I have a few things on my agenda to get done before cold weather gets here. I want to make a draft stopper for my bedroom door, since I like it cool in there and keep it closed off from heat. The door, for some reason, has a 2 inch gap at the bottom.

Another thing I want to do is figure a way to better cover the large picture window in the living room at night. It's too wide to use a tension pole to hang anything on and the frames are made of metal, of all things, so I don't want to drill into them for new hardware. The existing curtain rod is a couple of inches above the window, in the wall. I'm thinking of using fleece or possibly lightweight quilted material, but can't figure out how to attach it. I thought of using velcro, but I know it would be too much of a pain and I'd quit doing it halfway through winter. Any ideas?

I have a 40% off coupon for Hobby Lobby so want to get the material there soon.  

Another thing I have yet to do is get new air filters for the furnace. It's on my list, but I haven't been anywhere to pick them up. The old furnace is making me nervous, so I'm thinking I should spend the money to have it checked before it gets too cold.

I noticed that Dollar Stretcher has a piece about "Frugal Home Winterization," but I do all those things already. I don't, however, caulk the windows so they won't open all winter, for a couple of reasons... 1) we get a few days of warm temperatures and it's nice to air out the house and 2) I never thought of it.

I've yet to cover the air conditioners, although they haven't been used for a month. They're up more or less permanently so I can't take them down for the winter. Got flannel sheets, warm pj's, soup stuff in the freezer, a snow shovel and a warm parka. I'll soon be ready for anything.

How are your winter preparations going? Have you started thinking about them?  

 Pat, Im with you . I want to be able to open my windows. You never know in an emergency. I fold newspapers and stuff them in the crack between the top and bottom part of my windows. It helps keep out a lot of air and can be pulled right out. We have replacement windows but they still dont fit really tight to keep out all the air. I do think that the furnace check is worth the money. We do an annual clean and check on the furnace. The fleece sounds good for teh windows. My DD has a double door in the basement (walkout one). She is going to try the fleece this winter. I read somewhere to just cut slits in the top and put on a rod. Can always make something else with the fleece if it doesnt work. Babs

Our windows are dble paned but still cold. something we have to check out. We have an overly large front window that faces the sun  very hot. What we did besides curtains, is to hang bamboo blinds. since we have an odd window size, we hung two. Cost us $20. so we can block sun or cold. so you can raise one or the other. We can't put up a tension rod because the valance and curtain rail run the whole wall. it those little plastic runners that you put curtain hooks into to hang curtains.

We've chosen one window in every room to leave open-able year-round.  Not such a hard decision as our windows are soooo old that many of them don't open anyway.  I use thumb tacks to put up clear plastic sheeting; it could be pulled down quickly and easily in an emergency, but many windows are painted shut and years ago at that....so maybe you could leave one window in each room operable? My mil always left a small hammer in each windowsill of her home - she was always scared the kids couldn't get out in case of a fire.

I sewed 2 plastic rings to the back of some insulated drapes I bought at a yard sale and put tiny paneling nails on either side of the windows to attach the rings temporarily to, as we get so much morning light during the summer months in our dining room.   I just unhook them and leave them folded on a kitchen chair when the sun moves - the regular curtains are still underneath the temporary curtains during the time they're up, undisturbed.

Pat, are you looking for something more permanent thru the winter months?  One thing I'm considering but haven't tried yet for an impossible-to-put-anything up window is to put the curtain on a dowel rod and attach fishing line (or cording, if you need to coordinate) to the dowel rod ends.  Then hang the whole shebang up on a nail (or a few nails if the window's large), sorta "banner" style.  You could even suspend it from the ceiling, since your existing curtains rods are so high. I'm prolly going to go this route on a basement window.  It won't cost much to try, anyway.

