Winter Warmth

Just Feels Warmer

To make your home 'feel" warmer when the thermostat is turned down, keep some steam going. Whether it be a humidifier or just a big pot of water turned on med/low on the stove. The humidity in the air makes it feel much more comfortable.
L.

Electric Blanket Use

Warm in winter: if you like to go to bed feeling warm and like an electric blanket, try turning it on five minutes before you go to bed. Once you get in the bed will feel cozy. Turn the blanket off, throw an extra comforter or two over the top and you'll be cozy for the night.
Nancy

Microwave Hot Pads

A microwavable hot pad is actually just a sack full of ordinary rice. I'm sure someone is making a tidy profit on this but an old tube sock or pillow case with rice thrown in and sewn shut does the job just as well.
Emily L.

Under the Sheets

Put an extra layer or two of bedding under you (between the lower sheet and the mattress) as well as over you. Innerspring mattresses let in a lot of cold air around the sides and are not designed for sleeping in cold rooms.

Also, you lose most of your body heat through your head and neck, so dress to keep those parts of your body covered--turtle necks, scarves, kerchiefs, night caps, for instance.
Jeanne

Flannel Sheets Plus

We have an old farm house with no heat upstairs in our bedroom. When it gets really cold we put flannel sheets on our bed to help with warmth. As nice and comforting as these are, my feet stay cold. My husband brings up 1 liter soda bottles filled with hot water and capped tightly and tucks them in the bottom of our bed. When I go to bed it is very toasty for my feet. It is such a treat and a truly loving gesture!
Kandy

editor's note: please be sure that you reseal the bottle tightly and that you use the bottle safely. Burns aren't a good substitute for cold feet!

Self-Generated Heat

The best way I warm up with the thermostat set low is drop and do 20 pushups. As my upper body strength is terrible this really warms me up since its such hard work!
Lisa H.

Well Vested

Although I live in Houston, in the winter for some reason it's cooler in the house than outside, and it's a damp cold. Wearing one of those zip-front fleece vests indoors has made a tremendous difference in my comfort level. I mentioned this to my elderly parents who live in Oklahoma City, and the next time I saw them they were sporting fleece vests, too!
Nancy in Houston

All Wrapped Up

For keeping warm in bed I found a giant sheet of bubble wrap at the furniture store, it was like new and clean had been wrapped around a sofa, take the tape and what ever off it and put it on the bed under your bedspread, traps the heat in better than anything.
Sandra

Blankets at the Ready

I have a couple of cozy blankets in the family room where we can keep covered when we read or watch TV. I encourage the kids to go outside and play in the snow. When they come in they get hot cocoa and the house doesn't feel so cool anymore.
JK in ND

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