Turn Your House Into a Winter Haven With These Tips

If you can feel a breeze when you walk by a window, that's a sign you're losing heat. Use weather stripping or draft stoppers, and hang thermal curtains that stay closed at night to trap heat. During the day, open curtains on sunny windows to let natural warmth in.

Area rugs add insulation and make rooms feel warmer instantly, especially over hardwood or tile. If you have ceiling fans, switch them to run clockwise on a low setting to gently push warm air that rises back down toward you.

Change your furnace filter regularly since a clogged filter forces your system to work harder, and schedule a quick tune-up before peak cold hits. Close the vents and doors in rooms you rarely use, but avoid closing too many since that can strain your system.

Add flannel sheets, thicker blankets, and cozy throws. A heated blanket or heating pad provides targeted warmth without turning up the heat for the whole house, and warm socks or slippers are a small comfort that helps too.

Lowering the thermostat slightly at night or when you're away saves energy without making you uncomfortable. A programmable thermostat takes the guesswork out, learning your routine and adjusting automatically.

Warm meals and hot drinks help too, soup or tea warms you from the inside and adds a little extra heat to the kitchen as it simmers.