KEEPING your house warm is hard in winter - but here’s how you can keep the heat in just by rearranging your furniture.
Many Brits have struggled with rising energy bills and the cost of living in recent months.
This means some are even opting to turn their heating off, or down, despite the freezing temperatures.
Luckily, there are some simple things you can do within your home to keep heat in more effectively during the cold weather.
The fitted furniture experts at Online-Bedrooms.co.uk have revealed the items that could be leading to a colder home including leather sofas and laminate flooring.
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They say that leather sofas are a classic piece of furniture but they don’t absorb heat well, and they are made of fabric which can make them feel slightly colder.
To tackle this, you could try covering your leather sofa in the winter with some blankets or throws, this will make it feel more cosy and will allow it to absorb more heat.
Another issue is thin curtains, which don’t do a great job of keeping the cold out.
While many people can’t afford to shell out on a new pair of curtains, you can add some lining to your existing ones to thicken them up. Just take some lining or some blankets and get to sewing.
You could also keep more heat in by giving your living room a little switcheroo.
The experts say that having furniture like sofas, coffee tables and beds in front of radiators means they will absorb the heat instead of allowing it to be distributed to the room.
Laminate or tile flooring can also be a problem as it can be a lot colder in the winter months.
As a temporary measure, consider laying down a rug, your feet will feel less cold and it will help the room to feel warmer overall.
Try to keep the space around radiators clear to keep your rooms warm and toasty.
It’s not just your furniture that could be letting heat out either.
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Although they look small, gaps between your floor and skirting board provide the perfect way for heat to escape.
Try to seal up any gaps to avoid draughts seeping through - there are plenty of cheap tools available to do this with.
If your skirting boards are quite old it might be worth getting them refitted so they’re nice and secure, likely helping you save money in the long run.
Another area where heat is likely to escape could be from your windows.
If you notice draughts coming from your windows then it might be worth giving them a DIY makeover.
Simply get your hands on some self adhesive foam tape and place this around the window frame.
This can be purchased from a DIY store like Screwfix for around £6.99.
Finally, if you live in an older house, it’s likely to be more prone to letting the cold air in.
For example, an open chimney could be letting in more cold than you think.
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One option is to temporarily block the chimney however you’ll need to get a professional in order to do this.
However, chimneys should never be sealed off at the top as this can trap heat inside and cause overheating.
Nic Shacklock from Online-Bedrooms added: “There are ways to maximise the heat within our homes and a lot of people may be unaware that certain things in their homes actually make their house feel colder.
“You can’t beat having texture in your home at this time of year, things like curtains, throws and rugs all absorb heat and redistribute it into the air.
“That’s why I’d advise anyone with leather sofas to lay a couple of blankets or throws over them, or if you have laminate flooring consider investing in a rug for the colder months. It makes a world of difference.”
