Winterizing

Whether I like it or not, Winter is knocking on our back door. We've already had the wood burning stove heating us for the last month or so, sooner than I remember in past years. We rely on the heat from this little stove to keep us warm in the winter. We supplement with some kerosene heaters, one in the basement and one upstairs to keep the pipes from freezing. The main level stays nice and toasty but the house is 2000 square feet.

A recent article over at Natural Home magazine's blog inspired this post as most of their Winterizing tips won't really work for us:
~we turn our water heater on for 1 hour each day to heat water. Twice in the coldest part of winter if we need to shower that day.

~we don't have a thermostat because of the wood stove

So, here are our Winterizing techniques:

~Cover windows with the plastic film to keep out drafts upstairs

~Cover windows with wool blankets at night to keep out cold air. During sunny days we open some of them up to let light/warmth in.

~Seal off the upstairs and use only for showering

~Sleep down in the warmest part of the house during the coldest parts of winter

~wear lots of layers: 2-3 skirts, leggings, 3-4 shirts, hat, fingerless gloves

~roll up towels to place at bottoms of doors to keep out drafts

~hang curtains in doorways at night to trap all the warmth in our sleeping area

~use ceiling fans to circulate warm air

~layer our bedding: flannel sheet, fuzzy blanket, down comforter, wool blanket (helps to trap in heat)

~sleeping with hats on our heads

What are ways you keep your house and self warm during the winter?