Keeping Your Home Cozy

If there is one thing Minnesota is known for, it has to be our long, cold winters. While us Minnesotans are known to be able to "handle it", it doesn't mean that we don't appreciate having a cozy and warm home to go to every day to escape the wintery air!

We know that it can be painful to watch your energy bills go up in the winter to keep your home warm, so we have a few tips that you can try to help keep you feel nice and warm at home, without breaking the bank.

Utilize Sunlight

Doesn't everyone just love to sit in the warm sun rays, especially when it's cold out? Making sure to open up any curtains or blinds when the sun is shining in will help to heat up the rooms in your home.

If you open up your curtains or blinds during the day to let the light in, make sure you close them up in the evening. They'll act as another barrier to help keep the heat in and the cold air from the windows out.

Schedule Your Thermostat

It may feel tempting to leave your thermostat at the temperature you want all day long or through the evening, however, if you leave it at a higher temperature when you aren't home, you are just spending more money on keeping it warm. Set a timer for your thermostat, or if you have a new smart one, you can adjust from your phone, to have it be lower during the day. You should be able to set it up so that it starts warming back up to the temperature you want about a half hour before you'll be home.

Make sure to still keep the temperature warm enough to prevent your pipes from getting too cold, especially if you'll be away for a couple of days!

Ceiling Fans

We know, using a fan in the winter may seem counterintuitive when you want to stay warm. However, if you set the fan to spin clockwise, it will actually help guide the warm air that gravitates towards the ceiling back down through the room where you want it. It's an easy way to keep the warm air in the room without having to crank up the heat more. Make sure to only use the lowest setting you don't start getting the breeze effect.

Cookin' in the Kitchen

Warm, home cooked meals are a go to for us in the winter. Not only are they delicious and help warm you up from the inside out, they help warm up your home while you're cooking! If you're baking something, open the door to the oven to cool off after you're done. The hot oven will help disperse some heat without using more of the furnace. Of course, if you have any kiddos or pets around, make sure to secure the area.

If you don't do much cooking in the oven, try boiling some water to make a tea or just get the warm steam throughout the room.

Rugs & Carpet

Do you have a lot of hardwood floors in your home? Do you cringe every time you have to walk onto that cold bathroom tile? We do and it's always a rude awakening! Adding some throw rugs down in your living areas, tiled flooring in the bathroom or kitchen will help keep your feet warm as you move about the house.

Seal Any Access to Exterior Walls

If you have a doggy door, or a mail slot, you may notice that cold air seeps into your home. If you have anything similar, try to find a way to use a blanket or old towel to stuff them up when you don't need them.

The same goes for any weak seals to your exterior doors, if you don't want to go buy new seals right away, you can always just use a towel to push up against the bottom of the door to help minimize the draft coming through.

Of course, there are plenty of other things you can do to stay in and stay warm! Use lots of cozy blankets, take a hot shower & utilize the steam to warm up your home, or drink some hot chocolate! We hope that you are able to find a way to make through this Minnesota winter and enjoy cuddling up at home.

What are some of your favorite ways to keep your home warm and cozy that we should try? We'd love to hear them!