[This article first appeared here in February 2020 and has been revised and updated.]

Surviving the cold weather no longer requires dangerous and difficult tasks like hunting mammoths, bundling up in furs, or trekking through snow to get firewood.

And while warm clothes and ready access to firewood can still be helpful, the best way to deal with cold weather starts with some self-care.

Better Living Through Science

Modern homes - those built since the 1970s on - have benefited from the growing improvement of quality building materials. Advances in ceiling, wall, and subfloor insulation, for example have added significantly to a house's ability to keep out cold. 

Sealants for joints and gaps have improved as have the quality and energy saving capabilities of windows. 

All of this is critical in winter weather months since the more cold that can be prevented from coming into a house, the better.

As one manufacturer points out,

The general rule of thumb with heat is that it tends to move where it doesn’t exist.

The second law of thermodynamics states that heat naturally tries to balance out the temperature in any environment by constantly “chasing” after colder air. That means if your house has a higher temperature than the outside, heat is naturally going to gravitate towards areas that are colder.

Not only will a properly sealed and insulated home use less energy, the absence of cold means the heat that is there will stay longer, so to speak.

And, as technology continues to evolve and advance, the insulating and environmental control properties of homes improves correspondingly. 

Tips and Tricks for Dealing with Cold Weather 

Depending on where you live, winter weather can be pretty brutal. Those folks in places like San Diego, California might get off easy with a few rain storms and a "bone chilling" low of 50 degrees. But many others across the country have it a bit worse.

How bad? Well, outside of Alaska, the five coldest states are:

• North Dakota - 41.1°F.
• Minnesota - 41.8°F.
• Maine - 41.9°F.
• Wyoming - 42.3°F.
• Montana - 42.6°F

So, having some cold weather hacks and really warm socks can be a great way to beat the cold this winter.  And, with that in mind, here are some proven tips and tricks for cold weather coping:

GET YOURSELF WARM FIRST

Start the day with a hot meal and something warm to drink, like coffee or tea. It’s easier to alter your own body temperature by starting internally, so get your body’s furnace going before moving on to the external options. If more warmth is needed after that, stick with putting on more layers. If that doesn’t work, then turn on the heater.

Also, blasting the heat won’t always be the healthiest answer. When taking a shower, start with hot water and then lower the temperature to improve blood circulation. Just don’t lower it too much, or you’ll start to feel like a mammoth trapped in ice.

EXPOSE LITTLE

This one may sound a little saucy, but it has more to do with internal body heat regulation. There’s an old saying how the human body loses most of its heat through the head. In other words, all the winter coats in the world won’t serve you as well as a good fuzzy hat.

That’s not true, but it does highlight the fact that any part of your body not covered can lose heat. If you’ve ever been in bed on a cold night and stuck your foot out of the sheets, you know what we’re talking about. Exposed skin will lose heat, even indoors. So don’t feel awkward about wearing winter clothes while sitting on the couch.

LET THE HEAT CIRCULATE

Unless you’ve got portable heaters in every room, getting the warm air to circulate through an entire home may require a few tricks. If you like cooking, you can start by finding excuses to bake as much as possible. Why? A hot oven generates heat that can flow through small homes and apartments.

Try sealing the windows with plastic wrap to keep the heat inside. Also, turn the ceiling fans on the lower setting and have them spin clockwise. While it may seem counterproductive to have the fans on during winter, doing so will help push the rising hot air back down.

MAKE YOUR BED INSIDE OUT

If you have any experience making the bed, you’ll know the sheets go on the mattress before the bedspread. But in the wintertime, consider doing that in reverse.

Why? Because bed covers tend to be thicker than sheets, and it’s just common sense to have the heavier fabric closer to the skin during cold weather (remember that part about exposed skin earlier?). True, the bed may look a little strange with the sheets on top, but the heavier cover will prove a warmer choice while it’s cold outside.

Also, few things in life can match the pleasure of climbing into the bed on a cold night and wrapping up in a thick covering immediately!

Decluttering and Junk Removal - Indoor Cold Weather Tasks

Most of us make it a point to stay indoors as much as possible when the weather turns cold. This is especially true when the weather is not only cold, but stormy. 

A great benefit of spending all those hours inside the house is that we can turn some of our pent up energy into tackling junk removal and domestic decluttering projects.

You know, all the ones you avoided during the summer and fall months?

Yep, those projects. Of course, if you do a really good job and divest yourself of a great deal of junk, clutter, rubbish, and trash, then you'll be likely to have piles of stuff to get rid of.

Which is why Junk King specializes in residential junk removal.

Stay Warm During Cold Weather and While Cleaning Out Junk!

Whether you are cleaning up your home after upcoming Thanksgiving or Christmas get-togethers at home - or preparing for the start of a new year, Junk King can help get rid of household trash and unwanted junk. 

And let you stay warm and cozy at the same time!

That's because our professional and friendly crew will do all the heavy lifting and hauling for you. And there's no need to "stage" your junk out on your driveway or sidewalk for us, either.

At Junk King, we offer the best holiday trash and rubbish removal solutions for your cold weather cleanup needs.

And after you make an appointment with us, our expert and insured trash and junk removal team will call 15 to 30 minutes before they show up at your home. Once they arrive - on time, as promised - they’ll also give you a free estimate, if you like, based only on how much room your items take up in our truck.

Then you just point and we’ll haul your items into our junk removal trucks, all with no hidden fees.

So, ready to get rid of your holiday junk? It’s as simple as 1, 2, 3.

Book an appointment online above or call us at 1.888.888.JUNK (5865).