Do-it-yourself humidifiers that are good for your skin, your wallet, and the earth

Between the harsh weather outside and the radiator sucking all the moisture out of the air inside my house, left unchecked this time of year my skin starts to look like a crocodile's. Still, I'm not so into buying a humidifier (at the end of the day it just seems like another thing to clutter up my space-challenged New York City apartment, and besides, they can get pricey), so I've suffered through this problem for many winters-until I finally discovered two ingeniously simple, inadvertently eco, no-shopping-required solutions that have been really helpful in staving off dryness.

1. Drape a wet (not dripping, more like thoroughly damp) towel over a doorknob.

OR

2. Fill a bowl with water to place at the base of your heater.

In both instances, the water evaporates into your space, which actually dampens the air inside your house. Seriously… does it get any easier? No fussy (or expensive) machine to contend with, and no electricity required. And it's amazing how effective these methods are-after implementing them (I've tried both techniques but I usually opt for the water bowl, if only because it's a little more discreet) my skin actually feels better nourished (without having to slather on layers of lotion) and I no longer wake up every morning with a majorly parched throat.