Prepare your Bedroom for Winter – Getting your bedroom ready for winter is a smart move. It’s all about making a cosy spot where you can sleep better and feel snug as a bug. You want a space you’ll love curling up in when it’s cold outside but without going overboard.
Read on to learn how to prepare your bedroom for winter.
Prepare your Bedroom for Winter
Warm bedding
Upgrade from an all-season duvet to 13.5 tog winter duvet. You’ll feel the difference immediately. You can also make your bed with a traditional flat sheet, which sits between you and the duvet to trap the warmest air.
Brushed cotton and flannel bed sets are the best for winter, or you can go for something a bit wilder with teddy bear fleece bedding.
Heated mattress topper
Warm bedding is fantastic, but what if you don’t want to get into a cold bed? Then get a heated mattress topper.
Heated mattress toppers have an electric coil wire embedded between a few layers of insulative material (wool or hollowfibre) and heat up with electricity. They get toasty fast, and some have timers, so you don’t forget to switch them off.
A cheaper alternative? The humble hot water bottle.
Insulate your window area
There are a few ways to treat your window area:
- Drought sealant strips on the inside of the frames
- Thick thermal curtains
- A made-to-measure roller blind
- Low-e window film to reflect heat into your bedroom
The most effective of these are thermal curtains and drought-proofing measures, which prevent cold air from entering your bedroom.
Seal your door
To seal your door frame from droughts, install some drought-proofing foam, rubber seal, or brush strip where the door meets it.
The bottom of your door is sealable with a drought excluder (one of those caterpillars you throw on the floor) or an internal brush strip.
Anti-fog spray for your windows
Condensation on the inside of your windows is common in winter, but a few sprays of anti-fog treatment can remove it.
Rain-X is a decent brand, although any car windscreen or mirror anti-fog treatment will do the same job. One treatment lasts around a week.
An alternative to anti-fog treatment is shaving cream – spread a little on your window and buff it off until clear to create a barrier moisture can’t rest on.
Electric fan heater with thermostat
An electric fan heater with a thermostat is cheaper than central heating because you only pay to heat one room (your bedroom).
A 1,000W (1kW) heater is good for most bedrooms. The thermostat will automate the on/off function to maintain a comfortable temperature.
Most people sleep best in a bedroom that’s between 16-18°C (if you sleep hot, err on the cooler side of that temp range, and vice versa).
Oh, and one more thing – an electric fan heater will eliminate your window condensation problem, too, if you have one.
Have blankets to hand
Tucking a blanket in at the foot of your bed will help your duvet stay put during the night, or alternatively, you can keep it loose and throw it over yourself whenever.
Pictured: Birlea Otley Bed Frame, Available from Bedstar.
Fleece and teddy blankets are popular, although you can’t beat a traditional woollen blanket (ideally crocheted by someone with love).
Warm, dimmable lighting
With fewer daylight hours than any other season, there’s no better time than winter to upgrade your bedroom lighting with dimmable switches and the brightest LED bulbs your fixtures support (usually 8W for a 100W halogen equivalent).
Dimmable lights are fantastic because you can change the ambience in your bedroom on a whim and crank them right down before bed.