As evenings get colder, the first instinct is to turn the heat up. But a lot of comfort comes from small choices about how you dress, where you sit and how your home holds heat. These nine lifehacks help you feel warmer for little or no cost.

1. Use your curtains like a switch

Open curtains and blinds on sunny days to let natural light warm your rooms, especially windows that face the sun. Close them as soon as the sun goes down to help hold that warmth in. Heavier curtains work best at night.

2. Put a rug on cold floors

Bare floors, especially tile and hardwood, can feel freezing underfoot. A rug or runner in the spots where you stand or sit most often makes a room feel noticeably warmer.

3. Rearrange your favorite seat

If your couch or desk chair sits against an outside wall or near a drafty window, try moving it a few feet toward the inside of the room. You may feel the difference right away.

4. Layer up smartly

Several thin layers trap heat better than one thick one. A base layer, a sweater and warm socks can make a cooler room perfectly comfortable. Keep a cozy throw blanket within reach of every seat where you relax.

5. Warm your bed before you get in

Cold sheets are the worst part of winter nights. Switch to flannel or fleece sheets for the season, or use a hot water bottle a few minutes before bed. Wear socks to bed if your feet get cold, since warm feet help many people fall asleep faster.

6. Keep vents and radiators clear

Furniture, curtains or piles of laundry in front of heating vents or radiators block warm air from reaching the room. Do a quick walk-through and move anything that is in the way.

7. Seal small drafts the quick way

Hold your hand near the edges of doors and windows to feel for cold air. A rolled-up towel or draft stopper along the bottom of a door can help right away while you plan a more permanent fix.

8. Cook and drink something warm

Warm drinks like tea, cocoa or soup warm you from the inside, and cooking at home naturally adds a little heat to the kitchen. After baking, you can leave the oven door slightly open once it is turned off to let the heat into the room, as long as there are no small children or pets nearby.

9. Keep moving

Sitting still for hours makes you feel colder. Stand up and stretch, take a quick walk around the house, or do a few minutes of light activity. Your body will generate its own warmth.

Bonus: Warm the room you are actually using

If you spend most evenings in one room, focus your comfort efforts there. Close doors to rooms you are not using so warm air stays where you are, and gather the family in one cozy spot for movies, games or reading. It is a simple way to feel warmer and spend more time together on long winter nights.

A quick safety note

Use space heaters carefully. Keep them at least three feet from anything that can burn, never leave them running when you leave the room or go to sleep, and plug them directly into a wall outlet rather than an extension cord. Never use an oven or stove to heat your home.

The wrap

Before you turn up the thermostat, try a few of these simple tricks. Use the sun, block the drafts, dress in layers and keep moving. You might find you are just as comfortable while using less energy, and your winter evenings will feel a lot cozier.

Image: Living Room Fireplace (55614471911) by Joshua Tree National Park via Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain Mark 1.0