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Those of us who live in cold weather environments know the challenge of staying cozy without having to pay astronomical bills in the winter. Yes, there are a thousand ways you can renovate your home to help make your heating more efficient, but that doesn’t help you right now. This post is about practical tips and small purchases that can help you stay warm today without a renovation.
If you live in one of those places where the weather is 80 degrees all year you might want to skip this post. Better yet, read it so you can survive when the weather drops to 65 degrees. We kid, warm weather dwellers. Believe me, all of us want to be you right now (and all year long).
Read on for our best tips are keeping cozy this winter season.
1. Wrap up in a heated blanket
Don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it!
I am always cold so my family purchased me the above heated blanket for Christmas. I use it every day. Modern day heated blankets have shutoff timers and overheat limits so they are totally safe. I use my heated blanket to keep warm while I am snuggled up on the sofa or sitting at my desk. The heated blanket keeps you from knowing really your furnace is turned down.
2. Shut doors in your house to create zone heating
Make sure you keep the doors shut to rooms you do not use during the day or night. This will help your heating source focus on the areas where you are spending time. This is called zone heating. Zoned heating is your friend in the winter because it maximizes the heat where you are.
3. Shut vents in unused rooms
There is no need to heat your guest bedroom or unfinished basement if the rooms are not being used. This will force all the heat into the rooms that you do use.
If you really want to be proactive, shut the vents to your bedroom during the day and open it back up about an hour before you go to bed. At bedtime, shut your living and kitchen area vents.
For extra coverage, magnetic vent covers can work well to cover floor vents. Ceiling and wall vent covers tend to come off but do work better if the vent is closed.
4. Use an oil-filled space heater
Oil-filled heaters are the safer version of space heaters to use in your home. They do take a little while to heat up but they do warm up a space effectively, especially if you shut doors to maximize the space. Even though they are the “safer version,” you still need to be careful. Make sure you spend a little extra money for one with a timer and an overheat shutoff for safety reasons. You do not want to leave them on overnight or while you are away from home. They can be warm to the touch so like any space heater, it may not be good with little kids.
These type of heaters are really great for helping your pipes not freeze under a sink. Open your sink cabinet doors and place it next to the cabinet periodically throughout the day when its below freezing.
5. Purchase a portable electric fireplace
An electric fireplace with high BTUs can really warm up a space. These are more expensive than space heaters, but most are safe to touch for the littles in your home. They are also very safe and efficient to run for long periods of time. I am getting impressed with the stylish options available these days.
If you have a non working fireplace you can tuck one of these into your fireplace like Megan Pflug did in her basement makeover.
6. Switch out window treatments for thermal curtains / add thermal curtain liners
Switch out curtains with thermal curtains or attach thermal curtain liners to your existing curtains. Windows can be the largest source of cold air entering into your home. Thermal curtains can help keep the cold air insulated.
Hanging a curtain over your exterior doors can be stylish and help your house feel warmer in the winter.
8. Open curtains during the day and close them at night
During a sunny winter day, let the sun in to warm your home. When the sun is down, shut them to insulate the cold air.
Dandelion Discoveries
9. Hang a curtain at the top of your stairwell
If you have a two-story home use a thermal curtain and tension rod at the top of your stairs. Close the curtain the times of the day when you spend most of your time downstairs. Why? It is simple, hot air rises and the closed curtain can keep the hot air downstairs.
The top of my stairwell is a doorway sized opening so I can use a shower curtain tension rod to hang a thermal curtain. The above stairway curtain “how to” is over at Dandelion Discoveries.
10. After using your oven, keep the door open while it cools down
Maximize the usage of your oven as long as you can. After you use your oven, keep the door open while the oven cools down. Of course, not the best thing to do if you have little kiddos hanging around.
12. Add insulated covers to your outlets and light sockets
Your outlets and light switches can be a source for cold air to get into your home. This is true especially if you live in an old home where the walls are not insulated. If you live in an old home with original plaster walls…this applies to you. This fix requires no rewiring or electrician skills. You just need a screwdriver to take off the face plate.
