Whether you live in a particularly cold climate or you just feel the chill when winter kicks in, there are plenty of ways to stay toasty when the temperatures drop.
Most of us up the thermostat but that can certainly see the energy bills rocket. And sometimes it’s nice to use natural ways to stay warm because they feel cosier, toastier and much more healthy.
So, to help keep those bills down and your temperature up, here's some top tips on how to beat the cold this year…
Outdoor And Indoor Heating
If you are looking for an inexpensive way to heat your home and you have a large outdoor space, you may find coal boilers or wood boilers a beneficial way to warm up your property; these are ideal for rugged colder climates.
And if you don’t want to whack the thermostat up inside, how about investing in a wood burning stove instead? Not only will this make your house super toasty, but it also adds a plush Alpine-style feel to your home too. If you need to do a bit of gardening or even just fancy getting outside in the evening (if it's not too chilly), then a fire-pit might come in handy – and would be cheaper than an outdoor electric heater.
Cozy Cashmere And Wool
There’s an old Scandinavian saying that goes ‘There’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing.' So go Nordic with your style and up the ante when it comes to layering.
Invest in cashmere blankets, woolen socks and fluffy hats to keep you warm as the cold weather hits. Cashmere comes from the soft undercoat of goats in Inner Mongolia, Himalaya, and Kashmir, and as it can be up to eight times warmer than sheep wool, it’s certainly worth the investment.
Common Sense Methods
There are also plenty of tried and tested common sense methods of warming up that have been used over the years. Often we just think we’ll whack the heating up, but there are plenty of other ways to stay warm too.
Try Matcha green tea, a delicious bowl of homemade soup or even lemon and honey in hot water to warm the soul. Other hot drinks to warm you up include spiced cider and yummy hot chocolate.
Also, think about where draughts in your house are coming from. These are usually found under door frames, so use funky draught excluders to block these up. And common sense says to always draw your curtains once it gets dark.
One of my personal favourite ways to warm up is with a hot water bottle. Not only are they comforting, but they can make you feel toasty in no time at all. There are some great designs out there and what's more, you can stick it under your duvet before lights out to warm the bed!
Insulation
Making sure you have the correct insulation in your home can also save you money on energy bills, so is well worth investigating.
You can add insulation to your walls and ceilings and also your water tank. Insulating your water tank can reduce your bills by reducing heat loss by up to 45%.
Exercise
Is it crazy to do a few star jumps if you’re feeling cold? No! Not only will it help with your cardiovascular health but moving around also creates more body heat.
A healthier body is more tolerant of cold weather as a fit body has better blood circulation. So if you want to warm up quickly, get all the family on board and do 20 minutes of at-home vigorous exercise. Your body (and your finances) will thank you for it!
27 comments
I never understood the importance of layering until going to Lapland and its amazing how warm it keeps you
Yes – a few thin layers keeps you warm than one thick one apparently! Love Lapland!
I LOVE being toasty warm so these are great tips… not sure my lazy bones will be happy with the idea of some vigorous exercise though. As much as I need it!
Thanks Holly – yea, maybe you need to say that one for the New Year 😉
I’m loving snuggling up with a hot water bottle, my feet get so chilly spots perfect to warm them up
Ah yes, the hot water bottle! I’m with you on that one!
It’s all about blankets for me. If you can see more than just the top of my head then I don’t have enough layers!
Ha ha! Brilliant Justine! Love it…
Keeping warm here in Sweden is essential so we are always with many layers on. We wear hats outdoors for around 6 months of the year. hefty gloves and over trousers with our coats!! We have a lot of outdoor clothing!!
You are the pros at keeping warm – we could take a leaf out of your books in the UK!
I always try and exercise more in the Winter. Partly to stay warm and partly to make up for all the nice foods I’m eating over the festive season!
That’s a good way of looking at it!
Definitely layering is the way forward I am actually wearing two pairs of leggings as I write this!
And I’m wearing 3 top layers as I reply 😉 good thinking Talya!
Ooh yes I am definitely down for some homemade soup and a cup of hot chocolate sounds pretty good to me! I like the idea of an outdoor heater as well!
I’d love to get one of those. In fact it’s on my ‘bucket list’ for interior buys!
Great tips. I really need to get some better gloves, my hands are always freezing
Worth spending extra so you know they will keep you warm.
I was all there with you until exercise ahahaha lol I love the other ways of staying warm and toasty not so much exercising lol
Anosa recently posted…48-HRS in Rome: 5 Must Visit places!
A brisk walk to the nearest shops or round the block could be all that it takes Anosa – go out with a purpose (post a letter?) and you’ll soon warm up!
Great tips! I am always freezing cold so am always open to suggestions!
I am usually cold too – I need an internal electric blanket!
We always wear jackets in the house to reduce the heating bills but its been so cold lately we have just had our heating on most of the time!
Oh I needed this, I am currently FREEZING! Those star jumps are a great idea!
Enjoy the star jumps!
Super post! really good read and very well written, keep up the good work. great tips for
staying warm.
Thanks Jason! 🙂