Socks, Fleece and Firewood

by Irina
(Cordova, TN)

I make sure that everyone has a few pairs of super warm socks.

We set out thermostat at about 68 during the day and drop it to 66 at night. Warm clothes, socks, and pajamas all help keep us warm.

I also keep several fleece blankets in our living room so that anyone can cover up as they get cold.

We make sure to roll up a towel and put on the floor against the outside doors.

I tend to use my oven more often as it serves two purposes- making dinner and warming the house.

We keep lots of warm drinks on hand - coffee, hot cocoa, hot tea.

I also put fleece blankets on top of our normal window coverings in the coldest rooms of the house.

I like to buy a ton of cheap black cotton gloves for the kids. Buying all black helps so that there aren't mismatched pairs due to one glove being lost. I keep a basket and as a glove gets lost, we just get one out of the basket. Black also helps save on the dirty appearance of light colored gloves.

We collect firewood from craigslist throughout the summer. There are constant postings for free firewood, which translates into lots of free heat in the winter.