Since the winter months started rolling around I have been digging out my old sweaters, scarves, and other winter garb from the bottom of my closet. For years I have been avoiding my thermostat to keep myself from cranking up the heat. Not everyone can do this, however, and heaters cause huge spikes in our energy usage every year around this time. BUT, it is possible to stay comfortable and warm during the cold months without causing spikes in our energy usage, here’s how:
Bundle up—The best way to keep your body warm is to dress in layers and to stop your body heat from escaping your body! Don’t forget to wear a hat; lots of body heat escapes through your head.
Host many get-togethers—Not only will the thought of being with your favorite people keep you warm mentally, it will physically as well. Increase the number of bodies in a small space to generate heat. Cozy up on the sofa and talk over delicious meals or fun television show marathons! ☺
Hot Pot Potlucks—Get a small portable stove, be it electric or gas powered, and a small pot. Host a potluck at your place! There’s nothing like spending the evening with your friends and family crowded around a delicious pot of food! The heat generated from using this low power utensil will provide enough warmth for your whole room.
Beef up Your Bedding—Switch out your regular bed sheets for fleece microplush sheets. It will warm up your bed considerably! It also feels like cuddling up with a teddy bear when you climb into bed☺ Layer up on the blankets and consider sleeping with your dog/s and/or cast if you have any, as body heat from a fellow companion will really warm up your bed! Also, if you don’t have a roommate, consider bunking-up to cut down on costs… as more bodies in a room will generate more heat!
Seal off All Openings—Do you see any cracks in your doors or windows? These cracks are allowing the heat you are paying for to escape from your home ☹ The only way to stop this is to seal off all of the cracks you can find. At my apartment, my housemates and I use duct tape to seal up our cracks. Although it may not look that nice it is really effective. You can also try your hand at caulking! If you do not have double pane windows you can buy sheets of plastic from a local hardware store and tape them over the inside of the windows. This creates an air bubble preventing the heat escape from your home. This method was discussed in: “Insulate Your Home”.
Exercise—Physical activity of any sort will keep you warm and keep your hearts pumping! Try doing some jumping jacks or get a jump rope and start getting active, even if it’s just running in place. Bored? Turn up some music and start dancing! Try some kickboxing or pull out your DDR and invite some friends over and get moving! Staying still in one place will certainly NOT keep you warm…
Efficiently Use a Small Space Heater—Maybe all the above tips did not work out so well for you, but do not turn up your thermostat! Instead invest in a small space heater, the cost ranges from $10-$50. These are not that costly to buy or use. Space heaters will heat up a small room well and not use much energy, unlike your thermostat which will warm up your entire home even if you are only planning on staying in one room. Consider placing a blanket over one of your low rise tables so that the blanket touches the ground on all four sides and place the space heater beneath that to trap the heat under the table. Then turn the heater on and off periodically. This simulates an idea that the Japanese have been using for a while called a kotatsu. Place cushions around the table and do your work there. It’s quite cozy!☺
If you are a little adventurous and looking to explore more ways to make your home warm this winter, check out:
- “Green Roofs What are They”
- “Passive Solar Design”
- “Insulate Your Home”
- “Winter Homes”
Good luck staying warm this winter!