Dh re-caulked all the windows outside - now I've got to paint it all to match the (brown) windows.  I haven't put the a/c cover on yet as it's still been in the '90's here recently...Liz

 I could use draft dodgers for both the front and back doors--I forgot to put them on my list. Thanks!  In addition, my back door needs to be winterized--badly! I will be washing the blankets and "winterizing" the bedrooms. I try to make sure the pantry is more or less constantly stocked, as once the bad weather hits, I don't have to--or won't be able to easily get to the stores. Cleaning/tweaking the furnace is on husband's list as is the back door! :-) Although not my favorite, I am looking forward to baking! It makes the house cozy, smell good, and saves money! How cool is that?

I am able to plan only one major activity at a time. :-) Now that apple season has almost ended for us, I have a respite. The next wave of activity will be sewing which will be geared for winter. Although I am certain that I have most of the supplies, needed, a double check is in order. I also have my knitting-on-the-go projects lined up as well.

My project list is too long for the time and energy available to me!  

Pat:

Another thing I want to do is figure a way to better cover the large picture window in the living room at night. It's too wide to use a tension pole to hang anything on and the frames are made of metal, of all things, so I don't want to drill into them for new hardware.

I, too, have a large picture window in my living room. It is, however, encased in wood. You could install the appropriate hardware outside/above the metal window casings. It is done all the time in window treatments. Installation of the rod above the window casing is considered acceptable You would be drilling into the studs and be able to place one or two central supports for the rod more or less evenly as well. If you make the window treatment bigger and hung wider than the window, there would be more coverage at night, and you would be able to pull it aside during the day. Thumb tacks strategically placed (not seen) into the wall/studs will also work. Both tactics are used in the window treatment industry.

 The window I'm most concerned about is a double pane vinyl, new about 6 years ago, so it doesn't leak around it, it's just that glass itself is so cold that it doesn't matter what or how much of anything is between the two panes, it still gets cold. It's a picture window, 100 1/4 inches X 61 1/4 inches from each outside edge of the frame. The frame is metal (house was built when energy was cheap), so I'd like to cover that, if possible, but I'd also like the material to stay as close to the window as possible to keep cold air from infiltrating. I need something I can close at night and on very cold days, but open for light otherwise. My problem is finding something to hang it with. Tension rod won't work (the window is too wide) a regular curtain rod would leave a bigger gap than I want, Velcro would be a problem because I'd have to put the whole thing up and take it down every time. Am I making this impossible?? LOL

I thought about blinds, but haven't found any for $20! I'd have to have them custom made to fit the window, and that's more expense than I want to go to.

TizzyLizzy, your banner idea might work, but I'd have to have probably three dowels, since it's such a long window, I doubt one would hold the weight (besides being impossible to find).


 

Pat:

a regular curtain rod would leave a bigger gap than I want

My daughter, who has a window treatment business, has given me some information to pass along to you.

You really cannot get away from the gap on top. To seal it completely, you would need cornice boards. Another option would be to have an extra heading (the top ruffle) and tuck it down, meaning enough length of ruffle to tuck it down. This later method would require readjustment every time you would open the treatment for light.

I hope this helps a bit.  

Maybe someone can come up with a way to help me in the rains, which San Francisco has from Nov-Mar.  With an aide, I use my cane & an umbrella.  I hagte, though, to be confined in my apartment for the mid-day 3-4 hours when I have no aide.  With my walker, I need to hold on with both hands, so cannot carry an umbrella.  I find that with my jacket that has a hood, that with my peripheral vision cut off, I can't see well enough at corners regarding turning cars.  I invested in a cute baseball cap I think it was q2 months ago -- it's a burgendy that matches my "front-pack"" purse.  Does any of this ring a bell with someone as to what I can do?  Our rains are generally accompanied by heavy wind.  TIA!

There is a store like Ikea called JYSK here that has sales of all sizes of the bamboo blinds being the same price $7.99 plus tax each. We can't afford custom blinds either!  Normally they are about $20 each. it is the summer style with the strings you pull to roll them up or down. Ikea has them.