As winter sets in and the temperatures start to drop, you may be looking for ways to stay warm without cranking up the thermostat. Whether you're trying to save money on your energy bills, reduce your carbon footprint, or your heating system is on the fritz, having the tools to keep warm in cold weather without heating is essential.
The good news is there are plenty of clever, low-cost hacks to help you stay warm at night without heating and keep your house warm without heating during the day. With some small tweaks to your home and daily routine, you can trap heat effectively. I'll share my favorite practical tips that don't require you to spend a fortune on space heaters and extra blankets.
Dress in Layers, Even Indoors
The key to staying warm without heating is trapping body heat efficiently. And the best place to start is right next to your skin with long underwear and warm socks. By wearing light layers, you can adjust your warmth as needed. If you're lounging around the house, throw on a sweater or hoodie too. Having clothes nearby makes it easy to add or shed layers quickly as temperatures fluctuate.
And don't forget your extremities! Our heads, hands, and feet are common places we lose heat, so keeping hats, gloves, and socks nearby is wise. You lose a tremendous amount of body heat if your feet or head are left uncovered, so layer up.
How to stay warm without heating on a Budget
When money is tight, here are some budget-friendly ways to keep your house warm without heating:
Seal Drafts
One of the easiest and cheapest things you can do is seal any drafts in your home. Cold air leaking in will make it far more difficult to retain heat.
Use rolled up towels or draft stoppers at the base of doors. Seal gaps in floors and walls with caulk or spray foam. Plastic window insulation kits are inexpensive and easy to install - they make a huge difference at keeping cold air out.
Rugs Are Your Friend
If you have hardwood or tile floors, lay down some large area rugs to add instant insulation and warmth. They also have the added benefit of making rooms feel cozier too. For maximum impact, choose plush rugs made of wool.
Let the Sun Shine In
On sunny winter days, take advantage by opening all your curtains and blinds. The sunlight will naturally heat up rooms, allowing you to turn down the thermostat a few degrees.
In the evenings, close everything up tightly to block cold drafts and retain all the free solar warmth captured during the day.
Must Have Supplies for Staying Warm
Bundling up in blankets is an obvious way to stay warm without heating, but having the right gear makes a big difference:
How to Stay Warm at Night Without Heating
Invest in a warm duvet insert or down comforter - They offer unbeatable insulation and cocoon-like comfort. For extra warmth, use oversized versions that you can wrap yourself in fully.
Try an electric mattress pad or heated blanket - They use far less energy than running space heaters or your home's heating system.
Wear thermal long johns and socks to bed - Trapping heat close to your body ensures you stay warm all night long.
Lounging Around the House
Fleece-Lined Slippers - Cold feet make your whole body feel chilled. Cozy fleece-lined slippers are perfect for padding around the house.
Poncho Blankets - Far more practical than bulky blankets you can get tangled in. Poncho blankets allow flexibility for doing tasks.
Fingerless Gloves - Keep hands and wrists warm while retaining dexterity for household chores. Cashmere-lined gloves feel ultra-plush.
For Kids & Pets
Little bodies lose heat far quicker than adults. Make sure to take extra precautions for the little ones in your family as well as furry friends:
Onesies and footed pajamas help babies and toddlers retain warmth from head to toe during naps and nighttime. Choosing fleece or wool versions add extra insulation.
Give pets cozy heated beds with a chew-proof cord. Place them away from cold drafts and use in combination with throws and blankets in their favorite lounging areas.
Clever Hacks for Trapping Heat
Aside from dressing warmly and having the right gear, there are clever ways to keep your house warm without heating. Here are my favorite hacks for trapping heat through the winter:
How to Stay Warm Without Heating in a Small Apartment
Making the most of limited space requires some unconventional thinking!
Create a Canopy
Use furniture and blankets to construct a warm canopy over your bed. Think fort-building skills from childhood! Drape blankets above you, allowing them to enclose the sides and foot of your bed too. This mini-tent captures and recycles your body heat remarkably well.
Heat “Zones”
Designate a single room or section of a studio apartment as your cozy heat zone. Close doors to other rooms so all your heat stays concentrated in your main living area instead of getting dispersed throughout your home.
Pile on the blankets and replenish with piping hot drinks to make it feel like a relaxing cocoon. Add a small space heater if needed, using the warmed zone method ensures it won’t be continually cycling to heat unused rooms.
Harness the Power of the Sun
solar energy is an abundant and free resource so take full advantage on sunny winter days by:
Open all curtains and blinds
Allow sunlight to flood and warm your rooms for free. Close them all up tightly at dusk to lock in the solar warmth.
Create a sunroom
In south facing rooms, set up a lounge area to bask in light and warmth all day long. Turn it into a greenhouse of sorts by enclosing the space with plastic sheeting or temporary screens. Add plants for some lush green ambience.
On cloudy days, place your desk or workstation beside a window to benefit from the ambient light and warmth.
DIY passive solar heating
Transform any sunny window into a passive solar heater. Simply close the curtains behind large clear plastic boxes or jugs filled with water. The sun's rays heat up the water, turning the plastic vessels into little radiators. They slowly emit warmth into the evening hours. Use safe heavy duty plastic buckets, and take care not to overload window sills.
