Easy Ways to Stay Warm This Winter

I don’t know about you, but we had an absolutely freezing winter. We struggled to keep warm, both inside the house and out… but we also can’t afford to keep the heating on too high and for too long so we had to be resourceful.

A lot of people think you have to break the bank to keep warm during the cold months, but that’s simply not the case. Managing winter comfort during the frigid time of year is mostly about recognizing how heat moves and blocking that movement. A few simple changes could turn your home into an oasis of cozy life in the dead of winter, all without emptying your pocketbook.

Take a look at some tips that worked out great for us!

Use Throws on Your Furniture

Throw blankets are marvelous for their ability to foster a happy sphere of coziness on your favorite easy chair or couch without a large investment. Even better, you can effortlessly change your décor by simply choosing a throw with a different color or texture. Mix and match with furniture upholstery or leather to create myriad looks that are as functional as they are attractive. Be mindful of choosing breathable materials for your throws so that you don’t have to deal with sweat just to stay warm.

Cover Your Windows

Cover windows with DIY cloth shades.

By far the majority of a home’s heat vanishes through the windows, taking your hard-earned money with it. Fortunately, this can be largely prevented by adding heavy window coverings that function as blankets for your windows by holding in a layer of insulating air. There are also many models of specially designed cold-weather draperies made with heat-reflective material concealed within layers of fabric. As with other window coverings, winter drapes are available in a variety of colors and styles to complement any design sense.

Cover Your Floors

The average home loses up to ten percent of its warmth through the floor. Adding area rugs and carpeting not only bumps up your home’s style, it also bumps up your home’s heat by adding layers of insulation where you need it. Feel free to walk around barefoot to enjoy the delightful textures of nice, deep floor coverings on warm soles. The insulation and comfort values of rugs and/or carpeting vary by material, size, and weave, so it’s wise to compare products and find the best matches to your style and temperature-control needs.

Make Sure Your Heat Works

While you can achieve a great amount of savings by employing clever solutions to insulate your home and keep your body warm in spite of the surrounding temperature, it’s nice to have the option of turning on the heat when it gets truly nippy out. It’s smart to make sure that your system will work when you switch it over to heat before it becomes uncomfortably cold. Consulting with an expert in heating and cooling in Albuquerque or your region could help make you aware of any issues early enough to address them before low temperatures settle in.

Electric Blankets & Hot Water Bags

This hot water bag is supposed to be great! There are much cheaper alternatives, too. (Source)

I didn’t grow up with heating – I had no idea such a thing existed until I left Bolivia to visit my great grandma in Argentina. That’s not to say we didn’t have absolutely freezing weather, we lived 4000m (~13000ft) above sea level surrounded by snow-capped mountains. However, we warmed up the “classic” way – a good, old-fashioned hot water bag. Heat up the water in a kettle and pour it down a rubber hot water bag. It will keep you warm for hours at a fraction of the price of keeping the heat on.

Later on, we got a bit more technologically advanced and I bought an electric blanket. Mine is very economical in its use of electricity – it uses up about 1-3% of the amount of electricity of the heater, depending on the setting. We place ours on our bed and use it to feel toasty and warm.

Relax and Enjoy

It’s not difficult to maintain your comfort level when the mercury drops, as long as you plan and take a few measures to address some of the major areas in a home that allow heat to escape. Many methods work together to increase overall coziness and energy savings, allowing you to weather the worst of Old Man Winter without spending an arm and a leg—or losing one to frostbite.

How do you stay warm in the winter? Tell us your tips & hacks below!

Thanks to Freepik for the unedited version of the featured image.