Low-cost Hacks & Ideas for Staying Warm Without Turning the Heater on
It’s 2023, the year of soaring oil prices, where heated clothes airers and fetching blanket hoodies help to combat the cost of living crisis. But with energy bills at an all-time high, many households are still worried.
And, with heating bills likely to mount up, we’re all feeling a little more reluctant to reach for that dial. So, we’ve gathered around a few low-cost heating strategies you can use to keep the cold out and heat in without needing to turn the heating on. Try these simple – and ingenious – ways to keep yourself toasty this year.
Staying Warm Without Turning the Heating on
Plug the Draughts
Feeling the chill through the floorboards? You might have come across a nifty hack while scrolling through social media accounts that includes using draught excluders found for incredibly affordable prices on Amazon that can block the cold creeping in your doors, floorboards, and any other cracks in your home!
Use the Oven & Stove for Cooking
This one may sound like a no-brainer, but wait until we tell you the two-in-one secret that lies behind the hottest place in your home. Firstly, the stove will naturally emit heat into your home. Secondly, leaving the oven door open after use is a fool-proof way to blast your kitchen full of cozy warmth, meaning you get to eat in peace!
Invest in a Humidifier
Did you know that humid air tends to feel warmer than dry air? What’s more, turning the heat on during the colder months tends to strip your home’s air of this valuable moisture. To balance this, consider using a humidifier. Look for models that offer both cold and warm options. They tend to skew a little more pricey but are well worth it for the amazing heating ability.
Hug a Wearable Heat Pack
You’ve heard of water bottles, now get ready to meet the Hug Wearable Heat Pack! Forget about having to carry anything around. Now you can go about your daily life with an in-built radiator that keeps you warm where it matters. The best part? The reusable Hug heat pack can be worn underneath your clothes and is designed to apply comforting heat to the lower back and abdomen at the same time, soothing your aches and pains while keeping you feeling delightfully toasty.
Made from soft, soothing gel pearls and with a luxuriously velvety lining, all this miracle-working heat pack asks is that you heat it in the microwave (the most efficient piece of kit in your kitchen) for 1.5 minutes. Not a bad trade!
Decorate your Home With a Terracotta Heater
Terracotta may sound tough to source, but it’s really that familiar, easily recognizable, orangey material that makes up your favourite garden pots. However, a little-known fact about these seemingly humble garden fixtures is that they’re incredibly adept in harnessing, holding, and slowly emitting heat through thermal radiation.
So, if you happen to have one nearby, all you have to do is light a candle or two (or more) and place the terracotta plant upside down over them, and voila! You’ve DIYed your own personal terracotta heater that’ll keep any room warm for hours.
Close Your Curtains at Dusk
Here’s a staggering yet wonderful fact: High-quality curtains can reduce heat loss by around 40%. This number is particularly easy to achieve for floor-length curtains or those that are close to the wall and window panes.
Wrap up
This tip almost didn’t make the cut because we figured it’s pretty obvious. That said, there’s a science to wrapping up. Many experts recommend that instead of focusing on your extremities, you should start at your core, adding an extra shirt or jumper before even thinking of throwing on that scarf. This start in and work your way out keeps heat where it matters and holds it for longer.
And that’s a wrap!
You don’t have to fork out a fortune just to keep the frostbite at bay this year. As the cost of heating rises, people are staying away from the heating dial and, instead, getting crafty with some DIY-heating ideas that keep the chill at bay while holding the heat in – enjoy!