For many remote workers across the UK, the winter months present a chilly dilemma: how to stay warm without running up exorbitant energy bills by having the heating on all day. One journalist, Talya Honebeek, has perfected her strategy while working from a draughty Victorian house, relying on five key products to maintain her cosiness and productivity.
The Winter Work-From-Home Challenge
Talya, a content editor, enjoys the benefits of remote work but dreads the winter cold in her old property. She finds it wasteful to heat the entire house during the day when she is the sole occupant, especially as the warmth dissipates quickly. Over the years, she has tested numerous solutions and now swears by a curated selection of items that have become essential to her daily routine.
The Essential Warmth-Giving Products
Her top five picks, as shared with the Express and Mirror, combine modern technology with simple, practical design to target warmth exactly where it's needed.
1. The Heated Throw for Desk Duty
The cornerstone of her setup is a Morphy Richards EverCosy Luxury Striped Fleece Electric Heated Throw. She uses the small green version, praising its soft fabric, perfect desk size, and rapid heating. The simple controls allow for easy adjustment, and she typically switches it on first thing in the morning to ward off the chill as she starts work.
2. The Cordless Warming Shawl for Mobility
For breaks away from her desk, Talya turns to a Homedics Cosy Cordless Warming Shawl. This wearable item, complete with pockets, offers two heat settings up to 38°C. It's ideal for moving around the house, particularly in her cold kitchen during lunch preparation. She even considers it for outdoor errands like nursery runs as temperatures plummet.
3. The High-Tech Cushion Alternative
Moving beyond traditional hot water bottles, Talya uses a Stoov Homey cushion. This device employs infrared technology to warm the body directly rather than the air. It provides a gentle, concentrated, and soothing heat, perfect for placing behind her lower back to warm her core and ease aches. With three settings and up to four hours of battery life, it also doubles as an evening reading cushion.
4. Instant Hand Warmers
For cold fingers, Hot Hands Hand Warmers are a non-negotiable. These air-activated sachets, available from Costco, Amazon, and supermarkets, heat up swiftly and provide hours of warmth. Talya uses one at a time, switching hands as needed, and notes a bonus tip: placing them on top of a heated throw seems to amplify their effect.
5. Fingerless Gloves for Typing Comfort
Complementing the powered products, fingerless gloves are a key part of her layered approach. They keep her hands warm while allowing full dexterity for typing. While hers were a gift, similar items like cashmere versions are readily available online.
Staying Warm and Productive
Talya acknowledges that these solutions involve an initial outlay or charging costs, but for her, the investment is worth it for the vital boost in comfort and productivity. Her strategy demonstrates that with a mix of targeted technology and simple accessories, it is possible to create a warm, efficient home office environment without relying on central heating during the working day.
