Five affordable ways to keep your house warm this winter

IT'S official, winter has arrived.

Lounge room with fire

IT'S official, winter has arrived.

Whether the prospect of a cold, wet winter season has you reaching for the Bali brochures or happily embracing your beanie and Ugg boots, no one wants to face the cold, harsh reality of a huge heating bill.

If your teeth are chattering already, here are five ways to warm up your home this winter without busting your budget:

1. Use rugs on hard flooring

Tiles and floating floors are nice and cool under foot during summer, but there is nothing nice about them during the winter months. Spotlight have a beautiful selection of affordable rugs and mats for every room in the house. Choose from wonderfully warm wool or check out their great range of resilient acrylic, shaggy and polypropylene rugs perfect for busy family homes.

Rugs are a great source of insulation,  and, if you choose the right type, they can look great in front of your kitchen bench, alongside the bed, on the cold bathroom floor, spanning the length of your hallway or strategically placed in your living and dining areas.  To extend their lifetime, roll them up and store them during the summer months. Your feet will love you for it!

2. Throw a few blankets and cushions around

Not only do textured throw rugs and cushions add an element of style to your décor, they can deliver practical warmth and comfort too. Soft and snuggly accessories can add pops of cheerful colour, while neutral brown and grey shades in natural fibres create a soothing sense of cosiness in a room. Try chunky knitted cushion covers or faux fur throw rugs for a cosy feel. Tucked up on the couch amidst comfy cushions,  the gorgeous throw rug will keep you warm and delay your need to turn on your expensive heating.  An extra rug on the bed can eliminate the use of an electric blanket and a hot water bottle will take the chill off the sheets before bed.

3. Close the curtains and blinds and turn on the lamps

Ward off the chilly winter evenings by closing all your curtains and blinds and create a warm and welcoming ambience with a soft lamplight. You can lose up to 60 per cent  of your home’s ambient heat through glass windows and doors, so invest in good quality curtains or blinds to keep the cold out and the warmth in. Spotlight have a huge range of ready-made curtains and blinds, fabrics for DIY sewers and provide a custom-made service too. You’ll save heaps on your energy bills and feel much warmer with effective curtains and blinds insulating your home.

4. Cosy up in candle light

Candles are inexpensive sources of light and heat. The softly flickering flame sends warming messages to your brain, and the orange glow helps your room to feel warmer. Save on the cost of lighting to offset the cost of your heating. If the romantic environment brings on a cuddle or two, body heat is free! Spotlight’s range of tealight, pillar, votive and scented candles and candle holders are a lovely way to create a cosy atmosphere while keeping your energy costs down.

5. Redecorate for winter

Changing up your colour scheme can make a big difference to the way your home feels during winter. Introduce soft furnishings in warm colours and let their vibrancy enhance the atmosphere in your home. Hang wall art made from material or colourful quilting, dress your dining table with brightly-coloured linen or add embroidered, knit or velour covered foot stools and bean bags from Spotlight’s home range to bring cheery colours and textures to your living spaces. Adding fat, fabric draught stoppers beneath your doorways to keep out cold draughts will help too!

Feeling warmer already? Who knows, you might save so much on your heating bill you can afford to escape to Bali next winter!

Originally published as Five affordable ways to keep your house warm this winter