Many of us are now preparing our apartments for the colder months. This winter in particular it is very important to be as efficient as possible with keeping our homes warm. Since apartments in Japan don’t hold the heat or cold very well, it can make running the air-con heating a very expensive process.

Warm clothes and layers of clothing will make a big difference. It’s also worth investing in some heat-tech clothing since it will keep you warm both at home and outside. Beyond this, there are plenty of apartment essentials to help keep your home warm over the cold months.

Rugs

There’s a reason why floors are often carpeted in colder countries. Carpet floors and rugs are great pieces of furniture to help insulate homes during the colder season. Rugs and carpets are great since they can help to keep your house warm but they are also one of the best interior design tips for making your home feel cozy. Rugs can easily be rolled up and stored away over the warmer months too.

If you sit on the floor regularly in your home, it may be worth buying a carpet or some small rugs for areas where you often sit. A rug by the side of your bed could make getting up on cold winter mornings easier. Likewise, a rug by the toilet or a bath mat can help make your living space more cozy and warm.

If you are considering buying a rug or carpet, think about whether you’d benefit from one big carpet or if you’d be better off mixing and matching it with some smaller rugs. You can choose designs and colors that complement your home. Warm natural colors will help your home feel cozier.

For further insulation, some people even place aluminum heating sheets under their rugs and carpets!

Curtains

Similar to rugs, curtains can be an effective piece of furniture for insulating your home, as well as helping to decorate your living space. Thicker and heavier curtains tend to help keep the heat in more successfully. You can even purchase curtains specifically designed to insulate homes. Thick curtains can cost as little as 4000 yen. A cheaper option is to hang up blankets instead.

Since curtains block light from the outside, we recommend finding curtains in lighter colors to help your apartment feel brighter. Interesting textures can add a subtle and unique style to your home decor rather than a harsh pattern, which may make your home feel too busy.

Heater

Aircon units are the most common way of keeping apartments warm over winter. They are great for heating whole rooms and large spaces. However, they aren’t always the most efficient. Air-conditioning units are normally located towards the top of a wall and since hot air rises, a lot of the warm air can gather by the ceiling. Nevertheless, you can aim the vents downwards to help direct the hot air. Aircon units also need to be cleaned properly and maintained to be more efficient. There are plenty of heater options that can use less electricity than air-conditioners.

Another way you can warm up the house is by investing in a small heater. There are a variety of heaters. Oil heaters, kerosene fan heaters, and gas fan heaters will all heat an entire room. Oil heaters are portable but can be expensive to run. Gas and kerosene fan heaters can be cheap or expensive, depending on your purchase model. You also need to leave a window open for ventilation with these heaters.

A cheaper alternative would be spot heating. This helps save energy by focusing on heating just one small area. Ceramic fan heaters, carbon heaters, electric heaters, and halogen heaters are all popular appliances for spot heating.

When you buy one of these from an electronics shop, they will indicate how much each appliance costs to run per hour, so it is worth looking in detail to find the right heater for your needs and budget. You should also be able to find out how well it spot heats and heats a room, as well as how long it takes to warm up and how safe it is. A more expensive heater may work out cheaper if you use it regularly.

Kotatsu Table

The kotatsu table has been a staple piece of furniture in Japanese households for years and there is good reason for this! They are efficient to use since they heat one particular spot. So, if you’re happy to sit at the table for a while and snuggle under the blanket this is a great way of warming you without heating the whole apartment. They are very practical since you can sit at the table to prepare food, eat, read, watch TV, and more.

If you’re trying to save money, it’s wise to use the kotatsu table sparingly since it does run on electricity so it can easily start to make your bills more expensive. You could still turn on the kotatsu table for a bit and then stay under the blanket for a long time after having switched it off since the thick blanket will retain a good amount of the warmth.

If you are looking for a budget option, you can find a kotatsu table for as little as 5000 yen. For a higher-range option, you could pay around 20,000 yen.

Humidifier

A humidifier won’t exactly provide heat or keep the cold out, but it is an important appliance for winter in Japan. Since summers are so humid and winters are so dry, it can be helpful to invest in a humidifier. They improve the air quality, making it easier to breathe at night and also reducing any skin damage from harsh levels of dry air.

You can find these in secondhand shops and home appliance stores like Nitori. You may want to consider a humidifier and air purifier combination since there are appliances that do both at the same time.

If this is your first Japanese winter, you may be surprised by how cold it can get. Staying warm is incredibly important since it can help you stay healthy. Even if you are on a tight budget, there are various things to help you stay warm. Cheap fabrics and clothing are one of the easiest ways. Look around at what you already have in your house and you may find things you can use to help keep your apartment warm in the colder season.

We hope these tips will help you stay warm in your apartment. We hope you have a warm and cozy winter!