13. Cover your home with window sill and door draft stoppers
Use rice and fabric remnants to create a cute insulated window sill or door draft stopper
14. Lay down a rug or two
If you have hardwood floors, rugs can help with cold floors. Check your local carpet store for remnants if you are on a budget. If there is no room in the budget for a rug, lay a blanket on the floor while you are hanging out in your living room.
15. Wear a winter hat around the house
Heat exits your body from your head so keep yourself warm by keeping a cute winter hat on your head while you are home.
16. Wear warm slippers
Like your head, heat exits your body from your feet so keep them insulated.
17. Warm your towels with a towel warmer
Fight the cold in the bathroom by warming up your towels while you shower. They also work for bathrobes.
Give your living room a fresh look by rearranging your furniture away from your windows. If the furniture in front of your window only fits one way, move your seating away from the window a least 6 inches and execute tips 6, 8, 13, and 20.
19. Unblock heater vents
Don’t sacrifice your coziness for a piece of furniture over a vent. Rearrange your furniture to unblock the vent. Not possible? Purchase a vent attachment or extender.
Amazon
20. Install plastic window insulators
These plastic window insulators can help your windows feel like a more expensive window. If done well, the insulator really isn’t super noticeable. They are easy to install and remove. All you need is scissors and a hair dryer. Most of the instructions tell you to install the plastic over your outer trim. I was able to install the plastic on the inside of the window trim behind my window treatments. These are a great solution for large windows with no window treatments.
Sometimes just thinking warmer thoughts can get you feeling cozier. Cuddle up and get some inspiration for you outdoor spaces this summer and tell yourself you are almost there!
Arranging your living room can prove tricky. Not only do you have multiple (large!) pieces of furniture to work with, but you need to consider where to put your TV and how to create a space that’s well-designed but also cozy. It’s not called the living room for nothing.
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Robin DeCapua, owner and designer at Madison Modern Home, a home staging company based in Los Angeles, has seen all kinds of living room shapes, sizes, and configurations since she launched her business 12 years ago. Regardless of square footage, though, the living room, she says, is definitely the most impactful room to stage.
Here are three things that the very best living room layouts have in common, DeCapua says.
No. 1: The sofa is the star of the show.
As a rule of thumb, position the sofa on the longest wall and lay out the coffee table, rug, and chairs in front of and opposite the sofa, DeCapua says.
“When we do place a sofa against a wall, we pull it away from the wall slightly — a few inches is enough — to create a ‘drop shadow’ effect,” she says. “It always looks more deliberately styled this way instead of being haphazardly shoved up against the wall.”
While this layout generally works for most rooms, there are times when the sofa must “float” further away from the wall — like in lofts, open-concept spaces and very large living rooms, she explains.
How about sectional sofas? Generally, sectional furniture should be reserved for an open-plan area that needs to be defined by the corner of a sectional.
Loft spaces and living/dining room combinations can be good candidates for an L-shaped sectional, DeCapua says.
“When shopping for one, be sure to note if it’s left-facing or right-facing,” she says. “It makes a huge difference, as you want the corner where you need the definition.”
No. 2: The rug is the right rize (read: big enough).
Rugs are a surefire way to tie a room together. However, when choosing a rug, many people go too small, DeCapua says.
She has a simple rule that will make rug shopping more intuitive: The goal is for all furniture to have at least their front legs on the rug, she says. In most scenarios, you’ll need an 8’x10′ rug or an ever larger one.
No. 3: Chairs help set the tone.
Did you know that how you angle your chairs can set the tone of your entire living room?
An angled chair placement indicates a more casual space, DeCapua says. “Play around until it feels right,” she suggests. “There are no hard-and-fast rules here.”
But do consider sightlines out windows when planning your living room, she says. If there’s a view, you don’t want to block it with high-backed chairs.
“And try to match the height of your sofa with your chairs whenever possible,” she says. “Nothing makes a sofa look more out-of-scale than too-tall chairs.”
One more thing: If your chairs are going to be seen from the back, consider their shape and style. “Go for an interesting frame in sculptural wood or metal,” DeCapua suggests.
