Waking up lately has seemed a little torturous as we begin the day with dark skies and leave our desks at the end of our day with the same dark hue. The fall and winter months keep us indoors – making it less picturesque than our days outdoors in warmer seasons. With the changing climate and shorter days, it is best to prepare your home in order for you to keep on enjoying it, even when we find ourselves confined to four walls!
SIMPLIFY
Don’t feel claustrophobic in your own home. Take the time to declutter or re-arrange furniture so that you don’t feel cramped. You may find that you have enough space to create a work-out area or more room in your closet for perhaps a new wardrobe.
ENTERTAIN
The weather and the roads tend to be the ultimate decision makers when we think of having a night out. Most of us tend to want to invite friends and family over instead.
Create a space where people can gather easily, incorporating plenty of seating and a welcoming ambiance. Make your guests feel at home and you will be more excited to want to stay in and entertain.
SCENTS
We don’t open our windows very often and lack of circulated air can cause an absent breath of fresh air – literally! Bring some of your items to life with your favorite scents, perhaps leave cinnamon sticks and other natural air deodorants nicely decorated or in your linen closet or walk-in so the scent can carry through onto your linens, towels and clothes without an overpowering smell of store-bought air fresheners.
It’s been studied that recognizing a scent, especially one you favour can trigger happy thoughts/emotions.
NATURE
Don’t feel captive in your own home. Simply incorporate elements of the outdoors into certain areas. Plants are a good way to do so, along with opening up curtains and blinds to allow the snowy-white backdrop to bring in natural light.
LIGHTING
The same goes for lighting. Seeing less light during these shorter days can cause Seasonal Affective Disorder, so make sure you add additional lighting where needed or change bulbs to reflect more light. A great source of light can also be found from your fireplace or candles.
The mission is to bring excitement back to the colder months and to enjoy your areas. Should your home be for sale during this timeframe as well, these tips will definitely help others see and appreciate these changes.
