Author Topic: How to feel warmer in my apartment?  (Read 14805 times)

trachma

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Re: How to feel warmer in my apartment?
« Reply #50 on: November 28, 2016, 04:51:48 PM »
For bed, I have a memory foam lumbar pillow that I tuck under or between my knees. It really holds the heat in, but is totally passive as far as energy expenditure.

letired

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Re: How to feel warmer in my apartment?
« Reply #51 on: December 08, 2016, 09:30:29 AM »
I grew up in a giant old house in southern ohio where my parents kept the temps low in the winter because OMG EXPENSIVE TO HEAT and have always run cold.

1. Figure out what bits you need to keep warm to feel warm and address those. For me, this is weirdly mostly my joints. I don't care about having cold toes, but if my ankles feel cold, I'm miserable, etc. So I like giant loungy pants that shroud my ankles, giant fuzzy wool socks, that sort of thing. Also think about where you are losing heat. I don't need them to be heavy or super insulated, but wearing a pair of slippers helps keep my feet warm because I'm not losing heat to the floor when I'm walking around. Wearing a hat helps reduce heat loss from my head, that sort of thing.

2. A hat makes a huge difference for me, especially when trying to fall asleep.

3. +1 to rice sack/heating pad/cuddly animal. Having your immediate area warmed up is key! Warming up the bed before I get in is also a huge help.

4. +1 to most of the materials mentioned. Knit acrylic blankets or fleece blankets have always served me well when I'm sitting around all day. If you come across a down throw, those things are amazing for lap blankets when it's really cold. Wool clothing, especially fuzzy socks and baselayers are great. I layer up like crazy, and that helps a ton.

5. I bought one of Ikea's warmest comforters a few years back and it is a gamechanger! I started out with their polyester fill, and that was great for a while but washing it does send it on the fast track downhill. It's still good for indoor temps in the 60s, but it developed cold spots so I picked up on of their feather/down ones when I was living in a particularly uninsulated house in a room made mostly of windows, and I can actually be hot while sleeping sometimes for the first time in my life. IDK what the longevity of it will be compared to other brands/pricepoints. I switch the two out depending on how cold it is.

6. And +1 to getting up and moving around. It really helps, even just walking across the room.

Dancin'Dog

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Re: How to feel warmer in my apartment?
« Reply #52 on: December 09, 2016, 05:18:54 PM »
A few years ago I found a deal on a battery powered electric jacket.  It was only about $35, came with one pattery pack & charger, and it looks pretty good.  Not as cool as my Mountain Hard Ware, but similar style & has a little lighted lapel power button that looks like a Star Trek gadget (red, white, blue for hi,med,lo)

Anyway, I love lounging around in my heated jacket.  Who cares if the house is a bit chilly. ;)

Metric Mouse

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Re: How to feel warmer in my apartment?
« Reply #53 on: December 12, 2016, 04:14:48 AM »
A few years ago I found a deal on a battery powered electric jacket.  It was only about $35, came with one pattery pack & charger, and it looks pretty good.  Not as cool as my Mountain Hard Ware, but similar style & has a little lighted lapel power button that looks like a Star Trek gadget (red, white, blue for hi,med,lo)

Anyway, I love lounging around in my heated jacket.  Who cares if the house is a bit chilly. ;)

What will they think of next.

BuffaloStache

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Re: How to feel warmer in my apartment?
« Reply #54 on: December 13, 2016, 09:29:40 PM »
Have you considered baking bread?  You get a little bit of a workout, and the oven stays on for a bit.

I love this idea. And even if you are lazy, my wife and I make Beer bread about once a week or so in the winter.

Jet9

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Re: How to feel warmer in my apartment?
« Reply #55 on: January 14, 2017, 08:46:58 AM »
I do most of my baking when it gets cold to avoid turning on the heat;  I also recommend cooking a large pot of soaked dried beans on the stovetop, make chilli or some other kind of bean soup, or mash and bake them in the oven (refried beans). From this you can make a bunch of bean burritos, enchiladas, etc. and freeze a few extra meals for busy days. Both the heat of the oven and my not sitting around keeps me warm enough to avoid turning on the heat most days.

sparkytheop

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Re: How to feel warmer in my apartment?
« Reply #56 on: January 14, 2017, 11:26:15 AM »
Did we recommend fleece pj/lounge pants?  I made a pair for myself and another for my son recently.  They are so warm that if I have the heat up I get sweaty.  Perfect for being able to keep the thermostat down but still staying comfortable.  If you can make your own, you can get them in pretty much any pattern you want if you are near a fabric store.  My next pair might have dinosaurs...

chops

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Re: How to feel warmer in my apartment?
« Reply #57 on: January 14, 2017, 11:47:06 AM »
Gotta second the plastic sheeting over the windows that was mentioned earlier in the thread.  Tried it and the difference has been very significant.  Older windows are ~R-1 and often have small gaps that let the wind right in.  These plastic sheets taped around the window (you can pick up a kit at home improvement stores or even Aldi!!) make a big difference for small $.  All those drafts are eliminated and you get a nice insulating bubble of air in between your window and the plastic sheeting.  Throw some curtains in front of the whole thing at night to help out some more (but leave the curtains open in the day for solar gain!

Stay warm,

chops

BuffaloStache

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Re: How to feel warmer in my apartment?
« Reply #58 on: January 23, 2017, 10:39:22 PM »
Another thing that seems to really help me out is a good pair of slippers. For some reason the rest of my body refuses to be cold if I have toasty feet. YMMV

trammatic

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Re: How to feel warmer in my apartment?
« Reply #59 on: January 25, 2017, 07:23:57 AM »
I've been waiting for this one, but since nobody posted so far:

Sex.

Metric Mouse

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Re: How to feel warmer in my apartment?
« Reply #60 on: January 27, 2017, 07:51:36 PM »
I've been waiting for this one, but since nobody posted so far:

Sex.

Actionable advice for feeling warmer almost anywhere.

oldtoyota

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Re: How to feel warmer in my apartment?
« Reply #61 on: January 27, 2017, 08:01:03 PM »
I have the same problem. The following has helped:

insulated long johns (thermal underwear) with a fleece-like lining,
silk thermal underwear,
wool sweaters,
wearing two pairs of socks (the outer pair extremely thick and made for cold weather),
wearing a hat inside,
eating (if I've not eaten much, it can make me colder).


shelivesthedream

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Re: How to feel warmer in my apartment?
« Reply #62 on: February 05, 2017, 03:58:13 AM »
I have read about bubble wrap being a good window/door insulator. We have a cat flap (and no cat) and I keep meaning to tape bubble wrap over it to reduce the drafts.

misshathaway

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Re: How to feel warmer in my apartment?
« Reply #63 on: February 05, 2017, 06:15:55 AM »
wearing a hat inside,

I've had really short hair since retirement - as in electric clippers set to 3/4". I've felt colder during winter in my house during that same period, although the thermostat setting has not changed. Finally figured out that my shorn head need insulation. A hat indoors has made a huge difference.

BuffaloStache

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Re: How to feel warmer in my apartment?
« Reply #64 on: February 06, 2017, 05:45:11 PM »
I've had really short hair since retirement - as in electric clippers set to 3/4". I've felt colder during winter in my house during that same period, although the thermostat setting has not changed. Finally figured out that my shorn head need insulation. A hat indoors has made a huge difference.

Agreed- a huge percentage of your body heat is lost through the head.