I've gotten some requests on how to make window insulators. They work pretty well. I wish I had these when we had the Evil Unheated Bedroom from Hades. A lot of people buy the plastic sheeting, but I found that option to be a bit pricey. (If you know where to get the plastic stuff inexpensively, leave a comment!) The directions come from this article, that a good friend of mine sent me awhile back. (The article has many other fabulous frugal tips- I printed it out and have it in my Home Organization notebook.)
Without further adieu:
Cut and tape two layers of heavy duty corrugated cardboard to just fit the width of the window. The height should be one inch shorter than height of window for ease of use. Duct tape together.
On one side decorate with paint or fabric, or whatever suits your taste. On the other, glue down a single layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Cover with clear Contact paper if you can get it. Put up between windows and blinds at night, with the foil facing inside your house. You won't believe the difference these things make. They are very nice to have in cold climates, even with shutters and heavy drapes.
I did the foil on one window but not on the other, and I did not notice much difference in having it. We found that the most important thing for us was using two layers of cardboard. The first time I made these I misread the direction and only used one layer. That helped, but when we used two, we really noticed a difference. We also did not decorate them, but that would be nice! We slide them under the bed when not in use.
Sources of cardboard: Watch for families who just moved in. We used wardrobe boxes, and they rock! Perhaps an appliance store would be willing to part with an old fridge box. Dumpsters can be an excellent. If you absolutely can't find any or are squeamish about using "used" cardboard, you can buy boxes fairly inexpensively from places like U-Haul.
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