❄More info on Japanese Winter Hacks ❄on the Blog: www.chanijapan.com/ 🇯🇵Let me know if you have any suggestions for a good inside heater? Or should I just use the split system aircon?
I live in a giant house by myself, so heating isn't just expensive, it's silly (I only stay in certain rooms). While i like it cold, I focus on slippers and heavy robe to move around the cold house. In the past, I used an electric heater - always on the floor, so the heat rises and fills the room, rather than stick around the ceiling. Some pretty nice ones w/timers out there (not sure about Japan though).
I am a big fan of the oil-filled radiators. They're extremely safe, they are very effective, and quite energy efficient. I had one I loved but in my new apartment, the baseboard heaters work well enough. I gave my oil-filled radiator to a friend who is living in a chilly basement apartment. I love your blogs! Millie is adorable. Cheers!
The delivery lady is super cute and the interaction with her and the guys was also so sweet ❤ She’s been to my house a lot. I could almost invite her in 😂
I have lived in cold places so I do have some tips! For bedding, I still sleep with regular sheets in winter, but I layer blankets on top. It's easier to wash the sheets regularly, then the blankets don't need to be washed often, maybe once per season. I do use an electric fitted sheet instead of an electric blanket, I think they're a little easier to manage. For clothes, I have wool socks that I often layer over my normal socks. If it's really cold, some thermals under your pants/shirt helps (I like Cuddl Duds or Uniqlo Heattech). Scarves can really help also. Its cheaper to insulate your body than heat your whole house! I also drink a lot more hot tea in the winter to warm up.
You can stick a WiFi switch on the electric blanket and switch it on via your phone 15 minutes before you go to bed. The blankets themselves run at 30W full power so no need to skimp. I really love mine for the minimal cost. You can also get smaller ones to sit on on the sofa - again 30W or so to keep you warm in the living room without firing up the carpet. I'm currently looking at internal secondary windows for a few thousand yen to try before I replace my single pane window glass.
Consider a ceramic heater. This is a very eficient heater that uses less electricity due to the fact that the ceramic elements retain heat. They are very portable and can be moved from room to room.
Chani, where are your Ugg boots? In Northern California, where our older homes also don't have insulation like Japanese houses, many of us wear your Aussie brand boots indoors and we are never cold, even when it drops down to just above freezing. Some of us have *more* than one pair, depending on how cold it is and where we are (the beach or snowboarding up in the mountains). In the US, we pay hundreds for your Aussie shearling boots. I have a short pair for inside the house, a medium pair for wearing around town when it's cold out, and a tall pair to wear up in the mountains after snowboarding or when camping. It's hard to be cold wearing Uggs. For your new sofa/couch, you can purchase an electric throw blanket. I usually get mine at Costco, but Amazon has them, as well. For your bed, I use what is called a heated mattress pad. It fits on your mattress like a fitted sheet, but it's got thin wires running through the part you lie on similar to a heating pad or electric blanket.The adjustable dial allows you to turn the heat up or down as needed. You turn it on before you get in the bed, and one you crawl into a warm bed on a cold night, you will be hard pressed to ever get in bed again without it.
In case of heaters, infrared panels are said to be the best (price/heat), they are a bit bigger, but can go on the wall or ceiling. Mine is just standing on little feet and can be taken to whereever I want it. Best heat I ever had and within the past 40 years, we tried a lot. Greetings from snowy Germany!
@@ChaniJapan They work like sunshine, they don`t heat the air but your couch, floor, whatever is around. They are perfect for rooms that haven`t got the best insulation, or for shops that have doors that open and close all the time. They make no noise and create no more airflow than sunshine, but take half a hour to get a room from cold to cozy, so a timer is usefull. Mine is a 550 W panel I got for 55 Euros, easily good enough for 5x5 m rooms. Right now I have changed to central heating, I have floor heating through water, which is one of the nicest heats you could get in Germany and it doesn`t feel much different then the heat from the infrared panel.
Uniqlo Heatech thermals every day to stop the cold getting into your body. There are different fabrics available, they really do help with preventing colds.
i wear wool tshirts made from merino sheep, u can wear them under ur regular clothes aswell. there are diffrent brands out there but they are all equally expensive, but it is something i recommend aswell cuz it does work. and u dont have to wash wool often u can just hang them to dry and its fresh clothes again. its a no brainer really saves on laundry costs and effort
There’s no heater more efficient than a split system. They are more than 100% efficient which no other type of heater can achieve. I think you’ll find that after you’ve insulated your windows, if you run the split systems on a low fan speed (the fan is the most power hungry part), you’ll find them pretty cheap to run.
Halogen heaters are quite common in Greece. They're fine but they are very energy hungry. One of the least efficient ways to keep warm but they do deliver strong heat instantly
The staying warm tips are interesting, especially the under carpet heater. When cooing those one pot meals you can also take some into work and reheat it. I've seen people make the broth separately and pour it into ice cube trays so that they can only use as much as they need for each meal or day.
As a heating suggestion I use a oil filled radiator. They are one of the cheapest heaters to run as well as being noiseless. Unlike a lot of other types of heaters you can get one with with a thermostat so you can choose the temperature you want it to turn off/on which makes them safer as well. A lot of the other types of heaters I worry about fire safety, especially having pets that may knock them over.
