Jack Frost Nipping At Your Nose? Mom's Lessons For Staying Warm

With the winter now fast approaching, moms are looking for ways to make sure the whole family stays warm. Not only does wrapping up warm help to stave off common colds and infections, but it can also help you keep the heating bill down (which can get a little out of control in December and January).

So what can busy moms who have no time do to make sure that hubby and the rest of the family stay nice and toasty over the holidays?

Get Moving

Staying active is good for maintaining a healthy weight and keeping degenerative diseases at bay. But it’s also highly effective at keeping you warm too. If you wrap up warm on a cold day and do some exercise, you soon get uncomfortably sweaty and have to take layers off.

You and your family can try all kinds of fun things to stay warm, from taking the bikes to the park to using a Nintendo Wii.

Use Rugs

Staying warm in the winter can be a bit of a challenge, especially when you want to walk barefoot on cold, hard floors. Rugs are a great way to make rooms feel a little warmer and cozier (even if they’re not) by providing extra comfort underfoot. Make sure you get rugs with rubber strips on the bottom to prevent slippage.

Get Sweaters For The Whole Family

Knitted sweaters are a hallmark of the Christmas period, featured extensively in romantic comedies, like Bridget Jones’ Diary. What’s more, the festive season is pretty much the only time of year when you can get away with wearing them without raising a few eyebrows. Grateful Dead sweaters are ideal for dad (especially if he likes his music), and the kids can enjoy jerseys with cartoon or kids’ TV themes.

Teach Everyone The Principle Of Layering

We like the luxury of putting on as few clothes as possible while we’re in our homes. But during the winter months, this habit can increase your heating bills substantially.

Layering provides you with all of the warmth you want, but without having to ramp the thermostat up to 20 degrees Celsius, significantly above the outside temperature. Teach your family about how layering keeps them warm by trapping little pockets of insulating air in the fabric, preventing the cold from penetrating from the outside.

Use Electric Blankets

While it’s true that electric blankets use energy, they do so in a far more efficient and environmentally-friendly way than central heating. Electric blankets help to trap heat in the vicinity immediately around the body, meaning less energy goes to waste.

Insulate Your Home

Insulating your home needn’t be complicated or expensive. You don’t have to pump foam into cavity walls or install expensive double-glazing. The simplest and cheapest methods often work the best.

Try, for instance, to seal any gaps around your doors and windows. If the caulking around the windows has chipped away, replace it. Use a draught excluder on any exterior doors that are not sealed to prevent air from getting in.