“I’m cold. Can we turn on the fan?”
“No, I’m hot.”
“Mom, can we turn off the fan?”
Such conversation used to be heard around our household. With my girls getting cold so easily and my son warm as can be, we needed a solution as we cannot have the heat and the air conditioner going at the same time. 😉
Since we keep our thermostat set around 70 during the summer, we use ceiling fans to cool the rooms when it gets too warm. In the winter, we keep our thermostat set around 68 to take the chill out of the air. If one gets cold, then she can go to the stack of accessible blankets in our living room kept year round.
Benefits of Accessible Blankets
The blessing of this stack of blankets is immediate access for chilly moments. When one gets cold, she just gets a blanket. No need to come ask or interrupt mom making dinner or assisting with homework to find a covering for her. Having the blankets accessible meets my family’s needs and saves me time.
Multiple Uses for Accessible Blankets
Besides a covering, these blankets offer hours of play. A few of our favorite uses include:
- Building tents/clubhouses
- Rides down the hallway
- Carrier for their toys – where the toys are wrapped up inside
- Dress up – blankets make great capes
- Puppet show prop
Having a stack of blankets gives my children a creative outlet. They invent games and play with the blankets in ways they do not do with their other toys.
Downfall to Accessible Blankets
As with all great ideas, there is a pitfall. Our blankets are not always found neatly folded. As my children play, they try to put them back, but their folding skills are not quite developed. So, the blankets are either in a rolled up heap crammed under the white board, or they are in a pile on the side.
I do not fold these every day, but I usually re-fold them a couple times a week. It just looks better when they are folded and put away.
One solution to this pitfall is to use a window seat or similar furniture piece that opens from the top. Then the blankets could go in and the cover replaced – out of sight, but available when needed.
We don’t currently have one of these pieces, and we don’t need it at this time. It is just a suggestion, and something to keep in mind.
Having accessible blankets is a comfort in our home. Besides quickly wrapping up on a brisk fall afternoon, we use our blankets to have fun.
In building relationship by playing together, our family uses blankets. Yes, it is an obstacle to move out of the way when they are piled in a heap, but the benefits far outweigh the inconvenience. Happy comforting!
Question: What are some comforts of your home?