How to Stay Warm Without Heating with Arthritis
Coping with arthritis symptoms like chronic joint pain makes it especially hard to stay warm in winter without heating. The cold causes flare-ups in tender joints plus makes the ache of stiff muscles feel intensified. Here’s how to get relief the gentle way without cranking up your thermostat:
Soothing Salonpas patches
Salonpas pain relief patches provide toasty warmth right over tender spots for up to 8 hours. The gentle heat helps muscles relax, taking pressure off inflamed joints. Unlike many heating pads and creams, Salonpas uses natural menthol instead of capsaicin from chili peppers so there’s no burning sensation.
Microwavable Wheat Bags
Wheat bags filled with grains like flaxseed, wheat berry and rice emit soothing infrared heat when warmed up in the microwave. Their moldable shape lets you drape them around painful joints for targeted relief. The pleasant weight and hypoallergenic warmth gives a gentle hug.
For an aromatherapy bonus, add a few drops of lavender or chamomile oil. Both essential oils are naturally anti-inflammatory too.
Luxurious Elastic Knee Socks
Compression promotes circulation and keeps joints flexible. But elastic knee socks go the extra mile by keeping feet, calves and knees noticeably warmer. Choosing soft fabrics like wool blended with stretchy spandex or lycra ensures maximum comfort. The ergonomic warmth and compression work wonders for easing arthritis discomfort all day long.
How to Stay Warm Without Heating with Young Children
Entertaining little ones while they’re cooped up indoors all winter is challenging enough without them catching chills too. Here are my top tips for keeping kids warm as the temperatures plummet:
Schedule Active Playtimes
Make the most of children’s energetic nature by setting aside time for them to run around indoors. Play hide and seek, dance parties or let them burn off steam however they like best.
You get a break while they naturally raise their body temperature and boost circulation. Just be sure to have extra blankets ready for their inevitable wind down time.
Set Up a Play Tent
Let kids enjoy the magic of playing fort indoors by pitching play tents and filling them with blankets and pillows. Use it as a special movie watching or story time nook so they can snuggle up inside.
Having their own enclosed hideaway makes it feel extra cozy. String up fairly lights for added twinkle.
DIY Heating Packs
Make adorable animals or characters out of fabric and let your kids help stuff them with rice. Stitch them nearly shut and microwave for fluffy, soothing warmth.
They can pick their favorite mini “buddies” to cuddle up with for hands-on warmth that’s much safer than electric heating pads.
How to Stay Warm Without Heating with Pets
Like young kids, pets need some extra consideration to stay warm comfortably through the winter without central heating. Here are my top tips:
Give Them Cozy Places to Burrow
Dogs and cats instinctively burrow into warmth. Ensure they have appealing places indoors to nestle into away from drafts.
For cats: provide cushion lined boxes, cubbies and fabric tunnels. The enclosed space captures their body warmth.
For dogs: drape cushy beds with blankets to create an insulated shelter. Just be sure to remove when unsupervised so they don't overheat.
Snuggle Safe Microwave Heat Pads
These round heat pads for pets contain a non-toxic gel that stays warm for hours when microwaved briefly. Being chew resistant and bite proof makes them safer than hot water bottles or electric heating pads.
They provide gentle ambient heat for small dogs and cats to cozy into. The soothing warmth helps senior pets and those with arthritis.
DIY Heating Bricks
Scratch resistant heating bricks are easily made by filling zinc-free tiles with a salt and water solution. Heat up the salt brick solution in the microwave and carefully seal in tiles wrapped with small towels.
Offer these bricks for pets to lounge against in their favorite napping places. The radiating warmth attracts them to defined safe zones instead of potentially hazardous spots like cold tiled floors or beneath drafty windows.
Don't Forget Healthy Warm Beverages!
Curling up under a blanket clutching a steamy mug is the essence of hygge comfort. Warm drinks quite literally help heat you up from inside out!
Sipping something soothing promotes relaxation too which helps you retain body warmth instead of getting tense and chilled.
My favorite warming winter drinks include:
Hot herbal tea - chamomile, ginger, turmeric and cinnamon spice are especially good for circulation
Golden milk - an Ayurvedic blend of turmeric, cinnamon and ginger mixed into heated milk. Many recipes include black pepper and coconut oil too.
Hot apple cider - an old fashioned favorite, pack a vitamin C punch by simmering the cider with fresh orange slices and cranberries.
Warming soups and stews - sipping on pureed vegetable soup, butternut bisque or beef stew makes you feel cozy. Go low carb by using cauliflower instead of potatoes as the base.
The beauty of hot drinks is you can customize them exactly to your taste. Explore warming spices like nutmeg, allspice, cloves and cardamom blended into milky chai tea or coffee.
Adding a pat of ghee or grassfed butter adds richness along with Vitamin K2, a memory and brain boosting compound found concentrated in butter fat.
Whip up some decadent hot cocoa sweetened with maple syrup and seeded with cayenne. The contrast of sweet cocoa against mildly spicy cayenne makes it extra special. Add a dollop of whipped cream...why not?
Ready, Set, Stay Warm!
I hope these practical tips inspire you get creative in trapping warmth throughout your home. Don’t hibernate this winter - instead apply these tips for how to stay warm without heating so you can relax and enjoy the cozy side of the season.
With the right mindset and proper preparation, bundling up without central heating can be downright charming. Sometimes working around winter’s chill brings people closer together, like huddling around a crackling fireplace telling stories.
Here’s to outsmarting winter waryness in favor of simple, soul-nourishing hygge happiness...cheers!
Comments