Hello Chani, I am from Costa Rica and I will let you know that I consider you my friend from abroad, this comes from my appreciation of your real life, matter fact content, no facades, no bs, no hiding your mistakes nor embellishing anything, down to earth personality that makes me feel warm as if you are my friend looking out for me showing me the little tricks and experiences that helped you and may be valuable to me. I am 36 years old and hope to move to Japan with my girlfriend in the future once I arrange my financial life, my goal is to be able to move to Japan and not have to work plus have enough money to pay for an intensive Japanese course that could facilitate applying for a student's visa, I am also planning to purchase real estate to rent to tenants as well as living there myself, hopefully this could also facilitate applying for a business manager's visa if I create an LLC and use that income as my salary, don't know how possible this one is but one can dream. Keep up the good work and thank you for everything.
I had a nice experience with the kotatsu decades ago when I visited Kyushu (Yame-shi) and stayed in an old, traditional Japanese house (complete with a thatched roof!). All floors were tatami (except for the kitchen, bath and "western room". Warmed by a deep, immersive bath we then sat at the kotatsu and had tea and traditional Japanese sweets (sweet bean sandwiched small "pancakes"- I forget the Japanese word for it). I stayed warm and comfy for HOURS! What a memorable experience! The kotatsu can be very effective!
Living in sweden, here are a few things besides just adding more layers of clothes; A semi-portable burner. We can buy fairly cheaply ethanol-based stoves/burners that will heat a room real cheap and if it's a small house even the entire hosue. It has no emissions since it fully burns the ethanol. Also electric blankets, basically the same as your heated mat, but you can set the heat levels and take it with you wherever you are in the house.
When i was a kid living a drafting house in one of the few cold places in Australia i would always put a blanket on my bed instead of a sheet and have a quilt as well. I was nice and toasty. Nice to see i wasn't the only one who does that.
I use bubble wrap for my large conservatory doors and it works a treat. I would also recommend getting an electric throw (not blanket) to put over the back of your lovely new sofa (hope it survives Millie's claws 🤣)and have it on a nice low heat that warms your back, and you can also bring it over you and wrap yourself in it if you want to feel more cosy. Also, as has already been suggested, definitely get a slow cooker - you can put everything in it and go off to work/play and when you come home, you will have a nice hot meal waiting for you. I also have an Instant Pot, which I love because you can do everything in it. Love Millie's mad moment 🤣🤣.
I live in the states and just bought a haramaki from Japan on eBay to wear (basically a sweater for your belly.) I love it 😆 Plus it’s really cute with an owl pattern 🦉🦉
Hi Chani, I really enjoyed this episode, and I love your new sofa! As for warmth in winter, as a Canadian who grew up in Northern Canada, the best winter hack for me is warm, cozy sweaters, and comfy, cozy slippers -- I prefer wool and cotton blends (they help prevent sweating!); we also use wool and down duvets; as for heaters, we're thankful to have energy-efficient natural gas furnaces here, that heat the whole house, but some of our rooms are colder than others -- we recently purchased a space heater for our daughter's room -- it looks like those old fashioned radiant water heaters you see in old homes, but it's narrower and it's on wheels -- it also has multifunction settings; it keeps her north-facing room nice and warm. What is the coldest it gets in your region in the winter? We've had mild winters here lately, but the minus 20s to minus 30s is average in the dead of winter here. (p.s. Milly is the sweetest little companion -- I wish I had a Milly😊)
Keeping your feet warm is crucial in staying warm overall. Consider getting double layered socks with plush inside and knitting on the outside. Also house shoes with a really thick rubber sole work well
People used to put plastic on their windows in the United States back in the day to keep the cold out. It was a heavy duty plastic that you sealed on with a heat gun. Not sure if people still do this, but it's similiar to the bubble wrap. I also love that you cooked for this video.
When I was living as a single in Japan, I would also cook for myself and eat leftovers for a few days. I just cooked Japanese cream stew from scratch tonight. There are no boxed rues here, so I make it with ingredients like cream cheese, butter, flour, and milk.
My brother has 2 cats and a dog, for a space heater he uses a wood cabinet infrared quartz electric space heater. They cost around $100 USD but they don't have any exposed heating elements and the outside surface of the cabinet remains cool to the touch making them safe for pets.
The bulk cooking will always save you money, there's just myself and my eldest son most days so we cook three and four person meals and freeze the rest for another day. If my other son is here too we save less but they soon add up. Of the foot warmers that you showed, I believe that BY LAW you should purchase the ones with the Kangaroo and Joey on them. It must be done! Love the videos, some fun, some information, and a little sight-seeing into the mix. And Millie of course...
@@ChaniJapan Absolutely amazing! I remember replacing a washing machine in Paris - they dragged it THROUGH MY LIVING ROOM ON TRAILER, and on their way back with my old washing machine they released the wringing hose that splashed all the rest of dirty water on my couch. Not even a word of excuse. The next time (about 6 years later) I decided to be firm and told the guys not to enter with the trailer and to be careful. Their reaction? They instantly turned away, saying if you want your washing machine, behave or we'll just leave right now. Service à la français.
What a coincidence! I ate Kimuchi-nabe for literally my dinner today,too lol With lots of mushrooms, veggies,pork and chicken. That made me feel like Yes, it’s winter now. 鍋の季節だぁ〜w
Heated throw on sofa is very cheap to run, fleece pjs and a fleece onesie, heated mattress protector, hot water bottle, sheepskin Slippers, thermal underwear, cashmere/wool.jumpers, fingerless gloves. Airfryers are really popular in the UK as very cheap to run and cook food quickly.
