12 Easy Ways to Keep Warm When Working From Home

Are you looking for ways to keep warm when working from home? With many of us still working from home and with the ever-rising energy costs, we are all looking to save money on our heating bills.

The winter and colder months are hard for those working from home as we may feel guilty heating the house all day when it is just one person in the house. If you work in an office or somewhere else outside the home the heating bill isn’t your responsibility but when at home it definitely is and impacts on your heating costs.

My husband and I often disagree about just how warm our house should be and how much the tumble dryer is used. Working at home I am much more aware of when I have the heating on and do try to be mindful of energy use. The good news is that there are effective ways to stay warm at home and I am going to share them with you in this post!

I have now been working at home for 7 years and have perfected the art of keeping warm when working from home. This has really helped keep the heating bill down which is going to be even more important with the increasing energy prices. The crisis in the cost of living is going to affect so many of us over the next year that we need to save money where we can.

How to keep warm when working from home

Here are my top tips for keeping warm at home before resorting to turning up the heating.

1. Wrap up at home. I find if my feet are warm I stay warmer. Therefore I wear warm socks and really good slippers at home. When it comes to finding the best socks to keep you warm, merino wool is the better option, this is because merino wool is lightweight and keeps your feet dry while insulating heat. The material is also naturally odour-resistant, you can buy merino wool socks via this link.
2. Wear layers at home and woolovers are ideal for that. I will often wear a cami top then a thin jumper and even a cardigan if needed. It keeps me nice and warm whilst I am sitting still at the laptop. The reason wearing multiple thin layers will keep you warmer than a single thicker layer is because warm air is trapped between the layers acting as an insulator. If you were then to remove a layer you would reduce the amount of body heat trapped which would cool you down. Therefore layers are a great way to stay warm when working from home. If you often have cold hands, fingerless gloves can really help.
3. Have a warm lunch and regular hot drinks, soup is ideal as winter favourite, it is healthy, cheap, filling and importantly warm. This ensures that I warm inside and out! I often give the children a hot orange squash or hot chocolate when they come in from school or after playing outside in the winter season for the same reason.
4. If you have the oven on during the day leave the oven door open afterwards as the heat will help warm up the room.
5. On a cold day keep doors shut in the house as a lot of heat escapes if doors are left open. This way you are keeping the heat in the rooms that you are working in this is especially important if you work in a home office as that is the room that you will want warm. Sitting still for long periods can also make you could so sitting on a hot water bottle can also help, fill it up in the morning when you make your first hot drink.
6. Go for a run in the morning. Running straight after the school drop off works for me. It means I come home really warm and although I obviously shower, the run keeps me warm for a few hours. I also find running in the morning clears my head and I work better afterwards – my body loves the dopamine hit I get from working out.
7. Keep windows clear to let in any natural sunlight, a good natural light does help keep a room warm and I am a believer that if it looks warm and bright you don’t feel as cold! My dog always manages to find the hot spots in our house.
8. Draft excluders I have one by the front door and it makes a real difference to the cold air and saves a lot of energy from escaping. You make your own by following a tutorial like this one or buy a self-adhesive strip that you attach to doors for less than £10.
9. Consider where you work or where the office is. Choose a warm part of the house, don’t try to work in an open hallway if you can help it. Don’t sit right near a drafty window as you will soon feel the heat loss and get a chill.
10. My heated blanket is my best friend I don’t use an electric blanket in bed but my heated blanket is a lifesaver! I can plug it in and work with it across my lap. It is very cheap to run and very very cosy! I have plenty of extra blankets to hand and this is an easy warm to stay warm when working at home.
11. One of my favourite new products is the Oodie which is a wearable blanket and an easy way to layer up – you can read my roundup of wearable blankets here.
12. Make sure that you have your heating system serviced, it will cost a little but will make the system more effective overall. The service makes sure that radiators are working well.
13. Use your thermostat and timers. It will know when the house has dipped and then you can justify turning on the heating!
14. Finally, look at the insulation you have in your home, if your insulation is poor then it is much harder and more expensive to keep your house warm on cold days.

If your energy bills and the cost of living are stopping you from putting the heating on do ensure that you are receiving all the benefits or help that you are entitled to. There is a warm home payment available for some on lower incomes, you can check your eligibility here. If you need more support managing your finances you can also get free impartial advice from Citizens Advice.

We hope these tips help you save money and keep you warm when working from home. Let me know any other ways you have managed to avoid turning the heating on.