We knew when we moved into this large brick Victorian house with exposed countryside on each side that it would probably be on the chilly side during the winter months.
Now the frosts have arrived I’m thankful that we have taken a few measures to keep warm but not by having the central heating on full blast all day and every day.
Interestingly as we now have oiled fired heating which is powered from a tank of fuel in the back garden I seem to have a different attitude towards fuel than when I was supplied by a constant stream of gas. I spent £300 getting it filled at the beginning of October and was told that it should last me about 3-4 months. I’ve now set myself competion to eke this oil out for as long as possible.
- We bought a second hand Calor gas heater from a car boot sale in the summer for about £10. Both Darren and I remember using these during hard times in our past (him as a child and me as a broke teenager sharing a rambling flat with other poverty stricken friends). ‘We’(thanks Bealers) rearranged our breakfast room (family room,back room,den…) to (a) look and feel more cosy and (b) house the heater in the old chimney. When we are just using this back room (eg. during the day with the kids,tea time and after the kids are in bed) we are able to leave the central heating off and have this as a lovely source of warmth.
- Slippers –we all have them now. Before I was the only member of the family to enjoy the pleasures of snuggly toes but now we live in a house with bare tiled floors the kids and Bealers also have new slippers (eBay for the kids’actually) which are kept by the back door to swap with outdoor shoes when we come in from outside. At bedtime I put all our slippers on the landing so we can pop them on first thing in the morning so the kids don’t have blue feet by the time they think about getting their slippers.
- Lots of hot food for the children. I am insisting that they have porridge each morning for breakfast –not too much of a hardship for them as they get to have a big dollop of golden syrup each with it. Luckily they’ve always loved porridge and Ready Brek and as I do it in a big bowl in the microwave (3 mins) it’s extra easy for me. I give them a drink of milk and honey,Horlicks or hot choc at breakfast and when we return from an afternoon errand,outing or preschool.
- Lots of layers. Vests long enough to tuck into trouser bottoms or tights,long sleeved t-shirst and thick shirts. Everyone apart from Bealers wears a vest each day now (but I’ve noticed he has started wearing a little hat indoors when he’s working at night).
- Thick snuggly socks with terry insides for everyone.
- Hats,gloves,scarves etc all fetched down from the loft (we have loads each as I can’t help but buy them when I see them in charity stores). The best hats for the kids are those which have ear flaps. We have very little storage space in this house so I have devised a cunning trick of popping each kids outdoor accessories in the arm of their coats when they are not being worn. When we pop the coats on each child fishes out the hats,scarf etc from the arm. I will buy some elastic for the gloves and thread them through the arms of the coats as I’m forever loosing them on behalf of the kids (they give them to me to hold and its v. easy to drop at least one when you’re holding six). Having gloves on elastic was still working for me as an anti-losing them trick when at university (aged 23).
- Tucking the curtains behind the radiators but turning off the rads in the rooms we’re not using. As I take the kids up for their bath at 6pm I switch the radiator in the playroom off. Yes it will be freezing in the morning but while we’re having breakfast it will heat up as soon as the radiator is switched back on.
- Getting the loft lagged. When I was in the loft in September I noticed it was unlagged. According to the chap who came to quote our landlord for getting it lagged you lose 30% of the house’s heat through the roof. Our landlord told us you can always tell a house which has little or no loft insulation as it will have frost on it on frosty mornings. Insulated roofs stay ice –free.
- Hot water bottles. I’ve always loved hot bots and especially at this time of year but I need to make a hot water bottle cover for mine now as I like to fill it from the kettle so it stays warmer for longer but can’t cuddle a scalding hot water bottle in bed. I’m going to look for an old jumper which needs recycling,will draw round the hot water bottle twice with kids chalk,cut out,sew together and have home-made snuggly joy.
- Extra blankets on all the beds. My daughter Edie wins the prize for most layered bed in this house. Even in summer she has a duvet *under* her fitted sheet,a flannelette sheet,a fleecy sleepsuit or more usually brushed cotton p-jays with a fleece jumper on top,a duvet,an old fashioned satin feather quilt and of course a hot water bottle (and Bunny). The rezst of us just have a nice big soft blanket over the duvets and in each of the downstairs rooms with sofas in I’ve put at least one blanket on to snuggle into when watching telly.
- Enjoy being cuddled up more. We spend more time reading stories in bed or under a blanket on the sofa now it is cold. Lush.
Still to do…
The stable door in the back/breakfast/family room has a gale blowing through the gaps so need to invest in some sticky backed foam strips to insulate,slip some foil backed insulation behind each of the radiators.
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