Hey Chani, another super enjoyable vlog! Millie is the star in it! She made me smile with her "kangaroo" style hopping. (My Tiger Lily does it sometimes too.) Thanks for the winter hacks. BTW, in 2020 I figured it out that my bed is much warmer with fleece blankets instead of regular sheets and I am using them since. And I keep admiring the fantastic customer service in Japan. Congrats on your new sofa. It is fabulous! Julia & Tiger Lily 🐾🐾
I've thoroughly enjoyed watching all of your videos-they're absolutely captivating! 😊 In Hungary, we place great emphasis on proper insulation for our homes. Walls are typically insulated with layers ranging from 10 to 20 centimeters thick, while ceilings often feature insulation up to 30 centimeters thick. Additionally, we favor multi-chamber windows with triple glazing to ensure optimal energy efficiency. The combination of robust wall construction and high-quality insulation helps to retain warmth effectively during our cold winters.
I’m impressed with those hacks for winter. Never even thought of those ! Ps. The soup looks delicious 😊 and the service of the delivery people in Japan still blows my mind
My heating tips for spaces without central air/heat: Multiple blankets on the beds. Doors/curtains between places you want to keep the heat in, keeping in mind heat rises. Fans, yeah it seems weird but circulating that heat off the ceiling will help, just turn them up enough to move the air around. The window curtains are awesome. Make sure you keep heat in your areas with water so that the pipes don't decide to freeze. I also keep small blankets on the couch and areas where I want to keep warm. I've also seen some folks have a shoji door between the genkan and the rest of the house as an extra barrier and sort of 'air lock', but these were mostly more north or in the mountains.
😅Milli 😂❤❤ qué salto 😅 así juegan, es normal cuando estan happy 😊. Me gustó el tip de la alfombra 😊. Y de las ventanas, genial. ❤ gracias por estar y por tus creaciones, reconforta tú compañía. Ten un agradable noviembre Saludos 🤗 🤗
Get a dehumidifier...with a dry interior the heating requirements are less. Damp air is harder to heat. Bonus is that a dehumidifier can dry your clothes if you have them on an indoor rack as well.
Hi Chani, I love the new winter look. Millie is curious about the warm floor carpet 😊. I'm gonna borrow the idea of bubble wrap winter hack. Thank you for sharing.
Did you ever have a door snake when you were a kid? This long skinny thing stuffed with something heavy and soft goes at the bottom of a drafty door and really makes a difference to the warmth of a room. I would go around my house and look for other places where drafts are coming in that you might not be aware of, like around the windows and electrical outlets, and block those somehow. I didn't know you were from Queensland! I am too!
@@ChaniJapan on Benita Larson's old blog she sewed white snakes to put on the windowsill in Sweden to blocks the draughts and it blended in nicely, one hardly noticed it. She would also make little square beanbags for her Kitties to sit on the windowsill and watch the world go by. We know all about cold winters in rural Victoria!😊 Ugg boots is the way to go!
Hi Chani, if you have a 2nd Street outlet nearby consider going there for your heater. We have purchased our Dyson vacuum and heater there VERY cost effectively. They had damaged packaging but were brand new.
Thanks for the great tips and hacks. We in the west take all things for granted, we have heat in the winter and kinda abuse it. in other places like Japan older Akiya's don't have central heating and even none at all, I've only seen a cooking area in the centre of the house for heat and cooking. Using heating also dries the surrounding area too, When I do turn on heat its like mild warm and not too hot but also put a glass of water to put back some moisture in the air.
Hi Chani and Millie! We just had our first snowfall in Indiana yesterday, about two inches. I snuggled up in a blanket with tea and cookies. Your warming hacks were quite interesting. You should have a great winter season! Your tomodachi in Indiana, June
When we had days without electricity in South Africa, I used a 9kg heater on wheels with a gas cylinder - warmed the house instantly. Then, a butane single plate camper stove to cook everything from fry-ups to Japanese dishes and stews. Also handy to take camping. Saves a mint boiling the kettle too. Love the no-sheets idea, and ALWAYS have an electric blanket. Thanks for the shopping trip Chani, and the giggle, Millie.
Nice couch, your home looks so cozy for the winter. I have similar mild winters to yours, my house has a heat pump installed so I run that for heat during the winter with no issues. I also use thermal curtains to reduce any draft from the windows, though I need to caulk some of my windows for winter to prevent any cold air coming in.
I feel happy when I sit under the kotatsu, eat the hotpot, and finally add the udon noodles to the hotpot. How about driving around the Ise-Shima Peninsula during your winter vacation?
I have a drier here in the US but I rarely use it because it uses a lot of energy and you can actually see how the electric meter speeds up and it really shows on the bill. To expensive so you really do save a lot going to the laundrymat. Here in southern Arizona I can hang the laundry outside all year around.
Ceramic heaters tend to be energy efficient and are considered to be quite safe. Be sure you get one with an auto shut off if it gets tipped over. And it is important to be careful to plug it into its own circuit. In other words, you don’t want to pair it with any other item that draws a lot of electricity because that can cause an overload that will shut off your power.
Hello hello , I hope that you are doing well . Be aware please of the electrical carpet , it may cause sometimes fire (overheating) . Keep safe and happy ❤
Far Infrared Heaters are incredibly efficient if you only want to heat a single space, but if you can collect firewood locally a log burner can heat a house.
I love your bubble wrap window cover! I'm not sure that we have something like that here in California, but maybe I can just tape regular bubble wrap to my windows?? The only thing I can think of to add: I put a draft"dodger" across the bottom of doorways. It's like a tube of fabric filled with polyester stuffing that lays against the bottom of doors to the outside to keep cold from coming in. Millie might be less destructive if you have interactive toys and get her energy out at least once a day playing hard. -But maybe you are already doing that! If she is food motivated there are toys that you can put treats in but that only release food when the cat plays with them. My cats love "cat TV" We have a tall cat tree by some windows. Good luck!
