Author Topic: Off-season Planning: how to stay warm this winter  (Read 7128 times)

JDFW

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Off-season Planning: how to stay warm this winter
« on: August 02, 2015, 08:12:25 PM »
So
« Last Edit: December 05, 2016, 03:21:19 PM by JDFW »

shusherstache

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Re: Off-season Planning: how to stay warm this winter
« Reply #1 on: August 02, 2015, 08:15:29 PM »
I looooooooooooooooooooooove my electric blanket. If your husband doesn't dig it, you can always get a twin or throw-sized one for your side of the bed.

1967mama

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Re: Off-season Planning: how to stay warm this winter
« Reply #2 on: August 02, 2015, 08:25:02 PM »
What about making rice bags or wheat bags?

lizzzi

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Re: Off-season Planning: how to stay warm this winter
« Reply #3 on: August 02, 2015, 08:44:55 PM »
Flannel sheets and pillowcases, down comforters in flannel duvets, flannel nightgowns/pajamas, wool ragg socks used as bed socks. I was warm at night like this with the heat down to 60 degrees. When I put the heat down to 55 degrees, it was still OK, but I had to pile on two down comforters instead of one, and sometimes would wear a knit cap to bed. Cosy and comfortable to the max. (No elderly in the home, no children, no pets.) Saved a fortune on the heating bill. (Natural gas forced air furnace.)

johnny847

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Re: Off-season Planning: how to stay warm this winter
« Reply #4 on: August 02, 2015, 08:52:17 PM »
The easiest way to reduce your heating bill is to abide by one simple principle: warm yourself, not your residence (though exceptions may apply if you have a pet).

Many good examples given so far.

There are also heated mattress pads.
« Last Edit: August 02, 2015, 09:17:47 PM by johnny847 »

Valencia de Valera

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Re: Off-season Planning: how to stay warm this winter
« Reply #5 on: August 02, 2015, 09:04:25 PM »
I highly recommend flannel sheets, a pile of blankets, and a small heating pad. My heating pad is 45 W on the highest setting so it costs less than 1 cent per hour to run. I usually only have to use it for about 30 minutes when I first get into bed, mostly to warm up the area around my feet since I can't stand sleeping with socks on; I use it during the day too if I get really cold. We have the top few layers of blankets folded over so they're only on my side of the bed because DH likes to be cooler. The other benefit of a heating pad is that it only warms you up, not the air around you like a space heater, so your polar bear will stay comfortable also.

The_path_less_taken

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Re: Off-season Planning: how to stay warm this winter
« Reply #6 on: August 02, 2015, 09:23:00 PM »
My winter thermostat is set 45-50. I heat with wood, but after a busy day at work I fall asleep before I can ramp up the wood stove enough to heat the house.

I use multi down quilts.

And there's a reason that old movies of Dickens times showed people in night caps: if you can keep your head (and toes) warm, everything in between feels noticeably warmer.

Having 4 or 5 dogs on the bed is like having 4 heating pads, btw.

lizzzi

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Re: Off-season Planning: how to stay warm this winter
« Reply #7 on: August 04, 2015, 06:15:46 AM »
There are other threads about Ugg boots, but I do swear by them in the winter for in the house. (And outside if it's not wet or slushy.) I keep my house at 60 degrees during the day if there are no visitors (I don't freeze friends or family--only myself--haha). I swear by merino wool long underwear. Then wear your normal slacks/jeans whatever and long-sleeve turtleneck tops. Wear a wool sweater on top of that--preferably a big, oversized, turtle or cowl-neck sweater, if you can find one. If you are not wearing Ugg boots (more comfortable without socks), make sure you have thin enough wool socks to wear inside your leather shoes or boots. A lot of people like Smartwool. I do well with men's over-the-calf (i.e. knee socks) Goldtoe wool blend socks. (Sort of dressy...come in dark colors.) Warm, comfortable, last forever, who cares if they're guys' socks. You may want to get some fingerless gloves to wear in the house. I don't have any, but they're on my list to try for this coming winter. Occasionally I've worn one of my wool ski caps in the house if I'm really cold. And whatever you're drinking...heat it up.

Valencia de Valera

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Re: Off-season Planning: how to stay warm this winter
« Reply #8 on: August 04, 2015, 06:38:26 AM »
I like to sit on the couch with a heating pad behind my back, or under a blanket or sweatshirt. If you're sitting in one place sewing or reading the fact that it's plugged into the wall isn't an issue. I also recommend yoga pants (or tights etc) worn under looser heavy sweatpants, and long-sleeve shirts with sweatshirts. And fuzzy/insulated boots with thick knee socks. Basically any way that you can have one layer tight on your skin to keep the cold air from actually touching you, with a second loose layer to hold a big warm air bubble around that. I also have a large (like 6'x2') flannel scarf that can be used as a shawl or scarf around the neck and head. I love it and wear it indoors all the time. For me the biggest issue is keeping my hands warm if I'm using them (otherwise I have them under the blanket with me if we're just watching a movie or something), I need to get some fingerless gloves too. Extra-long sleeves can also help if you keep them pulled down over your hand with just your fingers sticking out.
« Last Edit: August 06, 2015, 07:18:33 AM by Valencia de Valera »

bobechs

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Re: Off-season Planning: how to stay warm this winter
« Reply #9 on: August 04, 2015, 08:21:44 AM »
Burn the furniture.  You will de-clutter and stay warm at the same time.

