It’s no secret. I am not the biggest fan of winter. As someone who is always cold, the winter months make me never want to leave the house. The snow tracks in dirty wet messes on the floors which I inevitably step in with my sock feet. My mood and productivity level always slump during the winter as the dark sets in earlier and earlier. Bah humbug.

This winter I’m doing all I can to make the most of the season. That includes incorporating all things cozy in my house. Right now, instead of working at my desk like I normally would, I’ve pulled up a chair by the fire, poured my favorite drink, put a yummy scent in the diffuser, and am snuggled in a blanket while I write this blog post. Below are things that I consider “cozy” around my house.

LIGHTS
It hit me as I was taking down the fun twinkly Christmas lights. Why do we remove all of the lights, twinkle and sparkle just as the dreariest, coldest most depressing time of the year sets in? Who made that rule? I’m a rule follower, so I did take it all down on New Year’s Day but I miss it. In it’s absence, I add cozy light in other ways with lamps, picture lights, night lights, my favorite marquee “B” and mini fairy string lights. I always opt for warm lightbulb options. Candles are another light option. Real or battery-operated – both add a cozy feel.

SCENTS
I have always been a fan of a good smelling candle or diffuser. I almost always have a candle burning if I’m working at my desk and have diffusers scattered throughout the house. I have a favorite candle scent per season. Winter = chocolate. Spring = lemon. Summer = peach bellini. Fall = leaves. Christmas = candy cane. My favorite essential oils include peppermint, vanilla, Christmas spirit (all year long), cinnamon, orange and lemon. The diffusers around the house not only smell good, they add humidity in the house during the dry winter months and help keep my plants happy.

PLANTS
I am a plant momma of many. I especially appreciate them in the winter as they add color and life to the house amongst the gray outside. Another bonus of live plants is the improved air quality they provide. If you don’t have a green thumb, artificial plants work just as well to add color and coziness throughout the house. Fresh flowers help to brighten the days.

TEXTILES
Give me all the blankets, pillows, faux furs and rugs in the winter. Use rugs to warm up cold floors. Layer a rug over carpet to add a touch of color. Use faux fur pelts to soften a brick fireplace, dress up the back of a chair or toss across an ottoman or large coffee table. My newest trick for fur pelts are to put them on the couch. In our house, the dogs are people, too. They think they are above lying on the floor. The furs on the couch help keep dirt off the light colored couch.

There is no such thing as too many pillows on the couch or bed in my opinion. I know others of the male variety may not agree but to each their own. I also like to have many throw blanket options available around the house. My favorite tip is to place a basket next to the couch filled with blankets. They can be grabbed easily and don’t have to be folded once the family is done using them which makes it easier to guarantee they get put away afterward. Or add a coat rack or wall hooks to hang blankets. They double as cute decor when not in use. I also have a heated throw blanket for extra cozy movie nights.

FIREPLACE
Even if you don’t have an actual wood burning or gas fireplace, there are still options. Electric versions can be built into walls. In fact, building one into the master bedroom wall is on the long list of remodel projects around our house. There are portable fireplace options, as well as a cute fireplace heater linked below currently under $70. There are even crackling fireplace options through youTube for smart TVs.

MIRRORS
Mirrors aren’t just for looking at yourself (or avoiding). They help reflect light, even on gloomy days, and make small rooms look bigger. Do you know what else is made of mirrors? DISCO BALLS! Walk into a room with dots of light reflecting off the walls and ceiling from a disco ball and try not to smile. I promise you, disco balls will make you happy.

BOOKS
Create a cozy reading spot somewhere in the house. My spot is the black chair and ottoman in the front room. Stack books next to a comfy chair. Use books as decor by stacking them and placing a plant or candle on top. Pull those recipe books out of the cabinet and display them on the counter.

PHOTOS
What is gives a more cozy feeling than walking by a photo and seeing your loved ones or memories of places traveled? Hang larger photos on the wall, create a collage wall in a hallway or stairway, place small framed prints on a console table or desk, pin snapshots on a bulletin board. Choose photos of loved ones, pets, heirloom photos of family, vacations, nature, houses past or present. If you love it, display it!

HEIRLOOM / VINTAGE TOUCHES
Nothing gives me a warmer feeling than walking by the heirloom pieces I’ve been handed down from family over the years. My grandparent’s china cabinet filled with grandma’s china and glassware that I use for family dinners. My aunt’s buffet and dinning table and chairs. Grandpa’s antique dresser. Great-grandma’s rocking chair. Vintage perfume bottles. Old rolling pins. The memories they bring each time I walk by warm my heart. Even if you’re more of a “new” person, a few vintage touches help make a house a more interesting home.

WOOD
Wood tones can help warm up a rooms. Furniture, cutting boards, a wooden spoon or rolling pin collection, trays, bowls, even a stack of firewood can add coziness. (Yes, my fireplace is gas.)

BACKGROUND NOISE
Cheer up your blah mood with music playing in the background. Even better – play it through a retro bluetooth speaker or a record player. Relax with refreshing sounds from a sound machine.

WALLPAPER
Add warmth, texture, style and fun with removable wallpaper. Cozy up a nook or closet with a pattern you wouldn’t normally try in an entire room. Add character with a wallpapered accent wall. The new varieties of peel and stick wallpaper make it easy to change it up as often as you get the itch.

BEDDING
Winter is my excuse to pile on the layers on the bed. If you’re a cold sleeper, add flannel sheets. Find a cozy bedspread and then layer on a duvet cover folded down to show the bedspread. Add a blanket or two folded across the bottom of the bed. Then pile on the pillows.

SPOIL YOURSELF
Get yourself a plush robe and comfy slippers. Stop using those 15 year old thin towels (Christy) and get soft, plush new towels. Then get a towel warmer to heat said towels before you get in a hot bubble bath. Install a heated exhaust fan to keep the bathroom toasty warm while bathing/showering. Treat yourself to a foot spa with heat, bubble and vibrating options. Eliminate a cold chill by warming a microwave heat pad and placing it on your lap. Whatever it takes this winter, cozy is the name of the game.

If you follow along on my Instagram, @itsme_christyB, I created this little video of a few of the simple ideas for a cozy winter home. I would love for you to follow along with me there, too.

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