Preparing for Winter

Boodle

oldMcDonald wrote: »

I have blackout blinds in my upstairs bathroom, and it's flippin' freezing in the winter! The blind feels quite cold, so I don't think it is keeping the heat in. I'm about to try to see if there is a way I can get a pair of curtains up in there instead, but it is tiled floor to ceiling all around the window and DH won't drill into the tiles. Not sure quite how to go about getting some curtains up there.

Oh that's a bit tricky. And I'm no DIY expert so I'm afraid I can't help you there How about sewing some sort of thick warm material onto the existing blinds? Do you think that might help? Thanks for the review on the black-out blinds tho x

newlywed

oldMcDonald wrote: »

I have blackout blinds in my upstairs bathroom, and it's flippin' freezing in the winter! The blind feels quite cold, so I don't think it is keeping the heat in. I'm about to try to see if there is a way I can get a pair of curtains up in there instead, but it is tiled floor to ceiling all around the window and DH won't drill into the tiles. Not sure quite how to go about getting some curtains up there.

You can get some curtain tracks that attach to the ceiling I think???

http://www.cwfurnishings.co.uk/swish-furniglyde-curtain-track-complete-pack---track-and-fittings-1182-p.asp
http://www.polesandblinds.com/Curtain-Tracks-And-Rails/Plastic-Curtain-Tracks/category25.asp

oldMcDonald

Thank you, newlywed, the runner in that first link is exactly what I need:)

isitenough

sammyjig wrote: »

I'm not sure we would need to go to extremes but I will say that this winter I will be putting an emergency kit in DH's car (drinks, food, blanket, extra jumper, wooly hat and gloves etc). He has to travel a fair way to work and a couple of years ago if he had left for work 1/2 hour later he would have been one of those por soles stuck on the M11 in the snow all night.

Late to the discussion on this one, after lurking so long, but I agree. My DH was one of the poor soles stuck on the M11 all night in the snow and he definately said he'd have liked an emergency kit! It was freezing (as you can imagine!) and also very cramped, no sleep that night! Turned up the next day slightly looking worse for wear, and hungry!

On another note, I'm impressed by all the suggestions & work going on and feel that I need to catch up! Lining all the curtains as we speak. Looking for blankets etc.. also.
One problem we have is that downstairs it's open plan, lounge to dining room to kitchen and also going upstairs (no hall area downstairs). While I like open plan living like this heating the whole downstairs can be difficult. Has anyone ever 'shut off' the living room to the dining room by use of a curtain? We'd have to fix something to the ceiling to attach curtains and it might look daft but seriously we're considering it!

mardatha

We had a house liek that once, Isitenough ....had a huge long livroom with a dining bit added on and a hatch through to kitchen. I ended up buying a fancy brass-effect curtain pole and hanging velvety curtains, navy blue on the brass rail looked good, and I got fancy tiebacks for daytim. With the ikea curtains which are very long, you could do that, and line the back, Even shove a draught sausage along the bottom.

bellaquidsin

Like kittie, I think I am getting used to the cold here. Trying not to put the heating on until the 1st October. Last night I went out to somewhere where the heating was on and I was roasted, but when I came home it was on with the cardigan. How strange and topsy turvy to have to dress up to stay home.

Like kittie I am also making a blanket although not for my own use, I have enough of these from a previous life. I am making a baby blanket from my stash for an expected addition to the family, a fifth cousin I think. I am using up my stash and have already done a pink and white one and am now doing the blue and white boy option. I am knitting squares and crocheting them together and then doing crochet round the edges. Yes, as it grows it does keep my knees warm and will provide a fairly OS present along with the matinee coats and jackets I have also made from my stash.

So...., although I am coping with the cold at the moment I am quite concerned about the damp as we are low lying and the house does tend to get damp if not well heated. We may have to give in about putting the heat on and economise on something else, don't drink, don't smoke, have no telly, food bills already drastically reduced, use Remoska, slow cooker and pressure cooker for cooking, so not sure what will have to go next.

Bella

Gigervamp

When I went downstairs this morning there was a definite chill in the air. I'm now wearing a long sleeved top, cardi and fleece. I'm trying not to put the heating on yet in order to conserve what little oil we have left in the tank for heating the water. We're still in debt to the oil company by about £150 which will be paid off in 2 months.
Trouble is, the house suffers from damp and all this rain we've had doesn't help. Normally it wouldn't be a problem at this time of year because it would have had the summer to dry out.

All this rain is costing us money too. We had to have our cesspit emptied again last week, just a couple of months or so since the last time, because of all the rain water from the gutters going down the drain. It costs £165 to get it emptied.

nicki_2

I'm sitting here in a long sleeved top, a tracksuit top & a baseball cap, on my feet are workmen boots & 3 pairs of socks (2 of which are hiking ones) and I still feel chilly! :eek: Going to dig out the door curtains today, and also make a start on making up curtains for the other doors downstairs. I've been hoping to leave the heating off until later in the year but I don't think its going to happen as this house gets damp as well and I've already got the start of a cough and cold :rolleyes:

Zed42

I'm a long time lurker of this thread ... so "hello"

I'm glad it's not just me who is cold today.

I told DH that we were not going to put the heating on until Dec 1st (yes, ok ... hoping!) but as the heating is currently broken, that's a disincentive for him reaching for the "on" switch.

But this morning, I am sitting here in my hiking socks, cardi, fleece blanket over my shoulders, blanket over my knees (made from old jumpers this "Summer" in preparation) ... and I have succumbed to having the fire in my office lit, and the fire in the dining room lit, just to try and heat the core of the house.

It's not just the fact that it's cold, it's the fact that it's damp is more of an issue. Our house is built against an old sandstone bank and hence suffers greatly from rain and dampness.

Sigh ..... it's Winter!

Beki

I'm the same - i'm sitting here in a fleecy top trying desperately not to flick the CH switch!

Ds, on the other hand, seems quite happy to pull off his jeans and run round the living room in just a top! lol - he must take after the OH, he's forever too hot, even in a snow storm!