Preparing for winter II

Fruball

It feels very autumnal here too - and the DDs were complaining of being cold last night when downstairs in PJs watching TV... Unbelievable...

I am going to be ramping up the winter preps over the next few weeks and am thinking of getting new rich, warm coloured bedding as my room is all cream and light coloured bedding - Might even treat myself to a rug or two.

I am determined that I am going to be snug and cosy this winter. I deserve it after the dreadful year I have had so far

I am, come hell or high water, going to save up to get my fireplace fully operational as my neighbour can get me free wood to burn so it should pay for itself before too long.

toottifrootti

Rainy-Days wrote: »

Hi Toots, I am so sorry - and I genuinely mean that - about your health condition. Yes it's pretty tough when you are impaired.

My conservatory does have a radiator out there, but to be honest last year we switched it off and bought ourselves a greenhouse heater. Now that might sound a bit daft but the thing was, the radiator was working allot out there due to the thermostat, so OH had a good idea and bought this heater just before the really nasty weather set in. We put it on a timer as well. It was more to take the chill off out there and stop damp setting in. Yes it did get a bit of condensation, but I towelled it off out there and that kept it down. We didn't really use it when the temperature plummetted but some people do. Ours is double glazed and UPVC, but as I say ours was more of a keep the gas bill down decision more than anything.

You should still have a little way to go yet in stocking up so you will be fine. Just write down what you use most of and build your list up from there.

With regard to the glass above the door, it might be a good idea to take the rail right up to the top and then get a 90 foot drop curtain (depending on how tall your door and glass bit is of course) on it. Thats what I would do and it will look better aesthetically as well

Rainy Days :A thanks for your kind thoughts and your useful suggestions - i will investigate

helen_jelly wrote: »

Toots - I would get a rug [hello hun] even if its just to stop the dirt from outside being trecked indoors over winter!! Also helps to stop the laminate getting wet and warping [and getting slippery]

I would also put the curtain up and over the glass if poss - I lived in a house where there were little glass windows above the doors and they were a right pain with letting light through and the cold too.

Asa cheap insulation - bubble wrap is good up at windows [conservatory] doesn't look very appealing but may help - others who are far better than me will be along to advise

Helen x

Hi helen honey:A - how are you and thank you too for your advice - will get the measuring tape out for when the carer comes tomorrow and then have a look in the charity shops - we have a Dunelm but will try the recycling route first - there is also a car boot this weekend but the weather is horrendous - amber flood alert at the mo - so it may get canvcelled.:(

I have no garden and unfit to grow veg anyway so I wondered - do you think it would be cheaper to buy fresh veg just now in the shops as its quite cheap and blanche and freeze it or am I just as cheap to buy frozen stuff??
forgive the daft question!!!

off to look at my list - I am actually finding this preparation 'exciting' - I needed something to keep me occupied.

toots xx

Confuzzled

Frugal wrote: »

I am, come hell or high water, going to save up to get my fireplace fully operational as my neighbour can get me free wood to burn so it should pay for itself before too long.

i have serious fire envy, even more free wood envy!

i sooo want a place with a multi fuel stove

when i lived on skye we used to collect old pallets, pine cones and had permission to collect deadfall wood from a few different woodland sites. that was 10 years ago and i STILL eye up big deadfall branches, wind damaged branches and tree surgeons with longing thinking how toasty warm all that wood could keep me :rotfl:

if i ever get my own home i don't care what i have to do i WILL have a multifuel stove installed... i hope your fireplace is sorted for you soon, enjoy the coziness and the lovely smell of burning wood mmmm

Rainy-Days

Confuzzled wrote: »

i have serious fire envy, even more free wood envy!

i sooo want a place with a multi fuel stove

when i lived on skye we used to collect old pallets, pine cones and had permission to collect deadfall wood from a few different woodland sites. that was 10 years ago and i STILL eye up big deadfall branches, wind damaged branches and tree surgeons with longing thinking how toasty warm all that wood could keep me :rotfl:

if i ever get my own home i don't care what i have to do i WILL have a multifuel stove installed... i hope your fireplace is sorted for you soon, enjoy the coziness and the lovely smell of burning wood mmmm

I adore our multi fuel burner (I call it a log burner but it is one of the same thing) and the farmer doesn't mind us collecting fallen wood/branches of his land. I re-blacked it myself a few weeks ago to bring it back up to it's good state again. The only downside I have found is that it creates more dust about the place and of course you have to clean it out everyday. On the flip sde it is worth it for the pleasure it does give you. Last year we even used the top of it to heat up our milk for our bedtime drinks instead of putting it in the microwave - now that was ace

moments_of_sanity

I have been lurking on this thread for some time (still not read all 200+pages yet though) and wondered what you all do to keep warm in terms of clothing etc as I really don't want to have to turn the heating up all the time.

Also, we have a bedroom extension and whilst it's built to the proper standards because it has 3 external walls it gets really really cold (down to about 14 degrees) and last year we were using an electric blanket and an electric heater, the heater we have now discovered using far too much energy so won't be using that again this year (especially for the 2 hours a day we were using it last year!), have you any suggestions on warm bedding etc that might help? We normally just have a 13 tog duvet and sleep in our Birthday suits!

Can anyone also tell me the best place to buy really warm socks, cheap jumpers etc so we can wear more during the winter.