We use a blanket sheets by Berkshire. The sets have a fitted, flat, pillow cases and feel amazingly cozy. Small ceramic heaters work well. You’ve given me some great insulation ideas. Love the sofa and Millie’s reaction to the winter carpet!❤
Thanks for sharing your tips for staying cosy in winter. I saw that type of window insulation for sale at Daiso here in NZ so was interested to see how it was applied. Your new sofa looks really nice & will hopefully be Millie proof! I’m looking forward to seeing your camping trip next week.
Quel plaisir de vous voir vous preparer pour passer un hiver chaud et confortable ! Pouvez vous mettre les liens de ces produits si on peut les trouver en ligne ? Merci 🙏Je me projette tellement vivre au Japon, c est vraiment mon projet🤞, et vous m inspirez beaucoup. Et en même temps je progresse un peu en anglais en vous écoutant ! Merci pour votre vidéo, j adore! La neige est arrivée chez nous en France dans certaines régions.
You always do something to refresh the house, I like that also those hacks are really good and hot soup keeps you warm for ages , enjoyed the video so much thanks Chani
Eating the same meal for a few days also means not having to cook for a few days haha which is great. I could eat Spag Bog all day every day with a few variations thrown in....some great winter warming tips there, かんぱい 👍
Hello from Tampa Bay Florida! As you might expect, I don’t have a lot of ideas to add about staying warm……our AC system is configured for maximum cooling, it has what they call a “heat strip” that serves as a heating element, but it is costly to run on those few days that we might need it. Instead we bundle up and use a few small space heaters in the areas of our home that we spend significant time in. Love, love, love your videos. I am living vicariously through your adventures! Thank you for sharing.
I always look forward to your videos. Making your way as a westerner in Japan is so interesting because, as an American, I can identify with your tastes and customs. I recall those kerosene heaters that you mention as having been somewhat popular in this country for a period in the 1980s. I had one myself. Yes, they could be a bit smelly and refilling them with kerosene could get messy. I don’t miss having one!
Using AC for heating is the most cost efficient in Japan. Ceramic fan heaters, radient heaters and radiator type oil heaters can increase your denki cost by a lot (20-30%)
I have started putting up different curtains for summer and winter too, but I need to try some of your other hacks. I live in California and my city is 38-43C/100-110F in summer and often -1C/30F in winter. It's not even as cold as it's going to get yet, and my feet are always freezing! I'm going to try some of those individual heating packs in my slippers.
Japanese are very clever when it comes to improving consumer goods like this. Especially making stuff compact. I didn’t know the bubble wrap hack either. Very cool.
Mini splits are super efficient, so it should be better to run that. However if you only want to heat yourself or a targeted area then a halogen heater is better.
I love Japanese customer service. It's world class ☺️. In winter, I find that ceramic heaters work best and are economical as well. I also wear a thermal, long sleeve vest and a must buy are thermal leggings and thermal boot slippers (which I got from Amazon). I like Japanese hacks. Is it still Autumn over there (leafs on trees)? Best wishes to you and Miss Millie 😻🐾🫶
A beautiful white sofa! Can I ask How it is going to be a cat proof sofa? I’m really curious 🧐 🤔🤔 It was so funny to see Millie jumping sideways like that because my cat does exactly the same! I thought my cat was the only one who did that 🤭😀😂
I'm still blowen away by how good your Japanese is, wow! It really does make a big difference being immersed in the culture vs. Just learning on your own in another country (US). Teaching myself Japanese with a few good apps right now. My dream that I want to make a reality is to go back to Japan to spend a few weeks. I want to be able to speak as much as possible before I do.❤
❄More info on Japanese Winter Hacks ❄on the Blog: www.chanijapan.com/ 🇯🇵Let me know if you have any suggestions for a good inside heater? Or should I just use the split system aircon?
Oil filled electric radiator
I live in a giant house by myself, so heating isn't just expensive, it's silly (I only stay in certain rooms). While i like it cold, I focus on slippers and heavy robe to move around the cold house. In the past, I used an electric heater - always on the floor, so the heat rises and fills the room, rather than stick around the ceiling. Some pretty nice ones w/timers out there (not sure about Japan though).
I am a big fan of the oil-filled radiators. They're extremely safe, they are very effective, and quite energy efficient. I had one I loved but in my new apartment, the baseboard heaters work well enough. I gave my oil-filled radiator to a friend who is living in a chilly basement apartment. I love your blogs! Millie is adorable. Cheers!
That's some top notch customer service from the delivery guys. And you gotta love that friendly next door vibe of Kansai from that delivery obachan!
The delivery lady is super cute and the interaction with her and the guys was also so sweet ❤ She’s been to my house a lot. I could almost invite her in 😂
Millie’s little zoomie is the best!
😽she looked like a rabbit
The customer service in Japan is 2nd to none, love Japan!! it's so much better than other countries.
I have lived in cold places so I do have some tips! For bedding, I still sleep with regular sheets in winter, but I layer blankets on top. It's easier to wash the sheets regularly, then the blankets don't need to be washed often, maybe once per season. I do use an electric fitted sheet instead of an electric blanket, I think they're a little easier to manage.
For clothes, I have wool socks that I often layer over my normal socks. If it's really cold, some thermals under your pants/shirt helps (I like Cuddl Duds or Uniqlo Heattech). Scarves can really help also. Its cheaper to insulate your body than heat your whole house! I also drink a lot more hot tea in the winter to warm up.
omg , i wish all delivery people were the same. That's one thing about Japan that rocks my world and that is their work ethic, it's brilliant.
5:54! 😁 Funny! Stay warm!
The delivery men are excellent! Such good service ❤
You can stick a WiFi switch on the electric blanket and switch it on via your phone 15 minutes before you go to bed. The blankets themselves run at 30W full power so no need to skimp. I really love mine for the minimal cost. You can also get smaller ones to sit on on the sofa - again 30W or so to keep you warm in the living room without firing up the carpet. I'm currently looking at internal secondary windows for a few thousand yen to try before I replace my single pane window glass.
