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My husband makes fun of me because I’m always bundled up, even in the summer. (He loves to tell the story about me sitting by the gas logs inside when it was 89 degrees outside!) So when winter comes around I have to get really creative when it comes to staying warm.
If you are anything like me and want to stay warm this winter without busting your heat bill budget, try a few of these inexpensive tips to stay warm.
Clean like you’ve never cleaned before.
I know, I know. You are probably not thrilled that my first recommendation is for you to go on a cleaning spree. But, hear me out. When you clean, blood starts pumping through your body which, in turn, heats you up. Now, I’m all for rest, but instead of lounging around shivering this winter, be productive and warm at the same time. Plus if you deep clean your home now, it may save you some valuable time during the next Spring Cleaning season!
Use the dryer.
While you’re in the cleaning mood, wash pillows, blankets, comforters and anything else that may not be in your usual routine. Then, use your dryer during the coolest part of the day. You’ll have a clean home plus you’ll be warm from the dryer heat.
Use the self-cleaning option on your oven.
Speaking of random cleaning tasks, winter is the time to use the self-cleaning feature on your oven. Oven temps can raise to over 600 °F so you definitely don’t want to use the self-cleaning feature during the warmer months. Instead, save that task for the colder months so it can work with your home furnace or heater instead of against it.
Cook, cook, and cook some more.
Once your oven is clean, you might as well use it, right? Try out new recipes or get ahead on your baking.
Rotate your ceiling fan.
If you have them, rotate your ceiling fans to reduce your gas and electric bill. In the winter months, you want the blades to turn counterclockwise (this looks clockwise when looking up towards the fan) so you don’t feel the breeze.
Wear wool hiking socks around the house.
Several years ago my husband got into hiking. He and his friends would hike and camp out for days in the cold. (I personally don’t get that hobby but to each his own I guess!) Well, he learned that a good pair or wool socks can go a long way when it comes to saying warm. And, I’ve since learned the same thing since I claimed those socks as my own to wear around the house! Paying $20 for a wool pair of socks almost seems crazy to me but I’ve learned buying a good pair of wool socks is much cheaper than spending $400 on a heat bill each month.
Dress in layers.
Dressing in layers may seem like an obvious way to keep warm but so often we neglect this step at home. It’s one thing to add a few layers when we go outside but it’s completely different when we’re hanging out inside. Of course, we’d prefer to not be bundled so heavily we can’t move so, that’s why I’m a big fan of thin, warm clothing like cuddle duds. The fabric is thin enough to go unnoticed under almost any other clothing so the extra layer doesn’t bulk you up!
Utilize blankets.
I like to be snuggle warm when I’m sleeping so this blanket is one of my favorites! It’s thin so it doesn’t bulk up the bed coverings, it is super soft, and it’s so warm that we don’t even need to keep the heat very high at night. It doesn’t matter which blanket you have because there are tons of great ones available, but using a blanket (or 2 or 3) is a great way to reduce your heating expenses while staying warm.
Install a programmable thermostat.
Installing a programmable thermostat will cost you some money up front, but you will most definitely recoup the cost in a short while. It will allow you to adjust the heat on a preset schedule by lowering the temperature when you’re not home or sleeping and raising the temperature when you’re home. It would be well worth the time and investment to install a programmable thermostat.
Sip a hot drink.
Thanks to Maria’s comment below I’m editing this post to include a very helpful tip…Sip a hot drink. If you’re going to lounge around and read a few blogs you might as well stay warm and full at the same time. Plus, drinking something like hot tea will help eliminate the need to much on food. That may not be a problem for you but I’m all about finding ways to cut out the munching!
What other tricks do you have for staying warm in the winter and/or reducing your heat bill?
iDreamOfClean
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{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
Hehe, I’m shivering right now, so maybe I should clean. Florida girls don’t do cold very well. :D
lol! What’s cold to you? 80 degrees? :-)
Tea. Lots and lots of tea and other hot beverages. Also, we filled in all the outside cracks that we could– installing plastic sheeting over large, leaky windows and putting some weather stripping in the front door jamb. It really helps to keep out the cold!
I really like your first tip! I’ve never looked at winter cleaning that way before.
You know, I almost mentioned that we could drink tea and other hot beverages to stay warm! I may go add it and give credit to you :-)
Great tips! Especially the ceiling fan … I always forget to switch it … as soon as I read that tip, I stopped, stood on my chair and switched the ceiling fan above me LOL! Much better!
Oh, I like how you took care of that right away!
I forgot this one as well! Off to find the ladder! :) I also love the idea of running the self cleaning cycle on the oven – two birds with one stone, right?
My husband has a toasty fire in the fireplace right now. Love that!
My husband says the same thing to me about how I am ALWAYS cold. Great suggestion on the oven self cleaning option!
We just bought an electric fireplace – we turn it on after the kids are tucked in bed, letting the furnace have a break since we’re both in the same room as the fireplace.
Layers and blankets are another big one here – if you’re cold, add a layer or grab a blanket. Don’t touch the thermostat!
Hot drinks are another go-to. This mint mocha latte recipe is sure to warm you up!
Mint is one of my weaknesses so I’m going to try that drink asap! Thanks for sharing!
Great tips! I do a lot of those things because we live in an old house and our winters just keep getting colder. I discovered the wonder of wearing wool socks this year. So much warmer around the house. Layers are also a definite must…and we have tons of blankets around the living room :)
Insulating your windows or at least putting towels in the bottom of them to cut down on drafts is also really helpful. Plus putting insulation around your doors. Every little bit helps!
boo clean..just kidding. you could also just add workout tell you are all sweaty! pop in a jillian micheals dvd and you will be good to go!
Work out!! YES! How could I have forgotten that one ;-)
When we have guests the heat is astonishing and the house is cozy. When we don’t have guests the thermostat is at 60. Our part of the house is drafty because we spent our money fixing up the guest areas, LOL. In addition to layers of clothing, sometimes I wear my wool hat in the house. Once in a great while (during Nor’easters) I’ll wear a cap or turban to bed a la Little House on the Praire. Victorian women wore fingerless gloves all winter. I have a few pairs that are great for working on the computer or reading. They really help keep my arthritic hands happy.
My oven directions say to open the windows overnight when cleaning the oven, as it releases toxic fumes into the air when it is 600º. It even says to remove pets! So, I don’t do that in the winter unless I need to!
I was just thinking about wool socks the other day. My feet are always cold. I will defintely look into getting some for next winter (Our winter is very short here and I will be putting tomato plants in the ground in 5 weeks!).
I’ve also been layering with an extra wool sweater. I’ve been thinking lately that wool is a good answer for the cold!
Great ways to reduce cost in winter but still keep warm.I will try on doing this in next winter.Thanks for your sharing
I live in PA and the temp. 25*. The temp. in my house is between 70 and 78. Every day I eat hot peppers. It regulates my body temp. and I am not cold. There are hundreds of hot peppers to try. Cayenne, chili, jalapeno, or many more. Putting them in your scrambled eggs are a good way to charge your morning. I’ve been eating them everyday since 1976. Start out with small amounts so they don’t bother your stomach and intestines.
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