In the summer we open the doors in early morning to cool the house, closing them when it begins to warm up. Our two story home is cooled by a small, limping swamp cooler upstairs, so we have learned to close the shutters and blinds on the side of the house receiving sunshine and use fans to circulate the air downstairs. In the winter we receive solar heat from our greenhouse and by opening shutters and blinds to the sun. We have an efficient wood-burning stove whose warmth rises to heat the upstairs, eliminating most of the need for electrical heating. Besides, cool houses are healthier fewer bugs, germs, particulates, and gases from fuel combustion.
Silk is the warmest natural material.
Wear it next to the skin to retain warmth. It is especially good as underwear, hat, and glove linings. Wool is warm also, but the weave in silk is closer, retaining heat. Stay warm with layered clothing, socks, long-johns, a sleeping cap, and a warm blanket tucked under the mattress cover. In the winter, we often sleep outside on our deck under feather comforters with balaclavas to keep our heads and faces warm.