Consider a ceramic heater. This is a very eficient heater that uses less electricity due to the fact that the ceramic elements retain heat. They are very portable and can be moved from room to room.
I LOVE sleeping in the cold. It helps me sleep better!
Chani, where are your Ugg boots? In Northern California, where our older homes also don't have insulation like Japanese houses, many of us wear your Aussie brand boots indoors and we are never cold, even when it drops down to just above freezing. Some of us have *more* than one pair, depending on how cold it is and where we are (the beach or snowboarding up in the mountains). In the US, we pay hundreds for your Aussie shearling boots. I have a short pair for inside the house, a medium pair for wearing around town when it's cold out, and a tall pair to wear up in the mountains after snowboarding or when camping. It's hard to be cold wearing Uggs.
For your new sofa/couch, you can purchase an electric throw blanket. I usually get mine at Costco, but Amazon has them, as well.
For your bed, I use what is called a heated mattress pad. It fits on your mattress like a fitted sheet, but it's got thin wires running through the part you lie on similar to a heating pad or electric blanket.The adjustable dial allows you to turn the heat up or down as needed. You turn it on before you get in the bed, and one you crawl into a warm bed on a cold night, you will be hard pressed to ever get in bed again without it.
Oil filled radiator heaters are the best imo. Peace of mind that it won't start a fire and it's easy to keep a temperature without getting too hot
In case of heaters, infrared panels are said to be the best (price/heat), they are a bit bigger, but can go on the wall or ceiling. Mine is just standing on little feet and can be taken to whereever I want it. Best heat I ever had and within the past 40 years, we tried a lot. Greetings from snowy Germany!
I have never heard of that before. I will look into it.
infrared sounds so nice but so expensive aswell :)
@@ChaniJapan They work like sunshine, they don`t heat the air but your couch, floor, whatever is around. They are perfect for rooms that haven`t got the best insulation, or for shops that have doors that open and close all the time. They make no noise and create no more airflow than sunshine, but take half a hour to get a room from cold to cozy, so a timer is usefull. Mine is a 550 W panel I got for 55 Euros, easily good enough for 5x5 m rooms. Right now I have changed to central heating, I have floor heating through water, which is one of the nicest heats you could get in Germany and it doesn`t feel much different then the heat from the infrared panel.
Uniqlo Heatech thermals every day to stop the cold getting into your body. There are different fabrics available, they really do help with preventing colds.
i wear wool tshirts made from merino sheep, u can wear them under ur regular clothes aswell. there are diffrent brands out there but they are all equally expensive, but it is something i recommend aswell cuz it does work. and u dont have to wash wool often u can just hang them to dry and its fresh clothes again. its a no brainer really saves on laundry costs and effort
There’s no heater more efficient than a split system.
They are more than 100% efficient which no other type of heater can achieve.
I think you’ll find that after you’ve insulated your windows, if you run the split systems on a low fan speed (the fan is the most power hungry part), you’ll find them pretty cheap to run.
Halogen heaters are quite common in Greece. They're fine but they are very energy hungry. One of the least efficient ways to keep warm but they do deliver strong heat instantly
Millie is super super cute ! So lovely to watch her in your videos !!
I love Japanese nabe dishes. Especially sukiyaki nabe and also seachicken(tuna) hakusai nabe with ponzu.🤤
The staying warm tips are interesting, especially the under carpet heater. When cooing those one pot meals you can also take some into work and reheat it. I've seen people make the broth separately and pour it into ice cube trays so that they can only use as much as they need for each meal or day.
As a heating suggestion I use a oil filled radiator. They are one of the cheapest heaters to run as well as being noiseless. Unlike a lot of other types of heaters you can get one with with a thermostat so you can choose the temperature you want it to turn off/on which makes them safer as well. A lot of the other types of heaters I worry about fire safety, especially having pets that may knock them over.
Hello Chani,
I am from Costa Rica and I will let you know that I consider you my friend from abroad, this comes from my appreciation of your real life, matter fact content, no facades, no bs, no hiding your mistakes nor embellishing anything, down to earth personality that makes me feel warm as if you are my friend looking out for me showing me the little tricks and experiences that helped you and may be valuable to me.
I am 36 years old and hope to move to Japan with my girlfriend in the future once I arrange my financial life, my goal is to be able to move to Japan and not have to work plus have enough money to pay for an intensive Japanese course that could facilitate applying for a student's visa, I am also planning to purchase real estate to rent to tenants as well as living there myself, hopefully this could also facilitate applying for a business manager's visa if I create an LLC and use that income as my salary, don't know how possible this one is but one can dream.
Keep up the good work and thank you for everything.
Miss the excellent customer service we got in Japan. Loved Millie hopping around on the new cozy carpet!
I had a nice experience with the kotatsu decades ago when I visited Kyushu (Yame-shi) and stayed in an old, traditional Japanese house (complete with a thatched roof!). All floors were tatami (except for the kitchen, bath and "western room". Warmed by a deep, immersive bath we then sat at the kotatsu and had tea and traditional Japanese sweets (sweet bean sandwiched small "pancakes"- I forget the Japanese word for it). I stayed warm and comfy for HOURS! What a memorable experience! The kotatsu can be very effective!
Dorayaki?
