Preparing for Winter

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

I found some moisture traps with crystals(the same as the one's you buy in Lakeland for £3.99 only a different make)in Morrisons for £2.99.So worth looking there if you need some.

notenoughcash

I got myself a lovely hot water bottle with a pink fleecy cover for £3 from primark

Pink_Fairy_2

I much prefer a wheat bag to a hot water bottle - absolutely no chance of getting wet if it should burst.:p Last time I looked in Bodycare they were £2.50.

Caterina

ceridwen wrote: »

I guess that explains whats happened to the crystals I've put in my wardrobes. They have just gone hard - and no sign of any water. (Decided I'd better use these in the wardrobes as I'd found some more little-used clothes with mould growing on them again!). Hopefully that'll do the trick and I won't have to wash any more perfectly clean clothes again - as that has happened to them.

Ah Ceridwen, but if you get mould on your clothes you can always pass the mould stains as the new "green fur" fashion decorations (in true OS style)!:rotfl:

Thanks to all of you who gave me tips about the damp trap, I am already seeing a difference in the amount of condensation in the bedroom and there is no condensation at all in the bathroom (perhaps because it is a smaller and warmer room).

Pink Fairy, you can make a wheat or oat bag, just take a rectangle of strong fabric and fill it with grains or porridge oats - works out super cheap and same results. I made my computer wristpad out of fabric and porridge oats (dry of course!) and never looked back.

Cannot use a wheat bag because I do not own a microwave oven and it would be too expensive to run the kitchen oven to warm up the bag - cheaper to boil the water!

Yesterday we threw away the dodgy hot water bottle but my DH has found another one in the kitchen cupboard so we do not need to buy a new one after all, but thanks all who suggested cheap places.

Now all I have to do is knit or crochet a couple of covers for our hot water bottles, using leftovers from my VAST yarn stash! A good excuse to practice cable stitch and there is a free pattern (apart from SAE to send) in December issue of Prima!

Just a little note re. energy use: I read my gas and electric meters today and am shocked at how much gas we used - even being super-careful! I am glad I have put the heating on though as it was really needed - but also glad that I held out for so long so I accumulated a good bit of credit and now can relax about having some heating in the house.

Caterina

Menolly_2

Finally got the curtain up at the front door yesterday and boy, does it make a difference! Of course, the Devil-Cat and her two disciples have decided that it is there purely for their amusement and are enjoying vigorous games of "Ambush" and "Bite that Tail". :rolleyes:
I was really fortunate in finding the curtains for this - I had rummaged in the charity shops and had all but given up hope when I found these red "velvet" ones in the YMCA shop - £15.00, washable, thick (I think they may well have a "thermal" or blackout backing to them) and I don't think they had ever been used as the header tape was "as new" - didn't look like it had ever been gathered up! Am really happy to have two as it means I can have one up and one in the wash IYSWIM.
The hallway is very neutral in colour - white ceiling and magnolia walls and the pale green carpet has faded to a sort-of pale grey-green, so the burgundy curtain looks just fine!
OK off to do my Flylady list! Nice thick Pea and Ham Soup for supper, with HM bread and ham sandwiches, yum yum!

parsonswife8

Finally got the curtain up at the front door yesterday and boy, does it make a difference! Of course, the Devil-Cat and her two disciples have decided that it is there purely for their amusement and are enjoying vigorous games of "Ambush" and "Bite that Tail". :rolleyes:

____________________________________




It'll be "Shred that curtain" when they get well bored with the other two!

:rotfl: :rotfl:

Skintmama

hmmm cats and curtains:D they do enjoy them! Reminds me of finding one kitten hanging by his claws having run up the curtain and unable to get down.........an unusual decoration:rolleyes: but thankfully he was unhurt.

I just popped in to thank everyone for this inspirational thread. After far too many years, I have finally put up a curtain (fleece blanket, garden cane and two cup hooks!) over my glazed back door. Now the utility room is no longer a freezing box that can only be visited in garb fit for the Arctic......I cannot believe the difference it has made, for only the length of time it took me to tack one edge of the fleece and screw in a couple of hooks. So, for anyone who thinks it is all too much effort, or not worth the bother heatwise, I urge you to at least try such a simple solution and see.

Best wishes to all and stay cosy!

angelkissingdevil

I make my children rice bags - they're so so cheap and there are no chance of burning or scolding.

If anyone's interested in learning how to do them just shout x

I even made them as Christmas presents for my nan and other family members a few years ago. They were a great hit.

LameWolf

Skintmama wrote: »

hmmm cats and curtains:D they do enjoy them! Reminds me of finding one kitten hanging by his claws having run up the curtain and unable to get down.........an unusual decoration:rolleyes: but thankfully he was unhurt.

I'm reminded of a former neighbour of mine; whenever she washed her hair, she'd wrap it in a towel with a sort of "tail" hanging down the back. Then she got a kitten....... I'm sure you can picture it.:D

spacedog

Caterina wrote: »

Now we are only using one :-( but someone here had posted of somewhere where you can get them cheap, I would be grateful for the tip again if possible.

You can get fairly large hot water bottles in poundland, think they are 2 litre size. It there are any left anyways They also have fluffy covers but they are for a smaller size (when i was there last month)