Five budget-friendly hacks to beat winter in your home

Tis the season to winter-proof your home against the cold weather. 

The mornings are getting darker, the air is frostier, and it’s harder to tear yourself out from under those blankets.

Your home will become your cocoon (this butterfly isn’t going anywhere!) over the next few months. 

If you are looking for ways to beat winter, then these five hacks are just what you need. 

They are also friendly on the budget!

ALSO READ: How to prevent your hair from splitting in winter

1. Rearrange the furniture

The sun sets lower in winter and the way the light enters your windows differs too. Couches that may be flooded with sun in summer may be chillier places to sit in winter. On a weekend (when you have a whole day to observe) pay attention to how light enters your rooms and move furniture around into the sunlight to stay warmer. Open the curtains to let in the sun, and then create cosy nooks in different areas of your sitting room, or shift your bed around in your bedroom (if that’s possible). As well as taking advantage of the sun, you’ll have some fun creating a new atmosphere in your home!

2. Make some winter grub

What would winter be without comfort food? The great thing about soups, stews, and curries is that they can be produced with minimum fuss, and made in bulk as they can be easily frozen. This saves you cash when buying ingredients, and also frees up your time to do other fun wintery stuff! Visit your supermarket and buy a whole lot of seasonal veggies and throw them in the slow cooker for a few hours with some coconut milk, curry powder and vegetable stock. Soon your home will smell like spices, dinner will be ready AND you’ll have loads left over for lunches during the week. Winning.

3. Cosy up the air

We all want to be warmer in winter but with electricity costs sky rocketing, simply turning on all the heaters may not be the best idea. First up, you need to ensure that there aren’t any draughts wafting through your home that may be adding to the overall chilliness. Look for windows that aren’t closing properly, or gaps under front doors – now’s the time for some DIY! Also check your insulation in the roof, as lots of heat escapes that way.

Sealing those up will go a long way to making it warmer, and once you’ve got that fire in the hearth (and the hot water bottle warming up the sheets!), you’ll be toasty in no time. If you’re looking at ways to cut electricity costs specifically, users of the mobile tenants’ reward app, Flow, can get up to *50% off of electricity via the app. *Spend limitation, Ts and Cs apply.

4. Stock up on immune boosters

With more germs floating around (as we’re all cooped up inside), our bodies do need a little extra boost in winter, so why not make the most of naturally occurring immune boosters in certain foods? Stock up your grocery cupboard with turmeric, ginger, garlic, almonds, red pepper, broccoli, and all the citrus fruits. Make a fresh orange or grapefruit juice to enjoy along with your breakfast, throw some steamed greens in with your lunchtime sandwich, and enjoy a homemade tea in the evening packed with ginger, turmeric, honey and lemon.

5. Stay safe

House fires are way more common in winter, probably because we’re using more electrical appliances, and heating our homes with open fires. Ensure you check that your smoke alarm and fire extinguisher are fully functioning, and get a qualified professional to inspect your chimneys, pipes and vents. You should also make sure that any fires have been properly extinguished before you go to bed, and bear in mind that hot ash can still be a danger. Also make sure that you extinguish all candles and don’t leave them unattended or near flammable materials. If you have a gas fireplace, make sure there are no gas leaks and that your gas tanks are safely caged.

We hope these winter home hacks help you make the most of the colder weather. Try and enjoy these lazier wintery days, as Spring and all its busyness will be here in no time at all.

Main image courtesy of iStock/1029534302