It’s always important to maximise natural light in the wintertime. However, with energy bills set to rise in January and again in April, it could make an even bigger difference to your life than usual.
The price cap increase in January will see a 5.1% increase in electricity unit rates. With lighting being one of the biggest contributors to home electricity use, making the most of natural light is a simple way to save.
Filling your home with light does more than just cut your bills, however. It also improves your well-being, helps take care of your home and more!
Why is it important to maximise natural light at home?
Filling your home with natural light offers multiple benefits, especially in winter, including…
Lower energy bills
Lighting is responsible for 5-11% of the typical home’s electricity usage, and around 5% of its total energy bills. Making the most of natural light cuts this energy consumption, saving you money on your bills.
Top tip! Looking for an even easier way to cut your bills? Make sure you’re on the right energy tariff for your home.
Vitamin D boost
Your body needs natural light to produce vitamin D. It doesn’t matter if you’re indoors or outdoors, so if you work from home or spend daylight hours inside, make sure you’re still getting plenty of sunlight.
Sleep easier
Your body’s circadian rhythms are how it knows when to get sleepy, hungry or energised. These natural cycles are influenced by sunlight. If you don’t maximise natural light exposure through the day, you may struggle to sleep at night.
Positive mood
The NHS reports that more than 2 million people in the UK suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder – low mood in the wintertime. One of the biggest triggers for this drop in mood is a lack of exposure to sunlight. Spending time soaking in the – admittedly limited – winter sunshine fights the low mood and irritability associated with SAD and improves energy levels, attitude and positive thinking.
Free ways to maximise natural light
While filling your home with sunlight can save you money, installing extra windows is massively expensive – if it’s even possible in your home!
Luckily, there are free and renter-friendly ways to increase the amount of light in your home:
Keep your curtains open
It might seem obvious, but make sure you’re keeping the curtains of your home open in daylight hours. Drawn curtains keep your home warmer, but sunlight shining in through the windows also warms the room, as well as giving you all the other benefits we mentioned above.
Keep your curtains open while the sun is up, then draw them closed as soon as it sets, to get the benefits of both natural light and insulation.
Keep windows clean
Regularly cleaning your windows both inside and out increases the amount of sunlight that reaches through them. Plus, you can enjoy a better view of the outside world!
Place mirrors strategically
Position any mirrors in your rooms opposite windows. They’ll reflect sunlight back into the room, maximising the benefit of a window or glass door.
Unleash your inner interior designer
Is your furniture making your home darker? Large or heavy furniture placed directly in front of – or even right next to – windows stops light from getting in. During the winter, the sun is lower in the sky, making it even more important not to block any possible angles.
Trim the trees
A view of plants through your windows is lovely, but overgrown trees and bushes can cast shadows over your home. Keep plant life in your garden trimmed back from windows and glass doors to maximise natural light reaching you through the day.
Top tip! Check out our ultimate list of more than 100 energy saving hacks here to keep your bills low this winter – and beyond!
