Oct12010
INSTANT SURVIVAL TIP: Budget-Friendly Blankets
When cold weather is on its way, it’s time to inventory your home’s blanket collection. Years ago, when the only source of heat in a home or cabin was a fire or wood-burning stove, blankets were a necessity, and the more you had, the better. Nowadays, 
some of us are working within tighter budgets, and that means resisting the temptation to crank up the heat as temperatures turn chilly. One quick way to add to your collection of blankets is by scouring estate sales and second hand stores. Whichever type of fabric you prefer, cotton, wool, synthetic or a combination of fibers, thinner blankets are best because you can layer them. It’s a lot easier to add or remove a layer or two of thin blankets and achieve an optimum temperature than it is to deal with a single, very heavy blanket.
You’ll want to run second-hand blankets through the hottest and longest cycle on your washing machine. If you’re able to dry them in outside in bright sunlight, that’s even better. Sunlight can kill any stubborn germs that might be nervy enough to stick around.
A second inexpensive blanket is simply two yards of fleece purchased at a craft or fabric store. If you have a coupon, so much the better. Years ago I purchased four 2-yard lengths of the stuff with the intention of creating a couple of those knotted blankets like this. I never did get around to that project, but one night I took a length of the fleece, surprised my daughter with her “new” blanket, and I’ve been hooked on using one-ply fleece ever since. They won’t have the properties of wool, but they’re awfully nice to keep in the car or as an extra if unexpected company shows up.
Having extra blankets on hand means that you can turn down that heat a couple of notches and even have a simple source of warmth if needy families come to you for help.
© 2010, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.
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galen066
Note to self: Check blankets.
Linda
I agree with you on this. I once lived in an under-insulated house with only a wood heater for warmth, and we learned that blankets are wonderful, not only on beds but also tacked over windows and hung on curtain rods over doors did help keep out the drafts. I probably currently have at least five quilts for every bed, but I'd rather have way too many than not enough if I need them, so I'm always looking for good and pretty blankets on sale. They make good Christmas presents, too, especially for those family members who might think your prepping efforts are "weird". Giving them practical gifts like a nice quilt can help prepare them better without their ever knowing it.
Jenn
Linda, you are absolutely right on the Christmas present idea. Last year; I bought many yards of polar fleece with various cartoon characters on it. Despite all the toys my five nieces and nephews got, those blankets were the biggest hit! My youngest nephew has even requested "Star Wars" blanket this year. Oh and the best part? Christmas was tackled for $30!
tantegretchen
I miss the blankets my grandma had, the ones with wide, silky ribbon at the top. Occasionally I've seen the them at auctions, but never enough worth buying. I think they were wool, but oh so comfy! And don't forget, some of the warmest quilts are actually the most thin because it is the THREAD that makes them heavy: the more extensive and tighter the stitching, they warmer the cover!
Josh
I had a fleece blanket on my bed for two years. It was the only blanket I would use. My sister made it for my birthday. It was the exact kind that you mentioned. I was always warm during the cold nights at home
It got lost during a move and I haven't replaced it yet.
Leon
Good Post!
LizLong
We have electric blankets for all our beds now. The shut the doors to the rooms and let them get down into the low 60s at night. That's quite chilly for sleeping, but it feels nice with a big pile of blankets. The queen and king size have dual controls, which is nice when I start getting hot flashes, and the new ones turn off automatically after a set time – ours is ten hours – so you can't easily forget and leave them on all day.
We also have nice fluffy twin sized comforters for each of our sofas. The lap throws are nice, but these really let us stay warm and comfy while watching tv. We have lap throws folded up over the back of lots of chairs, as well, so you're never far from a nice cover.
galen066
My problem is that I am an active exo-therm. I usually end up too warm and kick the blankets off. Even while camping, I will flip the sleeping bag open to cool off in the middle of the night. My wife loves the fact I keep her warm in the middle of a BC coastal winter with snow up to your butt…
TheSurvivalMom
Someone should do a study to find out how many exo-therms are married to the opposite. I can huddle beneath down comforters during the summer while my husband doesn't even want a single cotton sheet over him. Strange.
galen066
Maybe it's something to do with being male?? And my wife observes that successful long term relationships seem to have this dynamic… My first (now ex-wife) was also an exo-therm. Hmm…
prepared teacher
My husband is like that, he keeps me warm in the winter, but it is too hot in the summer and I am always kicking off the sheet and scooting away from him………All the men in his family are like that!
Barbara
I make warm lounge pants out of blankets that are getting a little worn in spots. You can pick and choose the healthy portions of the blanket to use for the "new" item. Grandmas and toddlers are especially glad to have nice warm "waddle around the house" wear. And of course, old blankets are a must for pet beds. If you have an outside only pet they definitely need them.
jan
That is a great way to use blankets! Its cold here already and the kids have their flannel jammies out.
Chris
Before we moved about 4 years ago, we had soo many blankets they took up the bottom half of the cupboards by my bedroom/bathroom. Which was half the length of one of the hallways. So much the better, my father is notorious for blasting the AC until at least thanksgiving if not longer. Now we've consolidated,but even in my dorm I have 3 blankets, my quilt and 2 sets of sheets. I'm working on acuiring curtains,but if it stays cold like it has been (or gets colder – ug) I may tack a blanket up. (screw the rules – I like being warm, stupid thermostat that doesn't let me turn the heat on).
jan
We have alot blankets too. Our area has frequent power outages in the winter. So we camp out in front of the woodstove with tons of blankets and sleeping bags. Last winter we had -25 temps at night for a week and I live in California!!! I think every blanket we own was being used that week. Fleece is a great way to make blankets. I try to double up the fleece to help keep us warmber. I also knit blankets. They are not very pretty because I am not very good at knitting, but they are SUPER warm. My kids fight over the large knit blanket I made awhile back.
Winter
the scraps of the blankets used to make lounge pants can be made into slippers…
oldhouse
My absolute favorite blankets, for warmth, are the old wool ones. I often cover them with fabrics I get at garage sales which makes them more attractive and less itchy. Instead of storing them in cupboards, which could hold other supplies, they store, laid flat, between mattress and box spring.