Preparing for Winter

happytails

Does someone have a link to a site that sells that double glazing effect cling film stuff (so technical :rolleyes:)

Getting DDs window double glazed its costing £235 :eek:and because my uncle is a Joiner he is fitting it for free, so god knows what it would be otherwise the rest of the house is going to stay as it is.

Oh and a dumb question but how do you measure up for curtains :embarasse Never had to do it before as we rented and it had curtains already lol

Sarah x

NualaBuala

I haven't quite finished reading this thread but I wanted to say thanks for all the wonderful ideas. I used to live in a well-insulated modern apartment where I didn't even need the heat on but moved into an house last year and found it very cold during the winter despte double-glazing and central heating. I'd really like to keep the gas bills down so I'll be doing all I can to stay cosy in other ways.

Some of my plans:

• Put a fleece blanket or old duvet under my bottom sheet
• Use my Ikea fleece throws to stay cosy when on the couch
• Wear my fleece PJs in bed (got a new pair this week in Dunnes for €6 and 3 pairs of fluffy socks for bed/around the house for €1.75 - just as cheap as Penneys (aka Primark) I think
• Stuff old pillows into a refuse sack and use it to block the chimney. When I hear the wind howling down it makes me feel cold even when it's not and when the central heating is on I don't want it all going up the chimney. I'm going to tie a ribbon or something to it and let it hang down to remind me to remove it if I light a fire.
• I'm going to use old pillowcases and pyjama bottoms to make draught excluders. I'll stuff them with old pillows, duvets or socks and tshirts, there are plenty lying around. Although it seems a waste to cut up old duvets. They're old and not so nice looking and I don't think anyone would want them though.
• I'm going to have a go at knitting a poncho - I thought it would be quite snuggly for wearing around the house as an extra layer. It's often just my shoulders and hands that get cold. I'm not very good at knitting so I'm on the lookout for an easy (free) pattern on the internet. I might try doing some fingerless mittens too. The activity of knitting keeps my hands from getting too cold and also stops me eating choc while watching TV (for a while anyway )
• We don't seem to get powercuts but I have lots of candles anyway and will light them cos just looking at them makes me feel snug and cosy.

I've been finding it chilly already (and I really don't want to put on the heat till November if possible) so I'm already wrapped up in fleece throws and wearing PJs in bed! As snug as a bug in a rug!

Fruball

I cannot believe how cold it has been.

Last year I joined this thread and kept my heating off for ages by following the tips here... Admittedly I have not been here for a wee while but oh my goodness, I have been freezing.

Heating has been on a few times altho prob for longer than really necessary... Usually I would be wearing socks, slippers and a fleece dressing gown but am barefooted in my new Primark snug PJs instead!

Must get curtains hung (again :rolleyes:.. ) soon.

Sort out back door - its the only one not upvc double glazed but is right by the cooker so cannot hang a curtain there... Any ideas?

Hang proper curtains at window (moved recently and haven't got them up yet )

Perhaps make lined blinds for all windows, even ones with curtains for extra insulating layer. Last year had double curtains up and made such a huge huge difference to heat in the room.

Get DD2 cozy slippers - DD1 already chose hers.

Perhaps invest in thermos to save boiling/reboiling kettle for hot choc

Buy candles and make powercut kit too

Get rug for hallway, and lamp as it makes it look warmer even if its not.

Hang coat hooks over radiator in hallway instead of right by door.

That will do for now, phew... I need to find some time!

I do love this thread - it makes me feel all cozy and when I read it, winter seems like something to look forward to, instead of something to dread!

Olliebeak

Patchwork_Quilt wrote: »

So far, not much. I thought of

UHT milk
bottled water
salt, sugar, oil and flour
tins of beans, soup, tuna and meat in sauces
bread substitute - ryvita and oatcakes
matches and firelighters
washing up liquid, washing powder, softener
toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner and soap

and it's in the pantry so all my bottled fruit and veg count too.

In fact, if anyone has any better ideas, particularly if they have actually been snowed in, I would be grateful

How about some Porridge Oats - good for you, cheap and very warming.

ifonlyitwaseasier

well i've sorted out my fleecy pj's (love primarni!) and next to sort hubby, we both need new slippers and i need to wash his lovely warm dressing gown (mines already done!)

we have plenty of bedding and blankets (i have resisted the ultra soft and fluffy ones in P)

need to get chimney sweep booked and some draft excluders made/bodged and possibly try and sort a couple of the windows, upvc but badly installed so get a draft in the kitchen and one of the bedrooms, we have the foam padding stuff so will give that a go.

apart from that almost sorted, tried to persuade parents to buy extra coal whilst weather was warm(er) but they didn't so as they pay for that i'll leave them to it!

bravobeastie

Its 21 degrees here in Dudley today and the sun is shining

Nessa56

happytails wrote: »

Oh and a dumb question but how do you measure up for curtains :embarasse Never had to do it before as we rented and it had curtains already lol

Sarah x

Not sure myself but Paul Simon give all instructions on their site.

v
x

kingshir

bravobeastie wrote: »

Its 21 degrees here in Dudley today and the sun is shining

Yep, definitely hot and sunny here in the Midlands. Always the same when the children go back to school!:D

Sunnyday

Warm and sunny here in Yorkshire today too, very windy but the wind is very warm.

My wind up lantern arrived today :j can`t wait for it to go dark

SD

yabby

love this forum its given me some good ideas keep up the good work everyone