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Over the last ten years, my parents replaced most of their kitchen and living room furniture piece by piece. Their old sofa made way for a fancy one with motorized leg rests, and the dining chairs got swapped for stools that take up less room. But the one thing they’ll never give up? Their storage ottoman. The reason is simple: It’s just too useful (especially in a small space). Sure, it can be a footrest for my mom or a little throne for their cat, but the removable top cushion reveals a small trove of books (and cat toys), plus, it flips over to become a side table for morning coffee (or a glass of wine with Law & Order).
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Finding your own favorite storage ottoman is easier than ever, and right now Overstock has them on sale in any shape, size, and style you could want. Ottomans are traditionally intended for the living room, but they work their hidden storage magic just as well in bedrooms, dining areas, and any part of your home where you need to pack a lot of function into a small space. Get a deal on our favorite finds while they’re still in stock!
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Since I first moved to New York City nearly a decade ago, I’ve been through a lot of couches. From questionable, cash-only Facebook Marketplace pickups to what was dubbed “the cheapest couch IKEA has ever made,” I’ve seen pretty much everything Big Sofa has to offer to a young, fresh-outta-college guy with roommates. And, for years, those janky couches and their lumps, bumps, and “stains we don’t talk about” worked for me and my two roommates who were equally apathetic about the thing we sat on while we drank beer and watched “The Departed” for the fifteenth time. However, everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked I moved in with my lovely girlfriend, who (rightfully) wanted a sofa that was new, comfortable, easy to assemble, complemented our (small) space, looked modern, and wouldn’t disintegrate after one lease renewal. What she wanted was a sofa that we’d have for years — one that we loved so much, we’d actually want to establish and enforce a “no eating on the couch” rule. What she wanted was the Owen Chaise Sectional from Castlery.
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The Owen is a gorgeous, sleek sectional that’s as nice to lounge on as it is to look at. It comes in two colors, Pearl Beige and Olive Gold, and features a walnut-stained base that matches practically any aesthetic. It has a deep seat, padded armrests, and adjustable legs to make sure you never have to shove a matchbook underneath your sofa to stop it from wobbling. And, because it’s elevated, there’s some room for under-couch storage. You can also choose which side you’d like the chaise to face, which is a huge bonus if you’re working with a small space. They also throw in two pillows, which I’ve found to be dangerously comfortable when working on the couch.
The thing I love most about the Owen is that it feels big. Like, really big, especially compared to the tiny IKEA couches we’re used to. (In fact, my girlfriend and I often joke around and say, “how’s it going over there?” since we feel so far away on opposite ends of the sofa.) However, it’s actually pretty compact for a sectional, and it doesn’t take up our entire living room. And, I’m not the only one that feels this way. “My husband and I spent a lot of time looking for a sectional that’s not too large or small and this one is the perfect size for literally any home or apartment,” one reviewer writes. “It’s beautiful, the cushions velcro down to the base, and feels really durable. This sectional is incredibly comfortable and we can stretch out with no problem.”
In terms of delivery, you can either have the sofa delivered to your front door, or pay extra to have it brought into the room of your choosing, with the additional option of having the couch set up for you. I had the couch brought directly into my living room, where I put together the couch by myself. Setup was a breeze: You just take the couch out of the packaging, screw on the feet with the included Allen key, secure the chaise to the main sofa with the built-in alligator attachment, and pop on the cushions. It took my girlfriend and I about 20 minutes from start to finish, and the hardest part was lugging the cardboard down the two flights of stairs in my walk-up apartment.
I really can’t recommend this piece enough: The look, feel, and size of the sectional are a massive upgrade from my past couches. So, if you’ve been struggling to find a sectional that checks off all of your boxes, do yourself a favor and snag the Owen Chaise Sectional from Castlery while it’s on sale. Trust me — it’s a lot better than the seventh page of Wayfair search results or getting lost in an IKEA showroom (again).
Kelsey is a writer, editor, and photographer. She has lived on a ship and in a travel trailer, but feels most at home in her midcentury Florida bungalow that she styles with thrifted and antique finds. When she’s not writing about travel, interiors, commerce, or food, you can find her tending to her tropical garden.
