Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Cheap or Free Solutions
• Method 2 of 2: Apply more expensive solutions
• Tips
• Warnings
• Necessities

Can't sleep at night because it is so cold in your room? Sick of shivering when you get up in the morning to go to work or school? Now you no longer have to chatter your teeth, and no matter how cold it is outside, it is almost always possible to make a room warmer with a few simple tricks! Best of all, many of these tricks are free or quite cheap, allowing you to achieve warm and cozy comfort without having to waste your money.

To step

Method 1 of 2: Cheap or Free Solutions

1. Use your windows and blinds to heat your room with sunlight. One of the easiest ways to keep your room warmer is to take advantage of the sun, Mother Nature's original stove. Make sure you allow as much warm sunlight into your room as possible during the day, after which you try to prevent that heat from disappearing at night. For best results, you should also know which windows in your room let the sun in - generally, these are south-facing windows in the Northern Hemisphere and north-facing windows in the Southern Hemisphere. Here's a simple example scheme you may want to use:
   • Morning: Before you go to work or school, close all the windows in your room. Open the blinds completely.
   • Afternoon: Leave your blinds open until the sun no longer shines in your room. As soon as it starts to get dark and cold, close the blinds or curtains.
   • Night: Keep the blinds and windows closed all night to keep the heat in.
2. Wear layers of clothing for energy-free heating. In a world where the impact of households on the climate is increasing, many environmentally conscious consumers are choosing to "heat the person, not the room". Wearing it inside a jacket, cardigan or sweatpants makes it much easier to stay warm without using any heating energy (or spending an extra penny on your utility bill).
   • If your room is particularly cold at night, you can start wearing layers of clothing. While some people find this uncomfortable, soft garments such as joggers and "hoodie" sweatshirts usually provide the most warmth without sacrificing much comfort.
   • Plastic garments that do not "breathe" such as polyester, rayon, and the like, generally trap the most heat (this is why they are so uncomfortable in the summer).
3. Put a hot water bottle in your bed. One of the worst sensations in the world is shuffling through a freezing cold room in your pajamas, then slipping into a sub-zero bed. Although your bed should warm up once you are in it, you can avoid this awful feeling by warming up your bed before you step in. A pitcher is a great way to do this - just fill it with hot water, seal it tightly, and leave the pitcher under the covers in the middle of your bed for 15 minutes before going to sleep. When it cools down, the jug will give off its heat to your bed, making it nice and warm when you lie down in it.
   • Medical pitchers are available at many pharmacies for around € 15 or less.
   • If you're using a microwave to heat your water, make sure the pitcher is microwave safe (like a glass or ceramic bowl).
4. Avoid drafts with spare blankets. The last thing you want when trying to heat a room is a draft, a place where cool air makes its way through the room. Stop any draft with extra cloths or blankets while you wait for a more permanent solution (such as replacing a broken window, etc.). When the draft is very annoying, this simple solution can make a big difference.
   • Not sure if there is a draft? There are several ways to find out. One is just put your hand on a crack in a window or door and feel for an air stream. You can also use a candle - if the flame flickers at a crack, there is a draft.
   • Check out the tips from the government on energiessparendoejenu.nl for more ideas.
5. Make the most of existing heating or radiators. Do you have a heater or radiator in your room that doesn't seem to heat effectively? Then use the following tips to increase their effectiveness (and save money):
   • Make sure there are no furniture between the heater or radiator and yourself. For example, in many older homes, radiators are hidden behind sofas.
   • Hang aluminum foil behind a radiator (use foil that is about the same size as the radiator itself). This reflects the heat that is normally conducted to the wall and thus heats the rest of the room.
   • If your stove is portable, use it in the smallest space possible so that it can heat you as effectively as possible. For example, a radiant heater heats a small bedroom much better than a large living room.
6. Invite people into the room. It's easy to forget that humans are basically walking and talking biological heaters, constantly releasing heat to the air around them. One or two extra people in the room can make a noticeable difference - your combined body heat and the warmth of your breath will help warm the room.
   • Two things are important with this method to keep in mind: the smaller the room and the more physically active the people in the room, the warmer it gets. In other words, a lively party in a small space will produce a lot more heat than a few people sitting on a sofa in a large living room.
   • If your friends are busy, even pets can make a room a little warmer (unless they're cold-blooded - fish and lizards don't really help).
7. Warm your bed with a hair dryer. This trick may seem a bit ridiculous, but it does work. After all, a hair dryer is essentially a small space heater with a fan in it. You can blow warm air directly onto your bed or lift the covers and point the hairdryer underneath to create a pocket of warm air for you to lie in.
   • Be careful not to let the hot metal elements of your hairdryer come into contact with your bedding, especially if they are made of a fabric that is prone to melting (like polyester, etc.).

