1. Warm Yourself First. 

It's easier and quicker to change your body temperature than room temperature, not to mention the cost. Instead of turning up the heat and pay huge energy bill, put on another layer of clothing.

• Your mom may have said that you lose 80 percent of your body heat through your head, but that's not actually true. You release heat equally throughout your body. Either way, a hat is a good friend at a time like this.
• A turtleneck sweater, shawl or scarves can also work well to keep you warm.
• If you want maximum warmth and less weight to carry around, pashmina shawls are great investment.
• Dress in layers, especially with wool or cotton clothing.
• Wear slippers or warm socks.
• When you are sitting still, wrap a thick pure wool blanket around you.
• You also may want to consider purchasing a thermal shirt as wearing one under your sweater makes for a comfy shirt, and a great amount of warmth.

 image source: mentalfloss.com

2. Reverse Your Ceiling Fan’s Direction. 

If you’re up for a little science experiment, you can harness the physics of your ceiling fan in order to keep yourself warm. You probably know already that warm air rises, pushing the cold air down. You can use your ceiling fan to push the warm air back down towards the ground. Simply reverse the direction of your fan and keep it on low setting so it doesn’t stir up a big breeze.

image source:tunaly via Getty Images

 

3. Keep Cold Air From Seeping Underneath The Door With A Draft Stopper.

Fill in the gap between your door and the floor with an insulating draft stopper. This will keep the heat in and cold out. You can buy at your local supermarket or make your own!

If you have unused pool noodle, simply cut in half lengthwise, wrap it in fabric, and slide it under your door. It'll stay put all winter, and you can re-use it at the pool come summer. (May be just buy a new one. J)

 image source: Bed Bath & Beyond

4. Put Down A Rug Or Carpet.

Nothing gives you the chills like walking around on freezing floors, and no amount of fuzzy socks can really protect you from that ice-cold floor on a chilly winter morning. Rugs and carpets help prevent heat loss through the floor. They are generally warmer to the touch than wood or stone, and so offer a warmer surface to walk on. Darker colour will give you that additional warm feeling.

5. Programmable Thermostat.

Stay toasty on schedule, so you never go home to a living room that's colder than outside. You can save up to 10 percent a year on heating and cooling costs by using a programmable thermostat. These days, with the so called internet of things, you can get reasonable priced smart thermostats that will save you plenty in the long run. They work both during summer and winter. 

 

image source: Scukrov via Getty Images

 

 

6. Use Thick Curtains On Your Windows.

Just like you’re putting that extra layer to insulate yourself from outside cold and retain the body heat, your windows should do the same. Replace thin curtains with heavier wool or fleece drapes in the winter. This way, it retains the heat from inside. But be sure to open them on sunny days for free heat and get some fresh air.

 image source: pinterest.com

7. Become A Baker.

Just because you’ve promised to stay away from that thermostat dial doesn’t mean your home has to feel that freezing cold. Luckily your home has another heat source: the oven. Using it will heat up your kitchen quickly. Plus you’ll be left with a fresh-from-the-oven batch of chocolate chip cookies to combat any residual chills. Invite few friends over to share your nice and crusty cookies. This way, you have great time and also, more people means more heat. Make sure to leave the oven door open, after use as the heat will be released into your kitchen area.

image source: nlcafe.hu 

8. Layer Your Covers With The Thinnest, Densest Ones On Top.

It's intuitive, but fluffy blankets should be closer to your skin while thin, dense blankets should be on top to prevent convective heat loss. Another important point: Don't put your bed directly against an exterior wall as you will directly absorb the cold chill. You'll be warmer if you leave a little space. 

image source: mentalfloss.com 

9. Warm Up An Entire Room With A DIY Terracotta Pot Heater.

All you need is a Sterno flame and two clay flower pots to make this heating contraption. Get full instructions here.

 

10. Close Off Any Unused Rooms.

The larger your home is, the more expensive it is to heat. If you have an empty guest room or storage space, close the door and seal it with a draftstopper. You won’t waste money heating a room you don’t use. 

image source: Photography by Andrew Mwai via Getty Images

 

11. Sleep With A Hot Water Bottle At The Foot Of Your Bed.

Skip the electric blanket, which will jack up your electric bill, in favor of a more low-tech bed warmer: the hot water bottle. This gem would’ve been thrown into some dark corner of the garage, back in the summer days but now is the time for it to be in action. Pour boiling water into a hot water bottle and slip it under the blanket at the foot of your bed. You’ll have toasty toes all night long. Just make sure that the lid is sealed and working properly. Probably good idea to do a test run by filling it with some warm water and applying the lid. Apply gentle pressure and see if any water leaks. If not, you are all set.

image source: timeout.com 

12. Do Some Exercise

This is probably the hardest of all. Yes, no one like to move, but snuggle in their warm PJs and tune into their favorite show. It’s no rocket science that doing some light exercise is not only great for your body, not only keeps you warm as your increase your blood blow by burning energy. This is a must have in your to-do list on how to keep warm in winter.

image source: huffingtonpost.com 

13. Turn On Some Incandescent Lights.

The average incandescent light bulb releases up to 95% of its energy as heat rather than light, making it an extremely efficient heat source. Compact Fluorescent and LED lights are not helpful in warming your room, so save them for summer days and use the money you saved to pay the heat bill.

image source: cbc.ca 

13. Pitch A Tent In Your Room.

Pitching a tent while you sleep will keep you warm. Any type of tent will do; all you need to do is put a blanket over your face to trap the air (although not so close as to suffocate you). There’s a reason canopy beds were designed, and it’s not just for decorative purposes. These work well to keep the heat in your bed while you sleep. Take advantage of your own heat source to stay warm at home with nothing but your breath.

image source: gearjunkie.com

15. Cover Your Head With A Cap.

Science has proven mums everywhere wrong—you don’t actually lose most of your body heat through your head. But you should still listen to the woman and throw on a hat when it’s cold out—a chilly scalp does cause your core body temp to drop faster than it normally would. So put on your favorite beanie and stay toasty for a little longer.

 image source: lifehack.org

16. Get Physically Close.

Cozying up with your special someone is a sure way to warm yourself up and the person next to you. For optimal heat sharing, ditch the layers. It may seem counterintuitive, but skin-on-skin contact is the most efficient way to share body heat—it’s also the most fun.

image source: sleeping-out.co.za

17. Drink Something Warm

Although drinking something cold has been scientifically proven to trigger your body’s need to warm up, drinking hot liquids, such as coffee, tea and hot chocolate, is an effective ways to keep yourself warm. If your taste buds prefer something more savory, soups and stews are a great alternative.

 

image source: lifehack.org

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This will keep lots of your friends and families warm this winter. :-)