I have a bit of a thing (obsession) about making sure we’re all warm.
I think that’s because my last house was fitted with old fashioned storage heaters which were useful for heating the house but cost us an absolute fortune anyway. The house was so cold and draughty in the Winter and I used to feel awful putting the children to be in cold bedrooms. It kept me awake at night sometimes and I’d sneak in to see them in the middle of the night and although they’d usually be snug in their beds cuddled up under their blankets, sometimes their little noses would be cold which made me feel so bad.
The only picture I can find of cold children 😉
Now I hate the thought of the children being cold so I’ve got lots of ways to make sure that they’re as warm as possible – without having to resort to turning up the thermostat.
When I Googled for what temperature your thermostat should be set to, I found this that says it should be somewhere between 18 c and 21 c but that if there are elderly or young people in the house it should be 22 c. Only you know the temperature that suits your home and the people in it but these tips should help warm you and your home up so you can possibly go for the lower end of the recommended range.
Keep your home warm
- Open your curtains during the day to let the sun warm the house and close them as soon as the sun starts to go down to retain as much heat as possible.
- Use thicker curtains or make some linings for the ones you already have up.
- If it’s safe to do so, leave the oven on after you’ve used it so it’ll give you some extra heat in the kitchen.
- Make sure all your heaters and radiators are free from any obstruction as you won’t feel the heat from them as much if there’s something in the way of them.
- Check your doors and windows to see if they’re draughty. You can buy draught excluder tape from DIY stores for not very much or you could even make your own draught excluder to pop down to keep out the cold. If you’re not very creative, just put an old towel down at the bottom of the door and that should do the trick.
- Put rugs down on wooden floors.
Keep yourself warm
- Drink warm drinks – I can verify that hot chocolate with marshmallows and squirty cream is great but a cup of tea is almost as good (note that I said almost).
- We play games like Just Dance on the Wii, Simon Says (it’s not just for kids) and Twister to keep us moving and active. You can’t be cold if you’re jumping around. We also take the dog for a walk in the cold so when we come home we’re so cold that we can’t help but feel warm and toasty in the house.
- Layer it up – whether you’re sat watching TV with a cardie, socks and a blanket over you or you’re in bed covered in a couple of layers of blankets – layers are the way to go. You’ll be warmer with a couple of thinner layers than you will with one thicker layer.
- Hot water bottles are great for snuggling up with when you go to bed. By the time they lose their heat, you’ll be asleep.
- Use someone else’s heat – libraries, museums, soft play, friends or grandparents houses. Anywhere that’s warm is fine!
I know there must be loads more ideas but these should be enough to get you going….
Do you have any top tips to share?
