I don’t consider our home to be a particularly cold one, as it’s not big and draughty, so I was surprised when our eldest son mentioned he’d not slept well recently because his bedroom was a bit chilly. I thought being the smallest room it would get quite cosy, but perhaps it’s location at one corner of the house makes it more exposed and therefore susceptible to getting cold.
So I got thinking about what we could do to make sure the room stays warmer in future and decided to share some of my ideas here, in case others are trying to remedy a cold bedroom:
Layer Soft Furnishings
In my son’s room there are painted floorboards rather than a carpet, so one thing we did immediately was add a rug to stop draughts coming through the gaps between the boards. Adding carpet, maybe a cosy wool rug or a sheepskin like these here is one way to help insulate the room and give your room a nice new look. Thick curtains with thermal linings at the window would really help to prevent heat loss – close them as dusk falls, but keep them wide open during the day to try and capture and store as much solar warmth as possible.
Prevent Draughts
A draughty window frame can make a bedroom feel very cold, but you can fill in any gaps with expanding foam or add self-adhesive insulating foam tape around the window’s edges to help fix the problem. Keeping internal doors closed as well will help the warm air stay inside. If you have traditional windows, with a single pane of glass, it would make sense to upgrade to a double or even triple glazed window – you’ll really notice the difference in terms of comfort and reduced heat-loss, making the room feel much more cosy, especially on a cold night. You’ll also notice a lack of condensation on the glass which is another benefit.
Get a Portable Heater
Another thing we did was buy a small oil filled radiator that can be left on low at night without consuming too much energy. We don’t tend to keep the central heating on at night, because it would get costly and its also not very comfortable to sleep in a really toasty room; instead what we have done is adjust the time that the central heating switches on to slightly earlier than normal during this cold spell, making getting up in the morning that bit easier!
Try an Electric Blanket or Throw
The idea of electric blankets used to scare me a bit when I was younger, but they have definitely come on a lot since I was a girl. You can get gorgeous fleecy underblankets or overblankets now with different heat settings and features like auto shut off. There are even heated mattress toppers, faux fur throws and cushions nowadays! Guaranteed to take the chill off at night, modern electric blankets like these are great for adding welcome warmth and a luxurious feeling.
Tog Ratings and PJ’s
It seems obvious now, but I realised our son was just wearing cotton shorts and a t-shirt to bed, so we made sure that we got him some long pyjamas and we also added a warming brushed cotton top sheet to his bedding that can be tucked in to prevent draughts. Also, check the tog rating of your duvets, which is an indication of the duvet’s ability to trap air, so the higher the rating the warmer the duvet. Marks & Spencer has a handy duvet buying guide here and you should probably look at a tog rating of 13.5 to be suitable for the cold weather. You might also want to add a knitted blanket or fleece/faux fur throw for an extra layer of comfort. And why not wear a pair of bed socks? Not particularly sexy, but they do work!
Hot Water Bottles
My youngest two boys love it when I fill them a hot water bottle each and they’ll snuggle with them whilst sipping a hot chocolate on a cold evening! Cheap and quick, this retro solution definitely helps toes stay cosy for at least a couple of hours.
Add Insulation
If your walls are lacking insulation, that ‘s a problem you could look at having fixed professionally, with some cavity wall insulation which fills the gap between the inner and outer layers of brick. There are sometimes grants available to help with the cost, or you may be able to claim back some of the expense, as you are taking steps to be more energy efficient – check your local council’s website for more information.
Another thing you could do is DIY some loft insulation. It can be bought in rolls that you lay down between the joists. You could also try putting insulating foil (or even good quality kitchen foil will do), behind the radiator in your bedroom, as this helps reflect the radiator’s heat back into the room, rather than letting it escape through the wall. And don’t block the radiator with large items of furniture.
I hope these suggestions help you to stay cosy all year round!
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