Method 2 of 2: Apply more expensive solutions

1. Buy a heater for your room. Of course it is useful to consider the purchase of a stove if you do not already have one. Electric heaters (usually found in department stores and hardware stores), come in a wide variety of sizes and wattages, making them a reasonable solution for any large room (and budget).
   • Keep in mind that electric heaters often use a lot of energy. While you can counteract this by turning off your central heating, frequent use of electric heaters can be a major factor in your utility bill.
   • Always adhere to the basics of heater safety: do not leave electric heaters on unattended (even while you sleep) and do not use heaters that burn fuel indoors, as they pose a carbon monoxide hazard.
2. Buy an electric blanket for your bed. While once considered not fashionable, electric blankets are making a comeback today thanks to the comfort (and savings) they offer. The devices can provide exceptionally comfortable sleeping accommodation when it is cold in your room. Best of all, they tend to use significantly less energy than other electric heaters - a consumer survey found that they typically saved about half to three-quarters of the energy, compared to electric heaters.
   • For the most comfort, turn on the electric blanket a few minutes before going to bed. To save energy, turn the blanket off before falling asleep.
3. Put more blankets on the bed. For some, there is nothing more comfortable than the feeling of lying under a heavy pile of blankets when it is cold. The more layers of blankets you use, the more body heat will be trapped in the bed. Extra layers create pockets of "stagnant heat" - air that is difficult to leak into the surrounding coolness.
   • In general, thicker, fluffier materials (such as wool, fleece and down) are the warmest. Air gets trapped in the small spaces of these materials, trapping more heat from the body.
   • Don't forget that you can simply wear blankets around the house - perfect if you don't want to give up the warm comfort of your bed just yet.
4. Thicker curtains. Windows are one of the most common sources of heat loss for rooms. To combat this, hang thick, heavy curtains in front of your windows and close them as soon as it starts to get colder in the evening. The heavy material of the curtains will help slow heat loss through the glass, keeping the room warm for longer.
   • If you can't afford curtains, you can get a similar effect by hanging old blankets on the windows.
5. Cover bare floors (and walls). Smooth, hard surfaces such as wood, tile and marble tend to retain much less heat than carpet. In fact, uninsulated floors can account for 10% of a room's total heat loss. If you're tired of your toes freezing off when you get up in the morning, consider laying a rug or even getting a carpet installed. This will also help keep your room warm once you heat it - a room with a carpet or carpet will stay warm longer after turning off the heat than a room with a bare tile floor.
   • It can also sometimes be effective to cover part of your walls with carpet-like materials to increase this effect. Things like tapestries and decorative rugs can look great when hung on the wall and can keep your room a little warmer at the same time.
6. Invest in better insulation. While a major investment, new insulation in your home can be a project that pays for itself in the long run as it can drastically cut heating costs (especially in older, draftier homes). Another advantage is of course that it stays warmer and more comfortable. Below are some forms of insulation to consider:
   • Wall insulation (fiberglass, etc.)
   • Window insulation (double and triple glazing, protective film, etc.)
   • Door insulation (draft excluders, floor seals, etc.).
   • Every home is different, so the amount of work required can vary greatly from house to house. Before making any concrete decisions, you should talk to an experienced contractor (or several) and estimate your project so that you can determine the best decision for you.

Tips

• For a warm, soothing nightcap, drink something warm that won't keep you awake - decaffeinated tea, for example.
• Don't keep your body too warm to keep your head warm. Scientists have proven that the old myth that people usually lose more than half of their body heat through the head is wrong.
• If you have a fireplace in your room, you may be losing warm air through your chimney. Buy a chimney balloon to seal the draft - but don't forget to remove it before using the fireplace next time!
• Believe it or not, some people use clean, dry cherry stones instead of water in their pitchers for heating a bed.
• Make sure the windows are closed properly.
• One way to get warm is to make your own heating pad with a handful of warm rice in an old sock and heat it. If necessary, put your clothes in the dryer for 15 minutes. When you go to bed you feel warm all over.

Warnings

• Make sure you don't burn yourself on a radiator, heater or hot water bottle.

Necessities

• Warm clothes
• Heater
• Blanket
• Something warm to drink