It's not a short cut. These aren't car engines. A cold IMU calibration merely changes the discrepancy between what the IMU's temperature sensors perceive and the ambient air temp during flight.
I put my Phantom in the refrigerator (in the hot Southern summer) for 20 minutes before doing the IMU calibration on a perfectly-level kitchen table, where everything else is ready to go. Fridges are not below freezing and not humid. If you live in cooler temps., you can place it outside for a while, then bring it inside for the calibration. You don't need to chill your home to do it.
But during below-freezing winter temps, I use the fridge again, since it's just below 40 degrees, which is ideal.
During nine months of ownership, I've never had a bad flight.