Things that worked or didn't work last winter

timmmers

Good thread.
Last year I fitted a big cast iron open fire, not as efficient as a stove but it's not as picky about what you burn as they are which resulted in a zero fuel bill for that. This winter with luck I'll be moving it into the other room and replacing it with a multifuel stove...and TBH I've just read quite a few misleading things on here about this kind of thing. £1000 to fit one and line the chimney for example...isn't always the case, the stove needs a good hot flue to create a draught and burn efficiently, and it's also required that your existing chimney is sound and not leaking. If you have it tested and cleaned by a sweep and it's sound, it won't require lining unless you're after every last % efficiency. My open fire works fine in the original chimney and the stove will simply have a 2 or 3 metre pipe up there to help it work well. If you search for local bargains on ebay you'll find a good few stoves cheap, simply because they can't really be posted. A 1200 quid model with boiler went near me for 200 a few weeks back, I slept in and missed it

As for curtains in doorways, I have some rods on the doors in some rooms, when you open the door the curtain comes too making it easy to move around without the problem of the curtains getting in the way...this year I am going to replace the curtain a few steps up from the hall too...that was a fitting in some victorian houses like mine once...the safest and easiest place to put a curtain as you know there is a stair whichever way you're going and it's an easy place to fit one at the smallest height usually. Victorian had most of this stuff covered. Sad that we lost a lot of it but still live in their houses lol

Biggest and most sensible saving I made, not just winter really, making brews in the microwave. A cup of perfect coffee for me takes 1.40 in there. Using a kettle means boiling too much water and wasting some...and who drinks boiling coffee anyway, you wait to let it cool which itself is crackers isn't it?
Tea takes 2 minutes, needs to be a little hotter to brew, and needs to stand a while for the same reason...so a little longer, but still doesn't boil.
I only heat the correct amount of water, not the element and extra water, just what's in the cup which is exactly the amount I intend to drink. It doesn't create steam or condensation, and you always have a cup just how you like it. I drink a ton of brews a day, this saved me a small fortune alone. IF you do it, don't forget the water...it's easy to put coffee sugar and milk in a cup and forget the water...which makes a bit of a mess in the MW lmao

If you can tempt a cat to snuggle under a blanket on a sofa with you, like mine do now by some freak accident, you'll be really toasty. Mine love to snuggle up like that, but I've woken up with one inside my sweater a few times when I've had no blanket which is a bit much )

I'm a lot warmer from draughts with a hoody on with the hood up watching telly, don't wear them any other time really. Cosy way to stay comfy indoors when it's nippy though

[Deleted User]

I good wayI have found is to wear my hat indoors When I lost my flowing locks three year ago when on chemo I had a great array of different hats to cover my bald barnet.Well eventually my hair returned and I hung on to my hats and have a variety of scull cap type ones that flatten your hair a bit but do keep you warm indoors.(a bit like Barney of Crossroads :))but I don't care what I look like as long as I'm warm and it helps keep the bills down a bit .I made a nice thick blanket last year which goes over my knees and fluffly socks when watching t.v. A hottle bottle if its really nippy and I'm warm as toast .If it gets really chilly I take myself off to bed as I have a t.v. in the bedroom but usually read in bed .My DGD Holly is always complaing she's cold or has a cold but then again she will run about with strappy thin tops on what else does she expect

beedeedee

I bought more slippers for us! Now there are slippers kept downstairs as well as up so there are/is always a pair to hand. (Not sure of my grammar there.....)?

laurel7172

I found that the fridge magnet over the keyholes didn't work (brass fittings?). But once I'd started thnking about keyholes, I realised that the back door is only ever locked from the inside (the gate into the garden is kept locked), and the front door is only ever locked from the outside (our fire exit).

So..two pieces of clear sellotape later...invisibly draughtproof keyholes.

Patchwork_Quilt

The crocheted blanket has gone back on the sofa for chilly evenings and I have found my sheepskin slippers.

I'm turning into my Grandma!

The next thing I have to do is put the electric blankets back on the beds.

[Deleted User]

Patchwork_Quilt wrote: »

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I'm turning into my Grandma!

as a long-time Granny (almost 21 years service) there's nowt wrong with it.Greatest job in the world,all the fun and half the worry of being a parent:D:rotfl::j:beer:

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

JackieO wrote: »

Patchwork_Quilt wrote: »

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I'm turning into my Grandma!

as a long-time Granny (almost 21 years service) there's nowt wrong with it.Greatest job in the world,all the fun and half the worry of being a parent:D:rotfl::j:beer:

I'd agree with you there Jackie.
I've been a grandma 21 years too,became one just a few days after my 36th birthday when my then 19 year old daughter presented us with a wonderful little girl that changed our lives for ever.
We've got five grandchildren now and its the best job in the world.
We've had so much fun in the process.

Raksha

Trotting out the Tuggs (Tesco's own fake sheepskin boots), the back door will be covered with a curtain made from black out material (I bought a job lot last year) Hoping to get the patio door to the porch repaired, more curtains over the patio door to the conservatory (but doors will be left open on sunny days). Conservatory also used as much as possible for drying washing, the rest goes on airers in the living room and the kids bedrooms. Variety of fleece blankets in living room for snuggling down and watching TV. Wheat bags for 'spot warmth' under the fleece blankets or in bed. Weights in bottoms of curtains to keep them down behind radiators. Will also be moving living room furniture around to expose the radiators.

PixieDust

Just to say I'm loving this thread!

chocolatepennyfarthing

Anyone know who does cheap hot water bottles/covers?