You could cruise the neighborhood on big trash day looking to grab more furniture to burn, but then you would be adding to clutter, at least until the new stuff meets the fate of Rosebud.

It's a dilemma, I know.

johnny847

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Re: Off-season Planning: how to stay warm this winter
« Reply #10 on: August 04, 2015, 08:38:56 AM »
As the others said, fingerless gloves are important! When I was growing up my parents would set the thermostat a little low (I don't recall the temperature, but it wasn't 60 degrees low), and I always needed fingerless gloves otherwise my typing ability would slow down quite a bit.

MsPeacock

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Re: Off-season Planning: how to stay warm this winter
« Reply #11 on: August 06, 2015, 06:18:16 PM »
I find a heating pad to be a wonderful thing. As a PP mentioned, they are very inexpensive to run. I have a big one that is used by physical therapists. It was a bit costly, but so awesome. Tuck it under your seat on the sofa or at your desk and it will help keep you snug.

Cressida

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Re: Off-season Planning: how to stay warm this winter
« Reply #12 on: August 06, 2015, 08:18:25 PM »
I'm a super-cold person, and I found I could comfortably tolerate a 5-degree drop in the thermostat setting if I wore fleece leggings under my pants. Something like this: http://sahalie.blair.com/p/butterfleece-light-leggings/44885.uts

They tend to be expensive, but if you wear them every day during the cold months, they'll pay for themselves very quickly.

1967mama

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Re: Off-season Planning: how to stay warm this winter
« Reply #13 on: August 07, 2015, 01:44:09 AM »
Some great suggestions here - my DD complains about the cold in our house in winter but refuses to wear socks or slippers.

2ndTimer

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Re: Off-season Planning: how to stay warm this winter
« Reply #14 on: August 07, 2015, 08:19:24 AM »
Ways we deal with cold weather:

Wool socks and hats from the thrift store
Sweatshirts and down or fleece vests from the thrift store
Two down comforters from the thrift store
heating pad which I actually bought new.
Pellet stove for heating just the living room

choppingwood

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Re: Off-season Planning: how to stay warm this winter
« Reply #15 on: August 07, 2015, 08:36:13 AM »
I live in Northern Alberta, so I've tried it all.

Good quality blankets would be the best thing. There are lots of lightweight but very warm blankets now, and they are worth spending a few dollars on. (The best I've tried was at the place I rented in Maui last March. A designer label, but I'm shelling out for one this year.)

Space heaters scare me when I am not awake to keep an eye in them.




I'm a red panda

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Re: Off-season Planning: how to stay warm this winter
« Reply #16 on: August 07, 2015, 08:49:42 AM »
I'm a big fan of fleece leggings under my pants. And fleece pants when I am at home (although husband doesn't love that winter = pajama pants).

I also have wool fingerless gloves that I wear around the house (regular gloves just make it too hard to maneuver things).

Villanelle

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Re: Off-season Planning: how to stay warm this winter
« Reply #17 on: August 07, 2015, 08:57:18 AM »
I love my hot water bottle, but it really only works if I'm mostly stationary. 

Thick wool socks (the thickest you an find--check Sierra Trading post) and fake Uggs (I have the Kirkland brand from Costco, which they bring out in maybe October-ish). Also a scarf and a hat.  Fleece clothing, which is cheapest in about March, but which you might be able to find at thrift stores.  I have found the North Face and Columbia brands to be much warmer than the ones I have from Lands End.  Sometimes I layer a fleece or down vest over one.  Fleece pants as well.

Our house is very cold in winter.  Like, sometimes in the 40s.   We live in Germany and this past winter, most days we used no heat at all so after a time it got very cold in the house.   Some days I am better with it than others.  On the bad day, I pop on a radiator for 20 minutes and stay in that area. But the above clothing options, with hat, scarf, wool socks and Uggs being most important, really work. 

music lover

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Re: Off-season Planning: how to stay warm this winter
« Reply #18 on: August 07, 2015, 10:47:15 AM »
I've been reading about how inefficient heating is, and we're going to keep the thermostat low. We have a gas heater, so it'll be a little less dramatic than the summer savings, but still.

It depends on where you live and the fuel costs. Heating is ridiculously cheap for me, in spite of our long and brutally cold winters. I heat a 1000 square foot house (plus the finished basement) in one of the coldest cities in Canada for $400 a year. That's per year, not per month. Although it's not that cold every day, -35 occurs here every month from November to March!! I keep the temp at 20C (68F) when home, 16 (61F) at night and when out. There's no way I'm going to walk around shivering or wearing gloves to save at most $60 - $80 a year. If I want to shiver, I only have to step outside.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!