Tips for Staying Warm... - Page 5

[meandk0610]

Originally Posted by Starr

Another thing that really helps and is realatively cheap/ easy to do is to buy 2" certifoam insulation, its hard and sold in 4X8 sheets. Go in your basement or crawlspace and sut pieces to fit around your rim joist, in between your floor joists. It really helps stop cold air drafts from coming and we noticed our floors feel much warmer.

how is the insulation held up?

sarah

[Purple*Lotus]

Originally Posted by Nico DeMouse

We have not turned the heat on yet. It was 59 in the house this morning when we got up. When it gets turned on, it's set for 55 at night and 65 during the day (when people are home).

I recommend cats. The colder it is, the more of ours join us in bed!
.

I would have to agree on the cats thing. We have three cats and if you get them all piled on top of you, you will stay warm

DH and I pile on the blankets. I am allergic to down, I have tried many kinds, even some that claimed would not bother my allergies, but no go Also I have nice, thick pj's and socks that I sleep in.

[Sierra]

This is a year old thread worth bumping because there are a lot of good ideas. I will add the consumption of warm and spicey foods, as well-- I have heard-- as running ceiling fans on reverse if they have such a setting.

[kayleesmom]

great thread thanks

[sprouthead]

Originally Posted by meowee

I am thin so I will start shivering-- visibly-- if it is below 72 in the house. I have tried hats, sweaters, I already have 2 down comforters on the bed-- I don't know what to do.

Thanks for bumping this!

I am like the quote above and we are moving to an old house this year.. : I am going to try every tip in this thread and hopefully we can keep our heating bill reasonable this year!

[KathinJapan]

Ginger tea

This works to keep you warm from the inside. Just grate some ginger add hot water and honey, enjoy.

kathryn

[EmsMom]

Great thread. I was going to add that I used to have a bedroom with a very drafty wall right behind the head of the bed. Moving away from the wall would have helped but the room was too small. So I made a "headboard" out of some heavy fabric with a polyester batting -- like a quilt. It really cut down on the draft coming through the wall. During the day, if I keep a wool hat on my head all day, it makes an incredible difference in my body temperature. Probably wouldn't want to wear a hat to bed, but if things were desperate, I might try to make soft, light hats out of fleece for sleeping in. (There was a good reason folks used to sleep in nightcaps!).

[fek&fuzz]

Originally Posted by EmsMom

Great thread. I was going to add that I used to have a bedroom with a very drafty wall right behind the head of the bed. Moving away from the wall would have helped but the room was too small. So I made a "headboard" out of some heavy fabric with a polyester batting -- like a quilt. It really cut down on the draft coming through the wall. During the day, if I keep a wool hat on my head all day, it makes an incredible difference in my body temperature. Probably wouldn't want to wear a hat to bed, but if things were desperate, I might try to make soft, light hats out of fleece for sleeping in. (There was a good reason folks used to sleep in nightcaps!).

Sleeping caps are the best! I have a really soft fleece hat that I sleep in. And sometimes I wrap a really soft blanket around my head (there are windows right behind my head).

[lolar2]

When we lived in Michigan and were keeping the heat low, I used to wear a hat and sweater to bed. With cats.

[highlandmum]

I'm subbing to and bumping up this thread! I woke up freezing this morning and I need to read through and get some tips!:

[Virginia884]

Love these ideas! I made a rice bag out of an old sock (after my sewing machine broke... GRR!). So easy and it stayed warm for hours! Pour rice into an old sock, tie off, zap it for 30 second increments until it is warm enough. I went and retreived it from the bed this morning and zapped it again to keep my feet warm while I watch the morning news. So good!

[tonyarn]

bumping so I don't have to search for this again

[bluey]

all good ideas :

[Mallori]

I haven't read this entire forum, but wanted to suggest that if you run a furnace, to make sure you are changing the filter once a month. They run SO much more efficiently with regular filter changes.

[Hebaume39]

Okay, so this won't work if your body doesn't adjust to the cold but its a crazy trick my siblings and I discovered while growing up in a 55 degree house with no heat till November in Northern Indiana (there was usually snow on the ground before the heat was on). If you don't cover your hands and feet for the first month or so of cold weather your body adjusts and you stay warm with less clothing and less heat. We have alot of pictures of us racking leaves with frost in leotards. We're crazy I know but it could be worse. My husband refused to wear shoes until there was at least two inches of snow (he's from minnesota). My dad, who doesn't adjust to temperatures the way the rest of us do used to sit on the heating register and use it to keep warm while he worked on the computer. He also never took his parka off for the entirety of winter (he had two so it did occassionally get washed). Wow this turned out long. The temperature adjustment really does happen. Give it a week or two and you'll see a big difference.
Addie

[SleeplessMommy]

Originally Posted by sarahlyao

how is the insulation held up?

sarah

It is held in place by spray foam insulation.

[Aeress]

Don't forget about warming your feet before bed. You could use a warm pan of water rather than a bath and then add nice fleece or wool socks. This is the only way I can fall asleep in the winter.

[Pumpkin_Pie]

I keep my thermostat set at 64 during the day and 56 at night and on weekends (and any other time I can get away with it). I do childcare 5 days a week in my home, but tell the parents to bring slippers for their kiddos. I also have plenty of extra sweaters for them if they seem cold, but they are running all day and usually end up sweaty anyway.

At night I have a thin cotton thermal blanket under a huge wool stuffed comforter and a warm blooded toddler to snuggle up with, so we stay super toasty at night. In fact, I still haven't taken my air conditioner out of my bedroom window yet, so we effectively still have the bedroom window open in there, so I am sure it is getting down into the low 40's on some nights and we are snug as bugs in rugs.

Oh, I don't heat my upstairs either, so the open window in the bedroom is not really affecting the heating of the downstairs either. (although I have to get that dang thing out of the window this weekend for sure...)

[texmati]

Originally Posted by velochic

Down is the best!

I just wanted to agree with this. I was able to find down blankets at marshalls for about 30 bucks, and they've made a huge difference to how low we can keep the heat.

I also wanted to suggest a space heater on a timer for right when you go to sleep.

[Nitenites]

Originally Posted by Virginia884

Love these ideas! I made a rice bag out of an old sock (after my sewing machine broke... GRR!). So easy and it stayed warm for hours! Pour rice into an old sock, tie off, zap it for 30 second increments until it is warm enough. I went and retreived it from the bed this morning and zapped it again to keep my feet warm while I watch the morning news. So good!

Oooh! Yes! My sewing machine is out of commission right now, so that is a GREAT idea! :