Preparing for Winter

Fay

Frugal wrote: »

Ooooooh loving this thread ! :beer:

It makes winter seem so comforting !!!

Can anyone help with my problem...
I have a conservatory which is boiling in summer and freezing in winter - also, its open to the lounge (no doors) so it makes the lounge cold too. I have put up curtains, normal thin lining, but wondered what else I could do to make it warmer in there or at least prevent the cold coming in the lounge. I can't afford to put doors in. Its quite a big room with hard flooring and no radiators. I use a dehumidifier in there to stop it getting full of condensation and I think that helps it not feel quite so cold but I need more tips !

I had this problem in my last house as the conservatory was an expensive wood and glass one! Could you put blinds or curtains up all of the conservatory windows too? Might cost a little but would probably be worth it. The double curtains is a great idea-and close them as early as possible to stop the cold 'setting in'. If you are in the conservatory and need the curtains open could you light lots of candles in there? You can get tea light holders for 19p each from ikea (asda has the same ones for 10p last year) and cheap tea lights, you could put lots round all the window sills-might help?

Also, and this would be an expensive option I guess (unless you are really handy with sewing), but you probably lose most of the heat through the roof of the conservatory, could you make or get some roof blinds? Who knows, maybe you could drop lucky on freecycle?

Also, make sure you have a rug in the conservatory-we had a wooden floor and it was always like ice!

rosieben

you're so right about curtains at all windows and rugs on the floor Fay, forgot to mention that in my reply earlier.. Basically try to cover any cold surface as it just makes the room so much colder. so even cheapy cotton rugs or something would make a big difference. Might be worth checking out the cling film type layers for the windows - mentioned earlier in this thread - think Wilkinsons sell it? might this work for the roof too?

babychick

with the babes in cots, why not fold a cheap duvert up and put it under each cot to block out come of the cold from the floor, you can also - put a hot water bottle in each cot to warm them up before putting babes in and make sure that you have plenty of lightweight blankets to layer up on top of them.
flannel sheets are warmer than plain cotton ones and make sure the curtains are closed as soon as it starts to turn dark - keeping the cold out as much as possible.

electric oil filled radiators are quite miserly so you could get a small (1kw one) and put it in the room on really cold nights, just to keep the chill off.

cotton hats and mittens for the babes are a good idea too when it's really cold...

jcr16

doea anyone know where i can get the fitted fleece undersheet/blankets.

i refered to them earlier in this thread and said i was going to get them in morrison's. but i been checking nearly every other day and they still not got them in. i not fussed if can't get a kingsized one. but 2 single ones for my children is important.

i've seen them on ebay , but posted is silly. i think morrisons were £3.99 or £4.99. which i think is a fair price. can any one help ?

i also need to get some new dinning room curtains. the ones i got are lovely . but even tho their linned there very thin. i'm gonna look for cheap thick one's. dinning room( well kitchen diner) is painted in cream and latte . so any colour will go. which is handy. would prefer cream. but warmth is more important at the mo. it was freezing out there last night.

sammy_kaye18

Right girlies and guys (if any as i know your all tough nuts lurkign here) - i have a dilema. My bedroom is south facing, never gets the sun and the window is under a walkway (im in a ground floor flat) anyway currently sitting in front fo my bedroom sofa is a lovely 3 seater settee!!!!!! Theres no possible way to fit it into our bedroom (which si the only place it goes) other than to have it covering and totalyl blocking the radiator. My flat is single glazed and i woke up this morning thinking my flat had relocated itself to the south pole - what can i do??? Im planning tomorrow to find out the other duvets for my sons bed as i hate the idea that hes cold and he has a fleece blanket on top of his cover - not to mention he goes to bed in pyjamas and a vest. I have a free ngiht tomorrow night as bf is out on the town with his mates and stayign at a friends house so im goign to 'go to town' on my flat so to speak. Any ideas - ill catch up reading this thread tomorrow.

wilf55

sammy_kaye18 wrote: »