Pretty warm here in Melbourne today and tomorrow. Top of 35c 🥵
It’ll be a very hot summer 🌞
😢 yes same here in western nsw
Living in sweden, here are a few things besides just adding more layers of clothes; A semi-portable burner. We can buy fairly cheaply ethanol-based stoves/burners that will heat a room real cheap and if it's a small house even the entire hosue. It has no emissions since it fully burns the ethanol. Also electric blankets, basically the same as your heated mat, but you can set the heat levels and take it with you wherever you are in the house.
By-products are carbon dioxide and water so you do need to ventilate the area you are burning ethanol in.
Chani love your videos..........Customer service in Japan is amazing they are so kind and caring people wow
When i was a kid living a drafting house in one of the few cold places in Australia i would always put a blanket on my bed instead of a sheet and have a quilt as well. I was nice and toasty. Nice to see i wasn't the only one who does that.
We have done that too!
I use bubble wrap for my large conservatory doors and it works a treat. I would also recommend getting an electric throw (not blanket) to put over the back of your lovely new sofa (hope it survives Millie's claws 🤣)and have it on a nice low heat that warms your back, and you can also bring it over you and wrap yourself in it if you want to feel more cosy. Also, as has already been suggested, definitely get a slow cooker - you can put everything in it and go off to work/play and when you come home, you will have a nice hot meal waiting for you. I also have an Instant Pot, which I love because you can do everything in it. Love Millie's mad moment 🤣🤣.
I live in the states and just bought a haramaki from Japan on eBay to wear (basically a sweater for your belly.) I love it 😆 Plus it’s really cute with an owl pattern 🦉🦉
I love Japanese made thermal underwear. They are super well made, warm, and thin. Awesome buys!
Hi Chani, I really enjoyed this episode, and I love your new sofa! As for warmth in winter, as a Canadian who grew up in Northern Canada, the best winter hack for me is warm, cozy sweaters, and comfy, cozy slippers -- I prefer wool and cotton blends (they help prevent sweating!); we also use wool and down duvets; as for heaters, we're thankful to have energy-efficient natural gas furnaces here, that heat the whole house, but some of our rooms are colder than others -- we recently purchased a space heater for our daughter's room -- it looks like those old fashioned radiant water heaters you see in old homes, but it's narrower and it's on wheels -- it also has multifunction settings; it keeps her north-facing room nice and warm. What is the coldest it gets in your region in the winter? We've had mild winters here lately, but the minus 20s to minus 30s is average in the dead of winter here. (p.s. Milly is the sweetest little companion -- I wish I had a Milly😊)
Keeping your feet warm is crucial in staying warm overall. Consider getting double layered socks with plush inside and knitting on the outside. Also house shoes with a really thick rubber sole work well
People used to put plastic on their windows in the United States back in the day to keep the cold out. It was a heavy duty plastic that you sealed on with a heat gun. Not sure if people still do this, but it's similiar to the bubble wrap. I also love that you cooked for this video.
The heat pump of the air conditioner is probably the most efficient.
Hope you’re warm and comfy over winter with your new set up.
こたつを買えば良いのに! ホットカーペットや電気ヒーターより経済的ですよ。
あと、キムチ鍋には大根やじゃがいも、豆腐をいれると美味しいです。残った汁(スープ)にご飯をいれて食べると美味しいですよ。
コタツが大好きなんだけど、出られないんですよ🤣
@@ChaniJapan I too have the exact same problem!
We use flannel sheets. Made out of cotton. Very nice and warm for the winter.
When I was living as a single in Japan, I would also cook for myself and eat leftovers for a few days. I just cooked Japanese cream stew from scratch tonight. There are no boxed rues here, so I make it with ingredients like cream cheese, butter, flour, and milk.
You've reminded me to get feet warmers! Millies adorable!! Soup looks delish! Looking forward to the camping gear!
My brother has 2 cats and a dog, for a space heater he uses a wood cabinet infrared quartz electric space heater. They cost around $100 USD but they don't have any exposed heating elements and the outside surface of the cabinet remains cool to the touch making them safe for pets.
Thanks for the tip! I’ll look into that.
The bulk cooking will always save you money, there's just myself and my eldest son most days so we cook three and four person meals and freeze the rest for another day. If my other son is here too we save less but they soon add up. Of the foot warmers that you showed, I believe that BY LAW you should purchase the ones with the Kangaroo and Joey on them. It must be done! Love the videos, some fun, some information, and a little sight-seeing into the mix. And Millie of course...
Really good information about keeping warm ❤
I love oil bath radiators. Lovely radiating heat.
your videos are a treat ☺
Those delivery guys are awesome.
The best❤️
@@ChaniJapan Absolutely amazing! I remember replacing a washing machine in Paris - they dragged it THROUGH MY LIVING ROOM ON TRAILER, and on their way back with my old washing machine they released the wringing hose that splashed all the rest of dirty water on my couch. Not even a word of excuse.
The next time (about 6 years later) I decided to be firm and told the guys not to enter with the trailer and to be careful. Their reaction? They instantly turned away, saying if you want your washing machine, behave or we'll just leave right now. Service à la français.
What a coincidence! I ate Kimuchi-nabe for literally my dinner today,too lol With lots of mushrooms, veggies,pork and chicken. That made me feel like Yes, it’s winter now. 鍋の季節だぁ〜w
Oh what a coincidence. I love nabe, it’s the perfect comfort food for winter!
Am using, firewood, hot water bottles and bed covers from goose feathers here in Germany.
I use the same size hot blanket in my Kei camper. It’s a winter camping game changer and almost feels like cheating.
Heated throw on sofa is very cheap to run, fleece pjs and a fleece onesie, heated mattress protector, hot water bottle, sheepskin Slippers, thermal underwear, cashmere/wool.jumpers, fingerless gloves. Airfryers are really popular in the UK as very cheap to run and cook food quickly.
