Decorating for the holidays is a wonderful way to enjoy your home during the winter months. Unfortunately the first week after Christmas, most of us are ready to get some order back in our home. At first it may feel good to put away all the decorations. With three or more months of winter left, the winter blues can creep in on us. Brightening up the home post holiday can help keep you cozy and cheerful until Spring.
The winter season often allows us more time to rest. As wonderful as that sounds, it can have a negative effect if you tend to feel down in the winter months. Our environment has such a big impact on our mood. Creating a space that feels uplifting and cozy can help get you through those down days.
Embrace the Winter Season
Fill a bird feeder and hang it outside the view of a window that you can sit by. Enjoy a cup of hot cocoa while you try to name the different types of birds. Let in as much natural light as you can. Force Paperwhite or Amaryllis bulbs. Most people will do this during the holidays but without all the holiday decorations, the flowering bulbs can get the attention they deserve. It also helps that most retail stores will heavily discount them the day after Christmas. By mid January you can bring in cut forsythia, ornamental pear, or willow branches to bloom indoors.
Brightening up the Home Post Holiday with A Fireplace
There is something about having a fire going that boosts your mood and reduces anxiety. The University of Alabama did a study in 2012 about the relaxing effects of a hearth and campfire. If you don’t have a fireplace in your home, try an electric fireplace or heater designed to look like a woodstove. Some have a feature that gives of the glow of a fire without putting out heat.
Cozy Up Your Living Spaces
Many of us have an abundance of cheap blanket throws and fussy pillows. Most of us could do with less of that and have a warm quilt, or heavy, wool blanket instead. Instead of ten pillows, just a few comfortable pillows that fit behind your back or you can rest your head on when watching a show. Have a comfortable spot to set a cup of tea while you read or journal. Create a little nook that makes you feel comforted and relaxed.
Brighten Up The Home Post Holiday with More Lamps
Using lamps provides lighting without the harsh light that overhead lighting can have. Dimmer switches can help with the harshness. Use floor or table lamps where you need extra light. Invest in light bulbs that have a more natural light. There are quite a few designed to feel like sunshine. In reviews, some mentioned that it did help lift their mood. Light candles, but go easy on the scented ones.
Nurture Your Home so That Your Home Can Nurture You
Ignore the trends, take inventory of your home. Decide what your home needs to make you feel comfortable and relaxed. Invest in whatever that is. Get something that will last, winter comes every year after all. Buy the candles, the quality blanket or a pretty lamp. Decorate your home to prioritize comfort. Spring will be here soon. In the meantime, allow yourself some well deserved rest.
