Winter Warming Tips For Your Apartment

In all of the apartments that I have lived in, I try to keep my gas and electricity bills under control. Who knows why? Up here in Michigan we can get both extremes of heat and cold. I don’t think my body has ever adjusted fully to winter temperature extreme so I have to do a little extra to stay warm during the winter months. Weatherization protects a home’s interior from the elements with the hopes of reducing energy consumption and efficiency. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that weatherization can reduce heating bills by 32% and overall energy bills by $358 per year. Some of the things I have done to help fight the cold are as follows:

1. Blanket the window! I have heard that most normal people will go out and buy plastic that they seal around the window (which is a great idea). But since I work all the time and have a tendency to be extremely lazy, I decided to push pin my fleece blanket up behind my window curtain. No one can see the blanket from the outside because it’s behind the blinds and it won’t look tacky in your room unless you use a crazy colored blanket. After a while I made the time to sew some fun fabric to one side of the blanket to make it look a little more pleasing to the eye.

2. Lots and lots of pillows! Also, I have a body pillow wedged between my bed and the bottom of the window. This has REALLY helped me with the cold in my room, especially since I sleep mere inches from the source of the chill!

3. Pets (if allowed by your complex)! A big furry friend can snuggle up to your freezing feet. He helps keep me warm on chilly days when I am at my desk and he curls up at my feel.

4. Pre-heat the bed and you won’t have to turn up the heat. Hot-water bottles get the job done. Here is a do it yourself moment: Knit a Hot-Water Bottle Cover or make one from old sweaters. If you don’t have the time for that you can always buy a natural rubber hot-water bottle with a cotton flannel cover.

Show me some of the good ideas you came up with. As you can see mine are the laziest of options, but they work!