warm, it’s not good for keeping the whole room warm. By moving furniture away from radiators the warm air is more free to circulate around the room. It’s generally better for the furniture anyway not to be so close to a heat source. There is a way to make furniture work in your favor however. If you have the wall space, a floating shelf placed above the radiator will help slow the hot air from rising too quickly. Just don’t put anything that can be damaged by heat on the shelf.
Put Down Rugs
If you have hardwood, tile, or cement floors you know how cold they can get in the winter. Nothing wakes you up faster than putting your feet down on a freezing cold floor! Putting down area rugs will keep your feet warm, but it will help keep the room warm as well by adding a layer of insulation. Any rug will help a little bit, but if you’re looking to increase warmth, the plusher the better.
Cover Walls
Just like adding rugs to the floors adds a layer of insulation, adding things to the walls can also help insulate a room. Exterior facing walls are especially vulnerable letting heat out and cold in. Luckily adding basically anything to the walls will add a layer of insulation - even just a poster. But the thicker you go, the better the insulation. So consider putting up a gallery wall, or hanging a tapestry. Bookcases are really good wall insulators because you have the thickness of the bookcase itself, plus all the books to help absorb any cold radiating from the wall before it can reach you.
Hopefully following these tips you’ll be able to stay nice and snug this winter. If your home is still a little chilly, you can always bundle up with lots of blankets and pillows to help stay warm. What’s your favorite way to keep warm in the winter? If you have any tips we left out, let us know in the comments, we’d love to hear!
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