Right girlies and guys (if any as i know your all tough nuts lurkign here) - i have a dilema. My bedroom is south facing, never gets the sun and the window is under a walkway (im in a ground floor flat) anyway currently sitting in front fo my bedroom sofa is a lovely 3 seater settee!!!!!! Theres no possible way to fit it into our bedroom (which si the only place it goes) other than to have it covering and totalyl blocking the radiator. My flat is single glazed and i woke up this morning thinking my flat had relocated itself to the south pole - what can i do??? Im planning tomorrow to find out the other duvets for my sons bed as i hate the idea that hes cold and he has a fleece blanket on top of his cover - not to mention he goes to bed in pyjamas and a vest. I have a free ngiht tomorrow night as bf is out on the town with his mates and stayign at a friends house so im goign to 'go to town' on my flat so to speak. Any ideas - ill catch up reading this thread tomorrow.

those tootsie things for feet even in bed
tape up and draft proof all the windows and around the door do not tape up the door though!!!!
tin foil behind the radiator to keep the heat in and reflected back into the room
sausage draught excluders made from old tights for the bottom of the doors
hot water bottle
electric blanket maybe but not together with water bottle
rearrange furniture so radiator heat is not blocked even if the room does look a little odd
get a home front energy check they will give you any other ideas too

will add more as i think of them

wilf55

door curtains are also a massive help even inside the house

bedroom door
living room door
if kitchen gets warm when cooking open doors into other rooms so the heat isnt wasted

wilf55

pull the sofa even just 1 ft away from the radiator if you cant do anything else

tuck the curtains behind the radiators to try and keep the heat in the room

let us know how you go on

rosieben

curtains in my one room fall just below the top of the radiators so most of the heat is lost behind them. I tuck them up onto the window ledge which holds them out of the way and lets the heat into the room.

sammy_kaye18

1....going to see about having all the old duvets cleaned (we use these under our bottom sheets too).................................. 2....going to go through all bubs clothes and get a winter wardrobe ready...... 3.... clean out kitchen cupboards to make space for a stock cupboard!........... 4....see if i can nab a freecycled fridge/freezer of some form as our freezer is tiny and could do with extra space.............. 5....get bf to start making more candles again(lol hes a candlemaker!)........6....dig out all the fleece blankets and make sure they are clean........7....find curtain for front door and letter box draught excluder.........8....looking through mine and bf cupboards for winter clothes..............9....buying lots more socks, slippers, thermals, pjs etc for everyone.........10....get double glazing sheeting for windows (bloody council flat)...........11....fit venetian blinds on living room windows and bedrooms to help reflect heat back into the room. (as well as the curtains)...................12....tin foil boards behind radiators on external walls (we had cavity wall insulation fitted but i still fancy trying this as we lose alot of heat still).........13. Will not turn the thermostat above 18 degrees unless absolutely neccessary.................14....Planning garden for next year - god damn it i will grow soem fresh veg if it kills me - had plans to this year but never got around to planting it etc so next year thats my challenge...............15...Finish off rag garlands to help keep warmth in...............16....again thanks to the council windows, put drip strips under the windows to collect the ton of nasty condensation we have in the winter................17.... Make some more hot dog draught excluders.................18.... Turn old pillows or yucky duvets into a new pooch bed.................19....make a list of stock cupboard essentials. tins/pasta/ etc....................20....make some of bens old clothes into doggy haute couture thingys..........21....plan for winter freezer stock - soups mainly. 22....looked through bens clothes for things that dont fit anymore etc for them to be recycled on freecycle or charity shop...............23....rugs - form scraps or buy a new one...............24....bed spread to help keep heat in...................25....covers for sofas so they arent so chilly on the bum in the morning (they are leather!).........................26....make a tea light stove for making my cup of tea on instead of using the elcetric on the kettle...................27....start using my hallogen lamp more than my main lights to see if it saves electric as we always have the main lights on if we are doing anything28....make rice bags for boys, and the dog.29....find out our hot water bottles for bed warming and keeping tootsies warm at the computer30....clean and dry all coats and fleeces ready for winter.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Wow i need to get my bum in gear. Wonder how much i can get done tonight seeing as i have a quiet night ahead of me. If i can figure out how to thread my sewing machine then i can get a fair bit done i think.