‘One room living’ is how I stay warm and save money in winter

The super savings achieved from heating only one room, instead of four, five or six rooms would enable millions to stay warm this winter, without cutting back on food or other necessities, writes Donnachadh McCarthy

In winter, I wear really warm ski socks, thermal long-legged underwear and an extra-warm fleece cardigan (Getty/iStockphoto)

One room living” is a simple four-step concept that can radically reduce energy costs this winter for millions of people. For years, this is how my own energy bills have been net zero. I adopted it, not for financial reasons, but for moral ones, due to the existential climate crisis now threatening civilisational collapse.

The most important step to one room living is to heat only one room. In winter, I only heat my bedroom, which also acts as my office (I work from home), where I relax in the evening by reading or watching TV, and where I sleep at night. I have ensured that this room is comfortable and nicely decorated, so I feel happy spending my wintertime in it

When going to the bathroom, I will don an extra-warm fleece and likewise when in the kitchen, where I might also have a cosy hat. Heating a bathroom for the really short amount of time I spend in it each day, makes no sense in a climate or cost of living crisis.