Whether you’re a native New Yorker or a transplant from warmer environs, winters in NYC can be both magical and harrowing. When the decorations have been taken down and the holiday markets are closed, cold, snowy weather can inspire serious dread. In order to survive winter in the city, it’s imperative to warm both your home and your psyche. Heed these nine tips for keeping your home, body, and soul cozy through the cold months in New York City.
Get a Space Heater
Your apartment should already be heated according to city regulations, but sometimes you’ll need a little extra warmth. Your room might not have that idyllic fireplace you’ve always wanted, but you can warm your toes with a small space heater, which is just as effective — and requires less wood gathering.
Just be sure to take a look at your lease and check if it allows for the use of space heaters. Some leases may not due to the risks they pose to both you and the property. However, other landlords may welcome the use of a space heater and even deduct the purchase from your rent if they cover heat in the building. The best thing to do if the lease is unclear is ask.
Always be as careful as possible when using space heaters. Never put a space heater on carpet, rugs, furniture, or cabinetry, and keep it at least three feet away from anything flammable. Make sure to turn them off when you’re not home, and unplug them, too. It’s also best practice not to plug any other electrical devices into the same outlet as the heater, and not plug them into a power strip or extension cord, as these could overheat.
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Bundle Up With the Right Gear
As British author Alfred Wainwright once said, “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing.” In other words, staying warm in an NYC winter is largely about having the right gear. Sure, everyone wants to stay fashionable in this style-obsessed city, but that snowstorm doesn’t care how good you look — and it will soak through your new leather boots.
Invest in a pair of waterproof snow shoes and some puffy, insulated outerwear. Gloves and hats are always a good idea, as well as scarves. Leave all your heels indoors when the streets are piled knee-high with slush. If you work in an office, wear sensible shoes for the commute and throw your office shoes in your bag. And listen to the mantra for any cold climate: layer up!
Stock Up on Hot Beverages
There’s nothing like coming in from a cold commute home to a hot mug of apple cider, cocoa, coffee, or tea. Warm beverages will physically heat up your body, and the sugar will combat your winter sadness. If you want to really get fancy, invest in a milk steamer, try some high-end hot chocolate mixes, or toss in some Baileys Irish Cream.
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Keep the Air Circulating
It might sound bizarre to turn on your fan — known predominately as a cooling device — in the middle of winter. But did you know that running your ceiling fan in reverse will actually help the warm air sink down from the ceiling, thereby circulating your apartment’s heat? (Most fans have a small reverse switch on their side or under an easily accessible panel.) Science is a beautiful thing.
If your building uses radiator heating, but you only have radiators in certain rooms, both ceiling and plug-in fans can help move some of that hot air around to ensure the entire apartment is the right temp.
Get Some Cozy Stay-at-Home Attire
If you’re going to stay in and stay warm, you might as well do it right. Investing in a good fluffy robe, comfy sweatpants, or even a onesie can make getting out of bed in the morning a bit more bearable. Even if you never wear any of these items out of your home, they’re worth having if your apartment tends to stay on the colder side. (Although if it’s always on the really cold side, contact your super or landlord.)
Keep Your Holiday Lights Up
The holidays come and go pretty early on in the winter, and New Yorkers could certainly use some extra cheer in January and February. So consider keeping some of your holiday decorations up past December, namely the lights. String white lights around your room or apartment to give it a homey, festive flair even after the holidays have ended. Relaxing in a room lit by twinkle lights is inherently cozy.
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Insulate Your Apartment
The smallest gaps in your window or holes in your wall will let in air just as easily as they will pesky critters (yes, that’s an NYC euphemism for cockroaches). Kill two birds — or roaches — with one stone by making sure that all openings to the outside world are closed, painted over, and/or sealed shut. For large gaps, contact your building super right away. Otherwise, you can fight cold drafts with door snakes, heavy or thermal curtains, and weatherproofing window tape. For very drafty windows, try insulating with plastic sheet insulation. It’s not the most stylish option, but for especially old windows, it might be your best option. Just enlist the help of a friend to help install it.
Get Thick Rugs and Socks
Make your apartment instantly cozier by covering over any wood or linoleum surfaces with heavy rugs, so your toes won’t go into shock every time you roll out of bed. Area rugs can also help insulate your apartment and keep the heat in. Pair your rugs with a new collection of extra-fuzzy socks, which are at once stylish and warm, or go with the old-school wool type. And never underestimate the power of a good pair of slippers.
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Leave Your Apartment…Sometimes
Your impulse will be to stream TV and nuzzle under the covers, sip hot cocoa, and bask in the glow of your remaining holiday lights — and you should! But you should also go get some fresh air, or sunshine if there is any. Periodically leaving your apartment and taking a walk through the frigid-but-magnificent city will help you adjust to winter and ward off that other cold-season hazard: cabin fever.
New York City has no shortage of indoor activities to enjoy, whether you want to check out a food hall, wander through a museum, play indoor pickleball, or dance the night away.
Some outdoor activities, such as holiday markets, might use outdoor space heaters to help keep you warm as you browse. (Some of them stay open past the holidays, too!)
We hope these tips enable you to survive winter in New York — and perhaps even enjoy it. Stay warm out there!