The weather outside may be chilly and getting colder as each day passes racing toward winter, but that’s no reason to not have an inviting indoor space when you retreat indoors from the cold.
A cozy indoor abode can do a lot of things for our mental health. From being a great way to show ourselves self-care to providing a relaxing sanctuary on weekends and after we get home from work to relaxing and taking a load off from the day, we can all find some solace in being mindful about how our home makes us feel.
I’ve listed 13 ways to achieve this below. So read on, take a look around your own home, and see what things you can do to create a cozy space when it’s cold outside.
1. Bring the Outdoors into Your Indoor Space
A big way to bring the beauty of nature into your home to enhance the cozy feel is to welcome in seasonal natural touches of fresh evergreen branches, pinecones, and other visually inviting items. Anything fresh and aromatic will usually be a hit inside, especially in the chillier winter months.
This way. you can have elements of nature and the outdoors without the cold chill of the season. Take that special crystal vase out you received for your engagement or for that milestone birthday and put those evergreens and poinsettias on display.
2. Take Out Those Soft Cozy Sweaters
Time to get those stored cozy sweaters out of storage. (If you haven’t already!) I love an oversized soft and fuzzy sweater to keep me warm and help me feel all bundled up and cozy in the winter months. That feeling of comfort and security just adds to the coziness.
Remember to go for a fabric that doesn’t irritate any allergies or make your skin itch. You don’t want to be cozy and snuggled up and scratching constantly. There’s no fun in that!
3. Add Soft Lighting to Create a Soothing Ambience
There’s just something I love about a wood burning fireplace. Maybe it’s the way the logs crackle at just the perfect time, or how the flames dance together so fluidly, or how the soft light from the fire itself creates such a warm and welcoming ambiance inside.
Maybe it’s the scent of the logs brought in fresh from the outdoors with that wintry hardwood aroma. Maybe it’s all of these things. A fire seems to create an environment that is unique and cozy unlike anything else.
Dim lighting can also add to the relaxed feel of a warm and inviting space. Try tiny string lights for something not as natural as a fire, but just as inviting. If you can find those that come with their own battery pack, you won’t have to worry about electrical cords getting in the way or ruining the appearance of the look of the lights.
If you do decide to use traditional cords that plug into an outlet, add on a dimmer switch so you can change the lighting brightness to suit the mood you’re trying to achieve. You can always tuck the chords behind decorations or items on a mantle or wherever you’re running your lights.
Lamps can also enhance an area you are trying to bring a warm and welcoming vibe to. Try smaller dimmable lamps, or a pink Himalayan salt lamp for something different.
These beautiful pink salt Himalayan lamps are pulled from the original salt mines in Pakistan from underground mines. It is believed that these unique lighting vessels are helpful with sleeping as well as certain other health benefits. They give off a pinkish rosy glow which can help to relax you.
Candles are always helpful with setting a certain mood in any home or outdoor area. Whether you choose real candles or battery-operated versions with remote controls, either can be used and appreciated for their flickering dancing flames and relaxing appearance.
4. Get Lost in a Pile of Your Favorite Books
If you’re an avid reader like I am, a pile of your favorite reads can enhance a cozy feel while at the same time allowing you to catch up on the ones you haven’t had a chance to catch up on throughout the year.
Reading also brings us closer to the things we enjoy and helps us to relax and dive into another place and time. Sometimes we just need that escape.
5. Clear the Clutter
Clutter is something I cannot handle well at all. When things are messy and in the way, I cannot focus or think clearly. Once a space is tidy, organized, and in order, that all changes. From your desk at work to your reading nook at home where you spend time with your latest reading, clutter is just not an option.
Messy spaces just aren’t great for our psyche. Especially if you’re like me and a neat freak. Messiness equals unorganized and uncomfortable thought. For me, I just can’t think clearly when things are in disarray.
You don’t want to be bumping into that clothes basket piled with clothes to be folded in the living room, or tripping over the toys that your kids never put away in their toy box that are in the middle of the floor, or the piles of paperwork on the coffee table that you have been trying to get through and organize on the weekends. Get all of that stuff out of your way. You have self-care and relaxing to take care of.
A post on the feelings clutter can cause by neurosciencenews.com titled, “Why Household Mess Triggers Stress and Anxiety” gets deep into why this happens, explaining “The brain tends to favor order, reducing the competition for attention and mental load.”
