Tips for keeping warm in a cold house

This post is a collaboration with  University of Kent students.  The opinions in this piece are those of our guest blogger and do not necessarily represent those held by Sustainability Connections. 

Guest blog by:    Daniella Golden

As an experienced ex tenant of a very old, very mouldy, very cold little cottage, I have learnt a few tips and tricks when it comes to keeping snug without turning the heating up. Now, this house I lived in was so cold that even in summer I could be seen reaching for a jumper, goosebumps creeping up my arms. So, these are my ten tips for when the cold starts to bite:

 Pile on the  Clothes

Wear clothing made of good, warm, winter materials such as wool, cotton, faux fur, fleece, corduroy and velvet. Anything with down in is good too. Furthermore, wrap up in layers and wear a hat. 

Get Active

Good for your health and your purse, doing a set of exercise throughout a cold winter’s day works wonders. Get away from your laptop and television, and do some press-ups, sit-ups, squats, hops, runs up the stairs and within minutes you will feel your circulation flowing. You might even have to peel off layers.  

Drink Up

Warm drinks can help soothe the chilly feeling away. To save water, boil a tea pot worth and keep it by your side with a tea cosy on.

Curtains

Use heavy curtains to keep out big draughts of air but let the sun come in when it’s shining so you get the heat-trap you’re after.

Close Doors

It stops air circulating between rooms and it feels more cosy too. You can choose a room you are going to spend a lot of time in and heat that  rather than heating up the whole house.

Carpet it

Putting a carpet onto the cold floor will feel much nicer on your feet and prevents heat loss through the floor, maybe you can find a second hand one.

 Blanket Up

Using lots of blankets when sat down will keep you very warm and again you might find some in a second hand shop.

Get Out

As comforting as it is to spend time at home, sometimes it’s good to get away (and use someone else’s heating). Go to the cinema, a friend’s, a museum, a cafe and you’ll not need your heating and will get a day out too.