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5 Free Ways to Keep Your Home Warm and Cozy This Winter

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Now that the holidays are almost behind us, it feels like winter is really settling in — and the cold just never feels as cozy after the Christmas lights come down. We all know it comes every year, but just like the heatwaves, we’re never really emotionally ready. More importantly though, are you ready for the practical issues cold weather raises?

Insulating your home and installing a fireplace is all well and good if you’ve got a whole heap of money lying around and you organized it in the summer. So what can you do to at least pretend it isn’t in the single digits outside?

Get some thick curtains.

Thick curtains and window blinds will trap the heat in and keep the cold out — the way it should be. This option is perfect because we know you secretly have been dying to update your curtain collection anyway.

Reshuffle your furniture.

Speaking of redecorating, it’s time to move your furniture around. Move furniture away from windows and cold walls so you’re not sitting on top of any draughts. Be careful not to put any big furniture, like couches or large armchairs, in front of fireplaces or heaters because they’ll prevent the hot air circulating freely.

Rug up.

While wooden floors are sleek and stylish and unfinished concrete is the perfect way to give your home an industrial vibe, neither is good for keeping your home warm. Instead of getting cold toes from tipping around on freezing floors, cover them with some fluffy rugs. Although not necessarily warmer, go for some tactile sheepskin or shag carpets that you can nestle into while you mosey up your hot chocolate.

Close doors that don’t need to be open.

Don’t waste heating on spaces you’re not using. Close all the doors to the living space with the heater and the impact will be immediate. If anyone complains about being cold, force them to come and sit with you in the warm zone — saving money and creating family time. If you have a fancy heating system, turn it off in rooms nobody’s using as well — another easy freebie.

Let the sun do the work.

Keep heating bills down by opening up all your blinds and curtains during the day. When sunlight comes through the windows it’s UV radiation, but once it hits an object it becomes infrared radiation, and that doesn’t travel through glass as easily.

Now you’ve got the science, whip back the curtains on north and west-facing windows especially. South-facing windows don’t capture as much sunlight, so you can leave them shuttered on colder days.

This article was originally written by Now to Love editors. For more, check out our sister site, Now to Love.

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