Cold people: how do you keep warm WFH

[Anothernamebitesthedust]

So I am ALWAYS cold and unhappily it’s just getting worse as I get older. My house is not a warm house and my desk is right by a massive draughty window. (Can’t do anything about the, unfortunately.) I’ve got a little oil radiator which helps but still, I’m sometimes so cold I’m shivering.

So I’m after some tips on what to wear to keep me warm while I work. I’m on Teams most of the day and fairly senior so I do need to look presentable, but not super smart. (M

Obviously I wear a vest every day but it’s not enough. What should I wear?

I have a heated pad (you can also ‘wear’) as a body warmer for my feet. Total game changer! Other than that, lots of layers.

Ordinary cotton pjs, fleece pjs over them, fleece dressing gown, fleece socks.
Basically, fleece.
I also have an old lady heated foot muff which I love.

I should have said I don't work, but due to disability I'm at home all day and need to keep the heating bills down.

The most useful advice I’ve ever read on mumsnet is to wear a scarf to keep warm working from home. It’s amazing how much warmer you are when you keep your neck warm.

I take my laptop and go and sit by the bedroom radiator where it's toasty. I'd happily live entirely from that spot given half a chance but DP won't wait on me hand and foot (I did ask!)

Thick tights.
No shoes & hot water bottle to put feet on.
Many layers trap warmth. So layer up TShirts under your jumper.
If you are still cold then a snug hat stops heat loss but I doubt you'll need it.

I wear a huge ankle-length furry dressing-gown over my clothes. I bought it from M&S a few years ago & it’s my favourite item of clothing by far

It’s from the supermodel Rosie H-W’s range - I remember in the picture on the M&S website she was wearing it coquettishly slipping off her shoulders revealing sexy lingerie underneath, but I prefer to style it firmly fastened & accessorised with my fake ugg-boot slippers!

Heat tech from Uniqlo, then a cashmere jumper covered in a massive cashmere baggy long cardigan. Cashmere is the best insulator.

Failing that, at a fraction of the cost, fleeces. Not exactly S&B but sports fleeces, fleecy blankets and even a thick fleece dressing gown over normal clothes. You just have to remember to throw it off before the Zoom call starts or you answer the door.

DH works in the small room which has 2 windows so it’s cold. He wears thermals. We also have a giant blanket that he wraps around him bottom half. He puts his feet on it and we put hot water bottles on the ground so it heat the air up under the blanket. When he’s not on calls he wears a hat and scarf sometimes.

polycarbonate clear sheets as double glazing - Screwfix sell them
my local market & presumably other sources will actually cut them to size - they can be fitted & importantly removed

As others have said, the ultimate game changer is a heated electric throw. Best thing I've ever bought. They heat up quickly if you need to warm up fast. I stick money on high and then once warm drop it to a low temp and just keep it on. They're soft and fleece and heavenly. You could have it on the lower half when on Teams and then wrap around yourself when not and it should solve things.

That aside, soft cuddly socks and look into DIY ways to further insulate the area.

Hello my people! Some great ideas here to add to things already doing. Merino vest and huge wool shawl doing a good job today

Layers. Cashmere and a heated blanket.

Bodysuit top underneath a jumper/t-shirt and jumper. Dress like an onion!

heated gilet Inexpensive, rechargable, cozy. I also have Turtle Dove recycled cashmere wristwarmers , fleecy lined leggings from Primark, merino wool socks and fleecy slippers. That does it!

I sit with a hot water bottle on my lap (and often a dog on my feet!). It has been brilliant. Nothing helped before apart from intermittently getting up and doing star jumps/jogging on the spot.

Several layers, and a (faux) fur snood - and a space heater

For your thermal vest layer, the extra warm heatgen ones from m and s are lovely. Fleecy backed, and really warm. I wear one every day from end of September until April/May as I’m always cold.

I also buy thermal socks from m and s from the boys school socks range size 4-7. They come in a three pack for about £6-7. Longer socks are also good if you’re cold.

Cashmere anything and layering

Honestly, just put your heater on 🤷🏻‍♀️
I can't stand being cold or wearing 24 layers plus blankets and hot water bottles, I like to be comfortable.

Proper wool fabrics on the top half if i'm wearing a sweater.
Cosy wool slippers (fluffy shearling liner)
Leg warmers although these are mainly to stop my playful cat scratching my legs if he decides he's bored and wants to pounce at me
Blanket over my legs if i'm sitting.

We do have our thermostat set to maintain the temperature but it's in the hallway and the study often gets cold before the hallway temperature drops enough to trigger the heating.

Honestly, just put your heater on

Unfortunately finances mean that this isn’t a practical solution for many. I’ll be working from home throughout the entire winter - I can’t afford to have the heating on all the time.

I really feel the cold and found a pair of turtle dove wrist warmers really make a difference. also a soup maker for delicious hot lunches

What everyone else has said, plus I have a fleece throw over the back of my chair Which I can pull over my legs or shoulders without it falling on the floor and it keeps my lower back cosy.

Also a rug underneath the chair and desk for added insulation (office is downstairs on a carpeted concrete floor)

Mind you if it gets really cold I may steal a child’s Pikachu onesie