Real World Organizing

During a long and varied career, Beverly Outlaw has been responsible for organizing small spaces, large spaces, people, projects, businesses, and her own home. She has been married, married with children and single. She has embraced the challenges of living and come out on the other side in pretty good shape. In the process, she has formed ideas about what works to keep things organized and under control. She has a lot to share about organized living that makes sense.

Category: Organized Living

■ 02 November 2008 | 1:04 PM

Plan Some Winter Cost Savings

Older homes have their charms and a few challenges. One of the challenges is conserving heat in the colder months. With a little planning you can cut down on heating costs without wearing your long johns to cook breakfast.

You can of course insulate, caulk, and install double pane windows, but there are a few things that folks without handyman skills and with limited budgets can do short of major renovations.

The first consideration is the placement of furniture. Keep furniture from blocking heating ducts, radiators and baseboards as much as possible. When it is just not feasible to leave these heating elements unobstructed there is a product that fits over the heating register and redirects air into the open space. It is made of clear PVC and at one and a half inches tall fist under most furniture and is almost invisible.

There are also products that boost the airflow of exposed registers. The Airflow Breeze replaces the register cover and the Equalizer Register Booster pulls air into the room. Both products use electricity and claim to be energy-efficient. The equalizer costs less than a 40-watt bulb to operate. Another adaptation for registers is Cover Up Magnetic Sheets which allows you to cover up registers without dampers in unoccupied rooms.

Another important consideration is to stop drafts. The Twin Draft Guard fits on both sides of the door and moves with the door when it is opened and closed so it does not need to be repositioned every time. Window Stoppers lay on along the windowsill and come in two lengths. You can also opt for a Plastic Window Insulation Kit that comes with channels and vinyl sheeting that is almost invisible. Insulated curtains also help retain heat and can be custom-made or purchased in ready-made sizes.

Check out these websites for these and similar products:

www.solutions.com

www.improvements.com

www.harrietcarter.com

With a little planning and a few products, you can stay cozy in your charming older home.

Link to post

ADVISORY: Users are solely responsible for opinions they post here and for following agreed-upon rules of civility. Comments do not reflect the views of The Virginian-Pilot or its Web sites. Comments are automatically checked for inappropriate language, but readers might find some comments offensive or inaccurate. If you believe a comment violates our rules, click the "Report Violation" link below the comment to alert an editor. Update on new comment functions.