I feel so privileged to have a warm home for me and my family. My mum talks of waking to ice on the insides of the windows in the bedroom when she was growing up. For my generation that seems almost unimaginable. We are so used to life with central heating systems, hot water and underfloor heating, but there is always more we can do to ensure that we are heating our home as effectively as possible – in turn being more friendly to the environment as well as saving some money too. So here are our top five ways to ensure you are warm and cosy in your home this winter…
1. Throws and blankets
Throws and blankets are a lovely addition to the backs of chairs and sofas in the lounge. They provide texture, colour and interest as well as providing some warmth if needed to take the chill off. We have multiple blankets in different rooms across our home and each of the children have an additional blanket on their bed at night. We also have a massive blanket box in the living room with some of our favourites which we have had for years. Whenever the kids are cold (or adults) then they pull one out and cover themselves up while watching TV.
2. Rugs rug rugs
I love it when it gets to autumn and it’s time to put all the rugs back down to make it feel cosier in the house. We have a large rug under the kitchen table, one by the fire and one by the sink which are put away once spring arrives. If you have wooden floors and you feel the cold it’s worth considering doing this.
3. Believe in your boiler
One of the most obvious improvements you can make to your home to make sure you are saving money and heating your house effectively, is to get a new boiler. These are so efficient that having a new boiler installation will make a difference. We upgraded ours last year and it feels pretty good to know that’s something we don’t need to think about, except for an annual service, for the next 10 years.
Try not to leave it until your current boiler actually breaks down. I know it might be tempting but if you find yourself in the middle of winter, or event Christmas with a broken boiler, you will be very cross with yourself. I’m speaking from experience here so please trust me on this. When a boiler is older, it can take quite a while to source different parts when they need to be replaced. Again, this is another reason to replace your boiler before it breaks down and to ensure you are hearing your home as effectively as possible.
4. Look out for drafts
It may sound obvious, but it is worth checking around doors and windows that the seal is tight enough and not letting precious hot air out and the cold air in. I live in an old cottage and have had to replace the door as it was so badly fitted. We put a heavy, well-lined curtain up to cover the door too. Make sure to buy a draft excluder to lie against the bottom of the door to stop the draft and if you find any places that need a better seal you can fix this yourself by using a coil of foam draft excluder. I’ve even been known to sellotape over the key hole in the door before, a better way of dealing with this problem is to ensure your door has a little cover over the key hole.
5. Layer up!
We all have different body temperatures and opinions on what we think is the perfect balance. My husband would live in jeans and a t-shirt if he could, while I am the other extreme and always want to be warm and snuggled. For people who tend to feel colder, always opt for layering up first. I have several ‘house jumpers’ which are so snuggly and have hoods on them too. If I am wearing one of those on top of my normal clothing and still feel cold, then it is time to crank but the heating, but until I have done this, we tend to hold off. I have also treated myself to a new hot water bottle with a cover made of lambs wool – the softest thing in the world. I tend to just use it when I need to warm up my feet or hands and it is an absolute delight. Top trick – spray some perfume on the cover too and it will be even more enticing…
I hope you found this blog post useful? I love sharing tips like this but at the same time I love receiving your feedback, recommendations and thoughts too. So don’t hold back! Let me know if I have missed anything or you have some ideas which you think should be included too? And remember – stay warm!