Cozy Ways to Get Warm in a Smaller House

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Photo: The Company Store

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The following is a guest post by Shireen Qudosi of Heater-Home

The shift toward smaller homes, mixed with a rising awareness to cultivate positive eco-friendly living solutions, has left the market saturated with a number of alternatives to conventional living. There are a ton of benefits to living in a smaller home, including reduced costs and carbon footprints, a cozier environment, and forcing yourself to be more organized.

Small-home owners, most notably singles, are also becoming more conscious of the designing element in order to compete with the limited space. Take one residence in Long Beach, California for example: to get more storage space, the owner of the flat converted the bottom two steps of his stairs into hideaway drawers. Discreet and ingenious.

Yet one of the downsides to small living is that these units rarely come with a central heating or cooling system. With an icy chill already setting in, small spacers face an additional challenge during the upcoming winter. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to make your winter as cozy as a hobbit's shire:

Make use of textiles. If you have single-paned windows (notorious for being useless against the cold), try switching out thinner curtains for heavier ones. Not only is that cheaper than changing out your windows, but the switch lets you play around with your room's décor during the winter season.

Bundle Up. Once winter rolls around, make sure you have lots of blankets and comforters ready for use. This is a must-have item no matter what your home is like; if it's easy for you to get warm quickly, you're less likely to switch on the heater. A bookshelf can easily get turned into a chic storage shelf for blankets and pillows.

But textiles have multiple uses. If you have hardwood or tile floors, make sure you insulate with the use of carpets and rugs -- preferably woolen ones.

Depending on what part of the country you're in, there's only so much you can do with blankets. If you're without a fireplace or don't want to contaminate your indoor air with the fumes they release, then your next practical option is a space heater.

Energy-Efficient Heating. Portable space heaters can be moved to any area you need heated. Rather than having to consume unneeded energy to heat an entire home, this specific space-oriented feature cuts energy costs by focusing on just the area you need warmed up. Space heaters are far cheaper to run than an entire system and are a much more viable alternative for small homes that don't need or can't accommodate a central system.

For small space dwellers, this is an ideal solution. It's cheap, eco-friendly, and practical. Yet, regardless of which electric space heater you decide is right for you, they all have a compact design that can be discreetly tucked away when not in use.

As clever as small homes are, with their under-the-stairs drawers, the fact is that small space dwellers have an additional task of finding clever eco-friendly ways to heat their home during the off season. Whether with heavier drapery, a barrage of blankets, woolen rugs, or personal heaters - there's no obstacle that a dedicated small spacer can't tackle.

Eco-Smart Winter ideas brought to you by Shireen Qudosi. For additional eco winter ideas, visit www.heater-home.com.

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Also by Shireen Qudosi:
Bacchus Goes Eco with Recycled Wine Bottles
7 Easy Ways to Entertain for Less
Secrets for Naturally Gorgeous Skin

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