Thank you in advance

smileyt_2

GreyQueen wrote: »

I was pumping up my bike tyres yesterday and noticed that the rear one (the loadbearing tyre) is rather worn so I will add that to my to-do list. Bike is shamefully feelthy so may see about taking it to a pressure washer on a garage forecourt; does anyone think they'd object if I paid to use one on a bike not a car? I was thinking of choosing a very quiet time of the week to avoid being a nuisance.

NO!Don't use a pressure washer on your bicycle - you may jet all the grease out of the ball bearings in your wheels and bottom bracket (the bit that turns the pedals) which would cost you more in having your bike stripped down and the ball bearings either replaced or re-greased. Sorry, but I think an OS bucket and brush would be a safer way to go, even though a pressure washer is enticingly quick and easy!

nikki2804

Neighbour came round tonight to ask about my guttering (its been down since November 2010). I gave him my LA telephone number and he's gonna call, obviously he's worried that it may cause damage to his property - did emphasize that he knew it wasn't me. If he manages to get the LA's but into action i'll be pretty chuffed. i think he was chuffed that I just handed him the number, name and LL name :rotfl:.

Going to book my car in for MOT next week (not due till 6th Sept - go me) and get the breaks done. Already got some screenwash and just need to top up antifreeze. Back tyre had a very low PSI today so will need to keep an eye on that.

Is it sensible to get bathroom curtains? There is a roller blind up already and im planning on clingfilming the window. My mum told me bathroom curtains - mold due to condensation? Opinions?

Fashion wise (lol) boots have been bought for the autumn weather. Pressie frim OH for anniversary . Now going to search for some skinny jeans and long jumpers. Found nothing so far.

GreyQueen

smileyt wrote: »

NO!Don't use a pressure washer on your bicycle - you may jet all the grease out of the ball bearings in your wheels and bottom bracket (the bit that turns the pedals) which would cost you more in having your bike stripped down and the ball bearings either replaced or re-greased. Sorry, but I think an OS bucket and brush would be a safer way to go, even though a pressure washer is enticingly quick and easy!

:eek: Oooohhhh, thanks for the timely warning, I hadn't realised that.:oNot normally so dim.

Going to be a burger getting it clean as have zero outside space and will have to have pushbike on public walkway outside flat and don't want to transfer grease to the pale concrete; guess it'll have to be old tarp, old clothes and lots of old rags and brushes.

That'll be a fun coupla hours but I have procrastinated for far too long. Perhaps I'll do it on the weekend if rain stops play on the allotments (walkway being under cover).

Thanks again!

Rainy-Days

moments_of_sanity wrote: »

I have been lurking on this thread for some time (still not read all 200+pages yet though) and wondered what you all do to keep warm in terms of clothing etc as I really don't want to have to turn the heating up all the time.

Also, we have a bedroom extension and whilst it's built to the proper standards because it has 3 external walls it gets really really cold (down to about 14 degrees) and last year we were using an electric blanket and an electric heater, the heater we have now discovered using far too much energy so won't be using that again this year (especially for the 2 hours a day we were using it last year!), have you any suggestions on warm bedding etc that might help? We normally just have a 13 tog duvet and sleep in our Birthday suits!

Can anyone also tell me the best place to buy really warm socks, cheap jumpers etc so we can wear more during the winter.

Thank you in advance

At the first page there is a winter preparation list for you to look at it is on a link and will take you to the correct page for it. We have a conservatory and I mentioned this quite recently that we use a greenhouse heater in there during the winter otherwise the radiator will work overtime and it seems to work really well. They have low running costs so that might be somethig worth thinking about.

Flannelette sheets - the shops now call them brushed cotton - are about the warmest sheets you can buy. I recently bought mine from Dunelm but over the last 10 or so pages on this thread there is a discussion of all of those who are tracking them down from various sources such as Very. It might be worth your while reading those last few pages back through. Cheap fleecy socks I get from Primark usually two in a pack for £2.00 and they wash and dry really quickly. Someone mentioned on it (apologies I don't know who) that they bought some hiking socks from Poundland and those are pretty thick as well so they will be well worth the purchase. You can also think about putting extra throws on your bedding to keep you extra warm as well.

With regard to fleeces and jumpers etc, you might want to start looking round now in charity shops for those. You may still be able to pick some up off the sale racks in shops if you keep on looking.

The mantra that most of us are putting into action is while shopping to be on the lookout for things that will carry us through winter and that includes their children as well. As I say read back over the last ten pages of this thread, it won't take you too long but will give you a good idea of what you need to be looking for and thinking about.

Rainy-Days

nikki2804 wrote: »

Is it sensible to get bathroom curtains? There is a roller blind up already and im planning on clingfilming the window. My mum told me bathroom curtains - mold due to condensation? Opinions?

I have wooden slatted blinds in the kitchen and roman blinds in the bathrooms, but our windows are double glazed! I remember watching how clean is your house and Aggie Mackenzie mentioned to a woman who had got kitchen curtains that if you have them you need to wash them in biological washing powder with a capful of bleech on a hot wash to kill the mould spores! If you want curtains, then you might have to think about taking them down more often to wash them, also make sure that your bathroom is well ventilated after showering/bathing. I used to have those Austrian blinds everywhere years ago (remember them they looked like ladies bloomers hoisted up ) but in the bathroom they were terrible dust and mould harbingers so I have Roman blinds which are on the outside edge of the wall/window frame so that the air can circulate all around it. I think actually you can make a Roman Blind easily from a kit form. There must be a Youtube a video on it there is for everything else!