6. Indulge in Enjoyable Seasonal Scents
This won’t come as a surprise to you, but seasonal fragrances can truly take you to another place. Try fresh baked cookies right out of the oven, lighting vanilla-scented candles around the house for that sweet baked treats smell, fresh evergreen branches in a vase, fresh herbs like rosemary and parsley in a small container or herb planter in the kitchen, or how about a cinnamon stick wreath, fresh-baked gingerbread cookies, or lighting a couple of almond extract incense sticks to try something different and spread the smells of the holidays around a little more.
Those warm notes of almond, vanilla, and even the herbal and evergreen and citrusy smells wafting throughout the house never hurt when trying to bring the outdoors and the season inside.
Certain smells create specific memories and thoughts that remind us of things we enjoy. They bring us back to those times gone by that we’ll always remember as well as increase the enjoyment of new experiences.
7. Pull On a Pair of Fluffy Warm Socks or Slippers
In an article posted by The New York Times in their “The Best Slippers” article, an exhaustive search for the perfect slippers proved successful and satisfactory. Check their post out for some suggestions for some cozy warm options for your feet this season and see if you don’t fall in love with a few of them!
You can also try one of my favorites – fluffy cozy socks! Keep those chilly digits warm and comforted in a great pair of fuzzy socks. There are lots of styles, colors, and fabrics. Besides, who doesn’t love a great pair of socks for the holiday!
8. Surround Yourself with Layers of Texture
There’s nothing like walking into a warm and cozy room in your home that welcomes you with the open arms of love and warmth.
Using different textures like piles of rugs, fuzzy blankets, electric blankets, soft throws, squishy pillows, a crackling fire in the background…you just can’t go wrong with any of these.
And don’t forget your furry friends! I have a heating pad specifically used for my resident fur baby that I plug in and put under his normal snoozing area on my screened patio sofa. He loves the warmth and usually goes to sleep in seconds when I have it on in the cooler weather. Just remember to check to be sure it doesn’t get too hot!
9. Indulge in Soothing Sounds
What we hear can also set us at ease and add to the visual and physical feelings of calm and warmth we feel from a properly set room. Auditory happiness is a must when considering adding to our sensory list when considering the complete ambience of a space.
Downloads with relaxing and calming instrumental music, ambient sounds, and even some holiday songs can create a calming ambience that will hug you in its warm embrace all winter long.
10. Try Flannel Sheets for the Season
Keeping those winter chills at bay can also be a cozy experience under the covers! In an article from Better Homes & Gardens, a comparison of 45 flannel sheet sets were tested and revealed the best flannel sheets based on quality, texture, breathability, and durability. Take a look to see which ones placed at the top.
This report was interesting even for me because I don’t usually change the cotton fabric of my bedding during colder months of the year. I now have a couple of flannel sheet sets on order to use this season.
11. Add Pops of Warm Nature-Inspired Tones
Colors and certain hues can provide warmer feelings and cozy spaces as well. Warm rich colors seem to enhance feelings of coziness, feeling welcomed, and simple indulgence.
An article on homeandtexture.com suggests focusing on “deep, rich, and earthy tones such as burgundy reds, forest greens, and chocolate browns.”
Brent-Fisher.com posts about “different colors evoking distinct psychological responses.” It further goes on to explain that “the study of hues as a determinant of human behavior, reveals that colors can influence perceptions, actions, and reactions in various ways.”
12. Sip on Warm Beverages or Stews
The thought of stews, soups, hot cocoa, hot apple cider, hot herbal teas, warmed milk or eggnog just warms your soul.
Your sensory overload will be at an all-time high, and incorporating these tips into your daily routine will help you to feel at home in your own space.
From complete sensory satisfaction to making us feel at home, these methods can all add to us feeling warmer and cozier.
13. Get an Electric Blanket
Sit by the fire or keep an electric blanket or warming pad next to you, or a small space heater with a remote that you can control without getting out of your cozy space. Even a hot water bottle would work by finding a faux fur cover for it.
Put any of these under the sheets before you get into bed in the evening to pre-warm your sleeping space on a cold night. Use on a patio in the evenings or mornings when watching a sunset or sunrise. Snuggle up with it in a comfy chair when reading or sipping on a warm beverage.
The point is to stay warm, comfy, and cozy while the weather if frightening outside. With any (or all) of these ideas put into use, you will find your perfect place in your existing home by adding a little mindfulness to your surroundings and a little warmth to your soul.
MY MINDFUL REQUEST:
Let me know how you use the above items in your own home to have a warm and inviting space to enjoy!