Great tips!
Hey Chani, another super enjoyable vlog! Millie is the star in it! She made me smile with her "kangaroo" style hopping. (My Tiger Lily does it sometimes too.) Thanks for the winter hacks. BTW, in 2020 I figured it out that my bed is much warmer with fleece blankets instead of regular sheets and I am using them since. And I keep admiring the fantastic customer service in Japan. Congrats on your new sofa. It is fabulous! Julia & Tiger Lily 🐾🐾
I've thoroughly enjoyed watching all of your videos-they're absolutely captivating! 😊
In Hungary, we place great emphasis on proper insulation for our homes. Walls are typically insulated with layers ranging from 10 to 20 centimeters thick, while ceilings often feature insulation up to 30 centimeters thick. Additionally, we favor multi-chamber windows with triple glazing to ensure optimal energy efficiency. The combination of robust wall construction and high-quality insulation helps to retain warmth effectively during our cold winters.
Insulation would certainly make a big difference.
I’m impressed with those hacks for winter. Never even thought of those ! Ps. The soup looks delicious 😊 and the service of the delivery people in Japan still blows my mind
Those delivery guys are the best! 👍
My heating tips for spaces without central air/heat: Multiple blankets on the beds. Doors/curtains between places you want to keep the heat in, keeping in mind heat rises. Fans, yeah it seems weird but circulating that heat off the ceiling will help, just turn them up enough to move the air around. The window curtains are awesome. Make sure you keep heat in your areas with water so that the pipes don't decide to freeze. I also keep small blankets on the couch and areas where I want to keep warm. I've also seen some folks have a shoji door between the genkan and the rest of the house as an extra barrier and sort of 'air lock', but these were mostly more north or in the mountains.
😅Milli 😂❤❤ qué salto 😅 así juegan, es normal cuando estan happy 😊. Me gustó el tip de la alfombra 😊.
Y de las ventanas, genial. ❤ gracias por estar y por tus creaciones, reconforta tú compañía.
Ten un agradable noviembre
Saludos 🤗 🤗
I am happy you liked the tips! 😊
Buy and install a Maki Stove and collect wood during the Spring, Summer, and Fall.
Get a dehumidifier...with a dry interior the heating requirements are less. Damp air is harder to heat. Bonus is that a dehumidifier can dry your clothes if you have them on an indoor rack as well.
Hi Chani,
I love the new winter look.
Millie is curious about the warm floor carpet 😊.
I'm gonna borrow the idea of bubble wrap winter hack.
Thank you for sharing.
Did you ever have a door snake when you were a kid? This long skinny thing stuffed with something heavy and soft goes at the bottom of a drafty door and really makes a difference to the warmth of a room. I would go around my house and look for other places where drafts are coming in that you might not be aware of, like around the windows and electrical outlets, and block those somehow. I didn't know you were from Queensland! I am too!
We did have a snake!
@@ChaniJapan on Benita Larson's old blog she sewed white snakes to put on the windowsill in Sweden to blocks the draughts and it blended in nicely, one hardly noticed it. She would also make little square beanbags for her Kitties to sit on the windowsill and watch the world go by. We know all about cold winters in rural Victoria!😊 Ugg boots is the way to go!
Hi Chani, if you have a 2nd Street outlet nearby consider going there for your heater. We have purchased our Dyson vacuum and heater there VERY cost effectively. They had damaged packaging but were brand new.
Thanks for the great tips and hacks. We in the west take all things for granted, we have heat in the winter and kinda abuse it. in other places like Japan older Akiya's don't have central heating and even none at all, I've only seen a cooking area in the centre of the house for heat and cooking. Using heating also dries the surrounding area too, When I do turn on heat its like mild warm and not too hot but also put a glass of water to put back some moisture in the air.
Hi Chani and Millie! We just had our first snowfall in Indiana yesterday, about two inches. I snuggled up in a blanket with tea and cookies. Your warming hacks were quite interesting. You should have a great winter season! Your tomodachi in Indiana, June
When we had days without electricity in South Africa, I used a 9kg heater on wheels with a gas cylinder - warmed the house instantly. Then, a butane single plate camper stove to cook everything from fry-ups to Japanese dishes and stews. Also handy to take camping. Saves a mint boiling the kettle too.
Love the no-sheets idea, and ALWAYS have an electric blanket. Thanks for the shopping trip Chani, and the giggle, Millie.
Nice couch, your home looks so cozy for the winter. I have similar mild winters to yours, my house has a heat pump installed so I run that for heat during the winter with no issues. I also use thermal curtains to reduce any draft from the windows, though I need to caulk some of my windows for winter to prevent any cold air coming in.
Now I understand why a lot of locals were visiting the coin laundry only to use the dryers while I was there.
I feel happy when I sit under the kotatsu, eat the hotpot, and finally add the udon noodles to the hotpot. How about driving around the Ise-Shima Peninsula during your winter vacation?
I have a drier here in the US but I rarely use it because it uses a lot of energy and you can actually see how the electric meter speeds up and it really shows on the bill. To expensive so you really do save a lot going to the laundrymat. Here in southern Arizona I can hang the laundry outside all year around.
So fascinating to see the day to day activities of life in Japan and how you’re adjusting.
Using a slow cooker over winter is very economical. You can feed a family for a few days this way.
Great video, I miss the food in Japan and how easy it is and cheap. Looking forward to going back in April 💛
April is a great time to go to Japan!
Ceramic heaters tend to be energy efficient and are considered to be quite safe. Be sure you get one with an auto shut off if it gets tipped over. And it is important to be careful to plug it into its own circuit. In other words, you don’t want to pair it with any other item that draws a lot of electricity because that can cause an overload that will shut off your power.
