Pulling on a thick-ish jumper and a coat before we leave the house, we’re pretty sure we’ve seen the back of summer for another year now. The trees have begun letting go of their golden leaves, the days have gotten shorter, the time before bedtime seems to stretch out without any end in sight and the heating is on (even if it’s just for a couple of hours each morning). That’s not to say we don’t love fall and winter because we do, we really, really do. But there is still a transition period where we miss the longer days and warmer weather and have to get used to the colder, cosier months. Like everyone else, we’ll soon be smiling from ear to ear, tucked under a tartan blanket with a steaming hot cuppa cocoa. Right now, though, staying in a chipper and chirpy mood during these dark and dreary moments is going to take a little help.
Thankfully, that’s where the fun begins to happen because there are so many ways you can start to cosy up your house and make the cold winter months your favourite time of the year. So, without further ado, here’s a list of super easy things you can start doing to make your home glow with an impossibly inviting dollop of warmth. Enjoy.
- Winter’s Are For Reading
For some, the only time they put aside for reading is that time they spend on a lounging on a cabana during their summer holidays but, for us, winter is the perfect time to snuggle up with a new book or ten. With your world getting so dark out so early, it’s so easy to fall into a habit of Netflix-binge-watching. To avoid doing this (at least every night), try making a newer, better, cosier way to spend your evenings by creating a super-comfy space that you can curl up in with the book you’ve read a dozen times already (or Netflix on your tablet). To make it perfect, chuck in loads of cushions, a nice thick blanket, a reading lamp and a shelf to pop all those little extra bits you’ll want nearby, whether that’s a hot mug of something or a glass of wine. Mmmmm.
- A Project Place
Everyone needs to get stuck into a project of some kind come the long, cold months – something that you can dip in and out of in your moments of downtime, when you’ve got a moment to yourself but don’t want to do the same old, same old. It might be that 1,000-piece puzzle you were given for Christmas six years ago, a family-game of Risk, finally organising that box of photos that’s been on your to-do list for way too long or starting to write that children’s book that’s been fizzing away in the back of your brain for a while now. It could be a corner table or a part of your kitchen counter. Either way, give this space a miss on your daily cleanups.
- Keep Your Home Warm
This may sound like such an obvious thing to say when it’s blowing a gale outside and the TV news anchors are warning of snow on its way, but you’ll be surprised and what we let slip by and ruin that sense of cosiness. So, before you start stoking the fire or turning the heating up a couple of degrees, make sure you’ve cosied up your home with some nice thick drapes, added blankets to the back of each sofa and gone around checking for gaps and drafts in your windows and doors – if they’re a little too old you may have to look into replacement windows – this is a greta opportunity for a bit of re-do too! Then, once all this stuff is done, you can get your log fire going, a move that’s hands down the most amazing way to make your home snug and comfy. Oh and, while you’re at it, try decorating your mantel with some tidbits that will make you smile.
- Have A Box Of Blankets
We’ve mentioned adding blankets a few times during this post already, but it really deserves it’s own heading because nothing will give your home a winter outfit more than a few throws dotted about the place. It’s a way to keep your thermostat on the low, snuggle up and feel fifty shades of comfortable. That said, the blanket-strewn look isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, which is why you should pop out to your favourite homeware store, buy a cute wicker basket to pop next to your favourite couch or chair and then fill it with super-soft throws. Have one for every seat so that everyone who pops by and visits can help themselves to one. It’s such a great way to cosy up to your home.
- Your Best Bathroom Move
If you’ve got a new house or you’ve built your dream abode, then you’re no doubt living your best life with some underfloor heating, meaning your feet down freak out when you pop to the bathroom in the middle of the night. However, most of us don’t have underfloor heating, meaning we have to hot-step it across the freezing cold tiles. Thankfully, though, there is a gorgeously simple way to cosy up your bathroom and that’s laying down a Persian rug in the centre. Not only will this add a sense of wow to your bathroom, but it will also make getting up on those cold, dark mornings to go for a shower a touch more pleasant.
- Layers In Your Bedroom
Of all the rooms that need a dollop of cosiness, your bedroom is definitely at the top of the list. So, if you have exposed wooden floors, start by adding a flat-weave rug, even if it’s just a small runner that can hug your side of the bed so your bare feet to squirm each morning. Once you’ve done this, try adding a canopy above your bed, or draping a piece fabric from the ceiling down past your headboard. You could even hang a pretty quilt on the wall behind your bed to create the illusion of a feature wall. Anything that adds a bit more texture will be totally perfect.
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