Winter’s harsh, especially when your home feels more like a Mount Everest resting cave than a house. Your first instinct to defrost may be to turn up the heater, but with a few clever tricks, you can keep warm without cranking up the heat.

Here’s how to stay snug without breaking the bank.

Seal the gaps

Drafts may be welcome on a hot summer’s day, but they’re the biggest unwelcome culprits of a chilly, “leaky” home. Sealing them can make a big difference.

Try:

• Door sausages: Put these bad boys at the bottom of your doors to block cold air. They’re easy, cheap, and effective. You can also DIY your door sausage with a rolled-up towel.
• Foam sealing tape: Available at hardware stores, this tape is ideal for sealing windows. Plus, they’re easy to apply and remove, so it’s renter-friendly option.

Layer up your home

Turns out, your home can deal with uncomfortable layers, so you don’t have to. Insulate your living space by using:

• Heavy curtains: Swap thin ones for heavy, thermal curtains to keep the cold out.
• Rugs: Cover bare floors with rugs to add warmth and insulate against heat loss.
• Throws and blankets: Keep cosy blankets and throws on sofas and beds. Electric blankets are also a cost-effective way to stay warm without heating the entire room.

Heat smart

Being energy flexible has a double-whammy effect: it helps you stay warm and save on electricity.

• Warm-up before peak hours: Heat your home before 4pm when energy rates are lower. Then, keep the warmth in with our insulation tips.
• Go old school: Hot water bottles are classic and cheap, and you can use them in bed or on the couch. The result? Direct warmth when and where you need it.
• Electric blankets: Set an alarm on your phone to switch it on an hour before bedtime to preheat.
• Nature’s solution: Open your curtains during the day to let natural sunlight heat your home. Then, close them at 5pm to keep the sunny warmth inside. You can also place reflective panels behind radiators to push heat back into the room rather than letting it escape through the walls.

Create cosy zones

Only heat the areas you use the most. Make the most of whatever zoning capability your heating system has (this might need a brush up on the system operations). Also, close off unused rooms, and only if required, use portable, energy-efficient heaters in the rooms you are in.

Bonus tips

• Comfy clothing: Thermal vests and pants can help keep your natural body heat.
• Leverage furniture: Place big objects, like bookshelves, against exterior walls to add an extra insulation layer.
• Warm drinks: Who doesn’t like a hot cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate while snuggling up with a blanket and your fur baby?

The bottom line? Beat the cold, and your expenses

Innovative strategies and little adjustments can go a long way to help you create a comfortable, energy-efficient home. Although old-school tactics require a bit more effort and don’t always offer a quick fix, like electric heaters, they enable massive savings and a warmer home.