Preparing for winter III

Confuzzled

Memory_Girl wrote: »

Me too Confuzzled - about the Fife thing too. Although it is so gloomy today I am itching to throw on the heating and snuggle up.

However in the best traditions of this thread I shall move myself upstairs with a cup of something warm and continue insulating the eaves in DS2's new bedroom with sheet insulation wombled from the pub refurb next door.

.............. well that counts as preparing for winter, doesn't it?

MG

speaking of insulation, i have come up with a clever storage idea that also works out to insulate some cold spots in the flat.

i have no car, so getting boxes for moving is unbelievably difficult, with this in mind i carefully removed the tape from all the sturdy ones from my last move and flattened them, i still have some banana boxes i left intact and they are storing our spring/summer clothes and shoes.

anyway i add to this slowly from approved foods order boxes etc and i now have quite a stash. last year i had them under the bed in my daughters room and thankfully they didn't get damp and cause any mould but i didn't want to put them there again this year and tempt fate as it would take a huge chunk from my deposit if an entire room had to be recarpeted.

so instead i have split the boxes between her built in cupboards and behind the fake fireplace that i moved from the bedroom into my room (i wouldn't use it it's so ancient you could practically hear the money burning away!) the wall the pseudo fireplace is on is along the wall of the unheated stairs (we're in a masionette) and the portion of the cupboard in her room is at the top of the unheated stairs. so basically i've wedged the flattened boxes into these places and they now insulate those areas from the cold plus store them nicely

the only condensation we've had our previous two winters in this flat is a tiny bit in my bedroom window which should be resolved by a small dish of salt and the fact that this year i've bubblewrapped the bedroom windows so damp isn't an issue but even if i did get a spot of mould it would be far easier to clean up then if i got it in the carpet

plus my neighbour downstairs is generous with her heating much to our delight so i'd rather my daughter get that free heat under her bed vs the boxes blocking it all

[Deleted User]

you really got me thinking about my stock of unused biobulbs last night, I sent dh out today to get the fittings for 2 new bayonet pendants .as I am well and truly fed up with the horrible light from the low energy pendant bulbs, in the open plan dining end and in the snug. Try as I may, I just cannot bear the yellow light. Biobulbs are now hanging and I cannot wait to see the difference tonight

I decided to move the heated towel rails this morning as they are only 90w each and just now I have one in the hall and one on the landing. This will be enough to retain the ambient heat in the fabric of the building. I may well put a timer on each one so they are on from 5 am to 11pm. The house is eco and has heat retaining walls and it is working so far today, I havent needed extra heat on top even though it is gllomy as hell outside

Winter prep is going very well and 5 gallons of chardonnay have been duly packed into wine boxes and it already tastes lovely. Another month to mature and it will be ready to start drinking. I have got a big stash of chocolate, I can`t believe that I don`t remember where I hid it. Doh!!! I was going to have a taster last night

**dancingbutterfly**

Hi ladies!



I have had a look at quite a few pages of this thread (quite a few to go ) and would like some help!

There is a lot of cold air coming from around my front door. I was going to put a door curtain up but I can't because there is a doorbell box (or phone line thing?) on the wall above the door. So a curtain track/pole would only go 2 thirds across the door.

What can i do? its so cold upstairs and im sure it because of the draft from the front door!

here's a pic which will show better than im explaining it




WOAH big pic sorry!

boultdj

How about a spring loaded tension rod.Can find then in Wilco's,it's what I'm using.

**dancingbutterfly**

wicked idea thanks!

boultdj

Glad I could help, but I did get it from here, and if it help's, my curtain is a 90' drop x 66' wide, and lined.

Confuzzled

**dancingbutterfly** wrote: »

Hi ladies!



I have had a look at quite a few pages of this thread (quite a few to go ) and would like some help!

There is a lot of cold air coming from around my front door. I was going to put a door curtain up but I can't because there is a doorbell box (or phone line thing?) on the wall above the door. So a curtain track/pole would only go 2 thirds across the door.

What can i do? its so cold upstairs and im sure it because of the draft from the front door!

if at all possible perhaps you could move the box over a bit so it doesn't interfere with curtains rods, i assume the door surround is pvc so you won't want to drill holes directly into that but you could hang two curtains, one a portiere curtain just to the side of the door, this will open and close with the door.

for the sidelights you could use the rod fixtures that stick out a bit from the wall, thus clearing the doorbell box, simply put one on either side and hang a seperate curtain, you would def need two curtains anyway as it would be nigh on impossible to open the door properly with one big one crossing the lot

Thriftkitten

Good afternoon thrifty winter preppers, a little off topic, however I'm sure someone will have some advice,
A couple of weeks ago I purchased some of the Yankie tarts that are supposed to be delish.... anyhoo, this afternoon I decided I would give one a try, I opened the wrapper and there is no wick........ is this supposed to be this way or have I got a duff one, if anyone has any experience with what to do with it can you please let me know, am thinking it is supposed to go in my pot pourri burner, but just want to double check as don't want to waste such a delish scent... Happy Prepping..... it's a bit Brrrrrrr today here in Cornwall, however no frost yet.

[Deleted User]

dancinbutterfly, I would put 2 or 3 timber batons ,just a bit deeper than the box, on that bit of wall on left and right of the box. Then across all 3 I would put a long timber baton ie from side to side. You would have to paint it and then fix a normal curtain rail on the side to side batton (which will now be in front of the box). You will be able to hang a heavy curtain on this, which you can then draw to the side. A decent warm curtain will be heavy

lancslass01282

Yesterday I hung a curtain across my front door & it's made such a difference already. Today I've just covered a flattened cardboard box in leftover laminate undarlay (the silver stuff) but then went to put it behind my living room radiator only to realise I've not accounted for the radiator mountings.. ho hum I'll fix it later!