WFH-ers...how are you planning to keep warm in the day this winter without spending a fortune?

[blackberrybat]

The last couple of winters DH and I were both WFH so it didn't seem wasteful to have the heating on for an extra hour here and there to take the chill off. Plus, obvs, gas was basically free compared to this winter coming 😂. We have the heating on for an hour in the mornings and then a couple of hours early evening, then usually go to bed when it gets chilly. Going to try and avoid having it on other than that wherever possible.

I'm planning to get a small oil radiator for my office (only to be switched on when absolutely necessary), buy some sheepskin bootie slippers (apparently warmer than synthetic materials?), and layer up clothes, blanket on lap, wear a hat between Teams calls. Plus a lot of soup. Anything obvious I'm missing?

Layers
Thick socks
Slippers
Coffee

Rwealere Yes I am the same

I bought myself a pair of slipper boots from Next last year, absolute game changer! Leather with wool inners and solid sole. So many times when I was so cosy I thought I'd just wear them to do the school run. But I always talked myself out of it as didn't want to ruin them. They are ready for this year. Also got some thermal socks in the next summer sale!

Just bought 4 x Kudd.ly hoodies (like Oodies but slightly better reviews apparently) for £99! Bargain. Will hopefully keep us toasty.

Surely the heating needs to be put on for the whole house at some point
Because surely damp would build up?

Work in the kitchen at the table, but cook main meal in the middle of the day instead of in the evening.

It heats up the kitchen (always the warmest room in the house) & keeps it warm until the evening without having to turn on the heating.

Also wear layers.

We’ve bought a small garden office with extra insulation. Will heat with oil heaters and top up with halogen/hot water bottles/layers. And dogs (we have two!). If not efficient will have to move closer to the office and use it but hoping to avoid it!

I’ll move my desk upstairs to the bedroom as it’s carpetted up there and warmer than downstairs. Means I’ll get a few stair workouts done when I go for coffee too!

We already have a few sleeping bags and hot water bottles so I’ll sit in one if necessary but I’m always boiling hot (benefits of menopause will come into their own this winter!) so may not need it.

I try to leave the heating off normally from about 8am (on for a hour in the morning), until just before youngest finishes school and turn off again after dinner, but DD wfh as well and constantly puts the heating on in the day. This year she’ll get a sleeping bag chucked at her too!

I read a tip that said you should fill your kettle up a bit more when making a cup of tea/coffee and fill up your hot water bottle at the same time as it’s cheaper boiling a fuller kettle once than half empty twice

I have found my people. We are a high usage household - four adults including two gamers. three of us WFH. This will be my third winter. Y1, I was so cold in my lair that I used a plug in oil filled radiator IN ADDITION to central heating. Last year, I didn't need it (not sure why, no changes other than replacing the rug),but CH was on most of the day most days.

Really want to get a grip this year. I have invested in thermal tops and leggings. Looking at gloves and socks (wore two pairs last year), but also a heated throw. Thinking this is mainly for evenings, but maybe also a granny blanket while I'm working? I'm mostly sitting down online.

Any recommendations? I've found a couple of throws on Amazon and Turtledoves gloves are £20 a pair - worth it? My hands and feet do get cold. not thinking I will leave heating off, but plan on keeping it at a much lower temp.

Which heated throw would you recommend?

I'm probably similar to a lot of others. Layers including thermal layers near my skin. Warm socks in cosy slippers. I have a fleece blanket I put over my knees when it is cold, and use hot water bottles as well (very effective to put my feet on top of with fleece covering them up).

I have warm hat, scarf, thin gloves available. And as my office is in the spare bedroom, there's a duvet I can grab if feeling no particularly cold.

Unlike summer, where I've been trying to get a drAught through the house to keep it cool, I will have windows closed but curtains open in south facing rooms, with internal doors open to allow warm air from kitchen to move through the house. Some days, I will be making slow cooked dinners in the oven at lower heats which will help. And lots of hot tea.

I will probably have the heat on in the mornings as we did last year for an hour, but probably have the thermostat set lower. And the all day level set lower (before it turns on automatically). So not using as much gas as previously.

Move upstairs! Even with heating on when the cold weather set in WFH in lockdown I was perished and miserable. I was trying to work in kitchen or lounge. I relocated upstairs and was much warmer and happier ❤️ It sound so obvious now but it really wasn’t so much at the time! I also have a heated throw which I plan to make more use of this year. It’s brilliant to keep toasty in in the lounge. It has a timer on it so I always make sure it’s on lowest setting for one hour. Otherwise I just pass out underneath it sweating!!

We bought Oodies last year and I swear our heating bills were lower as a result. They are insanely warm and DH lived in his

Hot water bottle / snoodie / socks

I was going to say the same as haveyou that Primark have their oodies in, I just bought a purple one with dinosaurs on it for me this winter. £20 each and several different designs.

I'm going to move my desk into a south-facing room. And I find wearing natural materials keeps me so much warmer - wool, cashmere make a huge difference.

Lots of hot drinks and hot food. And lighting a nice candle can make it feel cosier than it is!

I'm planning on doing cardio routine online when I have a break to get warm. I've bought a second hand trampette so will have a wee 5 minute bounce when I need it.
This will be my 3rd wfh winter - I used heated blanket last year but find the idea of being hunched up at my desk covered in blankets and sleeping bags really disheartening. I'll do it of course, but what a life.

No you're not. I still freeze even in loads of layers which I find hugely uncomfortable, I find the cold air just really horrible.

I am worried about keeping my 2 older dogs warm. I can wrap up loads and use layers but I have a little old man who feels the cold so I will be knitting him a wool coat and thinking of getting a small electric heat pad and keeping it on low for him to sleep on.

Hot soup for lunch followed by a brisk walk. Also means you face the afternoon feeling a lot more lively!

After talking with a colleague at the weekend, I think I'm going to stretch washing clothes/beddings/towels another day or so. Also, less hovering and trying to reduce the use of oven/cooking. We''re already low gas users, but going to sit under blankets in the evenings for a while to delay when we switch heating on. Won't save much, but anything is better than nothing

On the hoovering front, i bought one of those little metal lint removers for carpets and its so effective. I can stretch hoovering out. I have a dog and it picks up the dog hair better than a hoover. i only have a small lounge that is carpeted otherwise it would take a long time to go over a big room and I am able to kneel so not a universal solution.

I can recommend wrist warmers. And yes to the sheepskin booties. I found this was fine to keep me warm last winter alongside dressing appropriately I.e not in my pjs!

I got these ones but also some lovely cashmere ones for Christmas. And some cashmere socks which are lovely too.

@blackberrybat im going to do the same as you with the small oil heater for the office only.
i’ll wear a vest top, jumper and cardigan with leggings and a blanket on my legs. Will likely utilise a hot water bottle at points. I already have a pair of think hard soled furry slipper things that are amazing 🤩 so will wear those with thermal socks