@8:06 best sofa pun ever
This sofa is like a dream come true!
Cat proof 😽
Hello hello , I hope that you are doing well . Be aware please of the electrical carpet , it may cause sometimes fire (overheating) . Keep safe and happy ❤
Far Infrared Heaters are incredibly efficient if you only want to heat a single space, but if you can collect firewood locally a log burner can heat a house.
For heating i use an oil-filled radiator. It runs on electricity, is completely silent, and warms a small room well.
That sounds like a great idea!
I love your bubble wrap window cover! I'm not sure that we have something like that here in California, but maybe I can just tape regular bubble wrap to my windows?? The only thing I can think of to add: I put a draft"dodger" across the bottom of doorways. It's like a tube of fabric filled with polyester stuffing that lays against the bottom of doors to the outside to keep cold from coming in. Millie might be less destructive if you have interactive toys and get her energy out at least once a day playing hard. -But maybe you are already doing that! If she is food motivated there are toys that you can put treats in but that only release food when the cat plays with them. My cats love "cat TV" We have a tall cat tree by some windows. Good luck!
We use a blanket sheets by Berkshire. The sets have a fitted, flat, pillow cases and feel amazingly cozy. Small ceramic heaters work well. You’ve given me some great insulation ideas. Love the sofa and Millie’s reaction to the winter carpet!❤
Thanks for sharing your tips for staying cosy in winter. I saw that type of window insulation for sale at Daiso here in NZ so was interested to see how it was applied. Your new sofa looks really nice & will hopefully be Millie proof! I’m looking forward to seeing your camping trip next week.
Millie is so cute! That little hop! When it gets really cold, I wear pajamas made of that silky material that you mentioned.
The living room looks so cozy now! Hope all the prep really does keep it toasty for you.
Quel plaisir de vous voir vous preparer pour passer un hiver chaud et confortable ! Pouvez vous mettre les liens de ces produits si on peut les trouver en ligne ? Merci 🙏Je me projette tellement vivre au Japon, c est vraiment mon projet🤞, et vous m inspirez beaucoup. Et en même temps je progresse un peu en anglais en vous écoutant ! Merci pour votre vidéo, j adore! La neige est arrivée chez nous en France dans certaines régions.
😮😮😮 j'adore la langue française
🙏@@MidoriMUeno
You always do something to refresh the house, I like that also those hacks are really good and hot soup keeps you warm for ages , enjoyed the video so much thanks Chani
Eating the same meal for a few days also means not having to cook for a few days haha which is great. I could eat Spag Bog all day every day with a few variations thrown in....some great winter warming tips there, かんぱい 👍
Do to financial reasons I had to pausing learning Japanese, but I will start up again.
How gracious your delivery experience! 🙏🏼
Your "prison apron" is very cute and suits you well :)
Hello from Tampa Bay Florida! As you might expect, I don’t have a lot of ideas to add about staying warm……our AC system is configured for maximum cooling, it has what they call a “heat strip” that serves as a heating element, but it is costly to run on those few days that we might need it. Instead we bundle up and use a few small space heaters in the areas of our home that we spend significant time in. Love, love, love your videos. I am living vicariously through your adventures! Thank you for sharing.
I always look forward to your videos. Making your way as a westerner in Japan is so interesting because, as an American, I can identify with your tastes and customs.
I recall those kerosene heaters that you mention as having been somewhat popular in this country for a period in the 1980s. I had one myself. Yes, they could be a bit smelly and refilling them with kerosene could get messy. I don’t miss having one!
I love watching how Japanese companies provide such amazing service! We loved that when we visited (and miss it now that we’re back in the USA!)
Love the jump! Lol so cute😂❤We have a very similar couch from Nitori as well. Its so hard to get out of once you sit on it😊Have a warm cozy winter ❤
I'm using an oil radiator heater right now. They just plug into the outlet and radiate heat quietly!
Using AC for heating is the most cost efficient in Japan. Ceramic fan heaters, radient heaters and radiator type oil heaters can increase your denki cost by a lot (20-30%)
I have started putting up different curtains for summer and winter too, but I need to try some of your other hacks. I live in California and my city is 38-43C/100-110F in summer and often -1C/30F in winter. It's not even as cold as it's going to get yet, and my feet are always freezing! I'm going to try some of those individual heating packs in my slippers.
Japanese are very clever when it comes to improving consumer goods like this. Especially making stuff compact. I didn’t know the bubble wrap hack either. Very cool.
Mini splits are super efficient, so it should be better to run that. However if you only want to heat yourself or a targeted area then a halogen heater is better.
I hope you're going to be nice and cozy this winter now, such outstanding customer service too.
Thanks Chani and Millie 💜
I love Japanese customer service. It's world class ☺️. In winter, I find that ceramic heaters work best and are economical as well. I also wear a thermal, long sleeve vest and a must buy are thermal leggings and thermal boot slippers (which I got from Amazon). I like Japanese hacks. Is it still Autumn over there (leafs on trees)? Best wishes to you and Miss Millie 😻🐾🫶
The leaves are just turning now. It’s starting to be very beautiful ❤️
A beautiful white sofa! Can I ask How it is going to be a cat proof sofa? I’m really curious 🧐 🤔🤔 It was so funny to see Millie jumping sideways like that because my cat does exactly the same! I thought my cat was the only one who did that 🤭😀😂
I'm still blowen away by how good your Japanese is, wow! It really does make a big difference being immersed in the culture vs. Just learning on your own in another country (US). Teaching myself Japanese with a few good apps right now. My dream that I want to make a reality is to go back to Japan to spend a few weeks. I want to be able to speak as much as possible before I do.❤