Winter has the potential to be more challenging for traveling businessmen and women than other seasons. When you relocate to a cold place, life can quickly become uncomfortable. That discomfort worsens in a poorly insulated apartment. Even though this living situation is temporary, you’ll still feel better if you know how to keep a corporate apartment warm, so here are some tips for how to stay warm in cold apartments or temporary housing—whether you are budget-conscious or not.
1. Make Coffee
Coffee is a staple both at work and at home, so you probably don’t need much encouragement to drink it. Warm, aromatic, and easy to make, coffee will help you wake up and warm up in the morning. If you need a coffee maker, you can rent one with any of Corporate Furniture Leasing’s furniture packages. For non-coffee drinkers, tea, hot chocolate, or another hot beverage are just as effective.
2. Do Some Baking
Heating on a budget is easy—simply have baked dinners more often. Firing up the oven for casseroles, brownies, cookies, and more are effective ways to spread heat throughout your temporary apartment without turning up the thermostat. Remember to leave the oven open after dinner to let the heat out.
3. The Hot Water Bottle Method
Sleeping with a hot water bottle or brick is a great way to keep warm at night. This is a bit old-fashioned, but it still works as well now as it did decades ago, especially for residents trying to save money. Alternatively, use a microwave heating pad. These are usually filled with rice, beans, or corn, and they’ll stay warm for long periods of time. Some of them even smell good when you microwave them.
4. Make Use of Humidity
Humid air holds more heat than dry air, so use that to your advantage. Open the door when you shower to let steam out. Hang clothes to dry in your apartment. Heat pots of water on the stove. Humidifying the air in your apartment is a long-term solution for retaining heat.
5. Dry Your Clothes Every Day
Before getting dressed, select your clothes for the day and put them in the dryer to warm them up. Donning warm clothes will make winter mornings more pleasant and comfortable so you can launch into your workday with the right mood. You can also heat up blankets and other close-contact items.
6. Wear Layers
During winter, wearing layers is a good idea, even indoors. Doing so allows you to add or remove coverage as needed depending on your body temperature. If you get too hot, decrease your layers. If you get cold again, put another layer on. It’s also a good idea to wear base layers, such as Smartwool undershirts or leggings, to trap body heat.
7. Let in the Sun
The sun is your friend, so let it in whenever possible—it’s amazing how much heat one conveniently located window can generate. While the sun is out, sit by a window as you work, read, or sip your coffee to soak up as many rays as you can. It’s relaxing, comforting, and healthy.
