As the colder weather settles in I start finding creative ways to stay warm and cosy. Think multiple hot water bottles in bed, cosy socks from the White Company and of course, mulled wine. I also start to feel more creative and despite spending my year learning new skills it’s not ’til winter rolls ’round that I become interested in knitting. I can’t imagine I’m alone either? It’s just very fitting for this time of the year. I also find myself spending more evenings at home which allows me the chance to try out new creative projects. It happens every year and I often start a very small knitting project but with inspiration from today’s post I think I’m going to make something a little bigger and hopefully much more useful.
It’s suddenly got a lot colder here in Sheffield. I’m wearing my hats and gloves and I’m pretty happy about it. I’ve also been turning the heating on and keeping all the doors in my flat closed. I was surprised to find that draughts are responsible for 10% of heat loss in the average home and up to 25% in others. That’s a lot of heat to lose out on and a real money drain too.
So what’s the solution?
You could bring in professionals but if you’re renting I think it’s much more fun to get crafty and start draught-proofing your home. Households can save between £25 and £55 on the annual energy bill by doing this. That means more cash for mulled wine at the Christmas markets – YAY!
There’s a full guide on how to make your own caterpillar draught excluder over on the First Utility site. It’s a pretty simple guide and looks perfect for beginners like me. I’m going to be giving it a try and will report back here with photos of my finished caterpillar. Alternatively you could follow me on Instagram Stories to see how I’m getting along with it.
You can use your caterpillar creation to sit by the door or a window. It will not only look cute but it will also keep out the cold winter draughts. This would be a fun project to get little ones involved with or like me, you could just give it a go yourself. I remember my grandma had a crocodile one years ago which she (or my mum) made – I’ll have to see if there are any photos of it.
The infographic below shows you everything you need to make the draught excluder as well as a step by step guide on how to do it. I think it’s easy to follow and they even have a guide on the best colour combos. Get creative and tag me over on Twitter or Instagram if you make one.
