With temperatures plummeting to sub-zero degrees in the majority of the UK, it can be difficult to keep warm at home during the depths of winter. Whether you’re piling on three pairs of socks or wrapping a blanket around yourself desperately waiting for your hands and feet to warm up, it can be tough to feel like you can’t escape the cold.
With this in mind, Moveable have compiled a guide with tips to keep your house extra warm and cosy during the long and cold winter months without breaking the bank.
1. Rearrange your furniture
One of the best ways to get the most out of your heat source is by thinking about how you position your furniture. By keeping furniture, curtains and even drying clothes away from radiators, hot air can circulate freely around the room. You can also notice the colder air more if you are sitting against an external wall, so preferably place sofas and armchairs against internal walls to stay cosy and comfortable.
2. Layering
While adding style and colour to your home, rugs and carpets also serve as an important function in adding a layer of insulation to the floor during the colder winter months. Uninsulated floors can account for up to 10 per cent of heat loss. By adding a thick rug, you are stopping the cool air underneath from seeping up and cooling the room. The warmth of the rug will keep your feet toasty too!
3. Put a shelf above a radiator
Hanging a shelf just above a radiator is a great way of optimising your heating, as it helps distribute the radiator’s heat more evenly. The shelf acts almost like a shield, helping to shift heat outwards into the room, rather than letting it rise to the ceiling.
4. Fireplaces
Fireplaces are excellent sources of heat and can warm a room in a matter of minutes. Snuggling up with a cup of hot chocolate and a good book in front of a fire is a relaxing way to spend a cold winter evening as well. However, open chimneys can also result in unwanted draughts and heat escaping, so if it’s a feature that you don’t use a lot, sealing it is another way of retaining heat.
5. Use your curtains correctly
You might be surprised by the number of people who don’t fully utilise their curtains. During the day, open your curtains and let the sunlight in to make the most of the natural heat. When it gets dark, drawing your curtains will provide the room with an extra layer of insulation. A considerable amount of warmth can often escape through windows, but curtains act as a barrier that works to restrict cold air flowing from the windows while retaining heat within the room.