As the old saying goes, there is no place like home. As a result of the ongoing pandemic, people from all over the world are on some sort of lockdown while others are trying to religiously follow social distancing rules. People are spending more time than ever in their houses. Many people have started working from home while others are trying not to leave their houses unless they need to run some errands.
Some people are enjoying their time indoors due to many reasons such as comfort, relaxation, and peace. But understandably, other people hate indoors. The key difference is how comfortable you feel when you are home. Our houses should be our safe havens. Turning your house around to become more comfortable, cozy, and convenient will provide you with a great chance to be able to kick back and relax. With these seven simple changes, you can make your home the winter paradise you deserve.
1. Incorporate Natural Elements
Interestingly, the color green has been proven by all experts to soothe the mind and give the body a chance to unclench. Incorporating some greenery into your design has the power to fight off the alarming signs of seasonal depression, especially regarding decreasing stress levels and soothing anxiety.
Adding some of your favorite plants and colorful flowers all around the corners of your house will work greatly by adding a touch of warmness, coziness, and tranquility to your space and
will instantly brighten up your space. Since not all plants will bloom inside the house in the winter, you need to pay some attention to what plants you choose and what can only survive outside your house in the sun. Many people have settled on Jasmine as their favorite plant because not only does it add a comfort element and a delightful scent to your house, but those winter blossoms can do wonders for your house’s charm.
While all plants are beautiful, if you want to add a really wintery feeling to your house, then succulents are the perfect choice for you. They require minimum effort as they are super easy to care for, but their effect just transforms the house. For your succulents, you can get creative with colorful pots that will easily turn your house into a winter wonderland. If you want to take your game to the next level, you can always add some fairy lights between them to add some ethereal beauty to your space.
2. Add a Fireplace
If your house comes with a sizable backyard that seems abandoned, a fireplace can change this area completely. Adding a fireplace to your outdoors provides a myriad of benefits that go way beyond being aesthetically pleasing. A fireplace would work as the perfect centerpiece for your outside area and transform it into the winter haven of your dreams. . This simple addition can gather all family members for a night of quality time, warmth, and some laughs. The young ones will appreciate the s’mores and hot cocoa, while old folks can crack a cold one and chill by the fire as the perfect night idea away from their daily routines and endless responsibilities.
This simple addition to your house can do wonders for increasing its resale value while completely changing the look and feel of your home without having to invest too much time or effort. With a beautifully created and installed fireplace, you can finally achieve that perfect outdoor ambiance you have always dreamt about. The most difficult struggle that faces anyone interested in adding a fireplace to their houses is not picking the right fireplace or the installation nightmare that comes with it.
However, the choice comes down to choosing the right firewood that will keep their fire going for as long as possible without going through the hassle of lighting up the fireplace every few minutes. The people behind https://www.buyfirewooddirect.co.uk/ clarify that there are different types of kiln dried logs that are available on the market depending on how long you want your fire to last. Your choice can be based on where you stand on the fragrance/smell situation, do you prefer the smell of wood? Or do you prefer something with a minimum fragrance to avoid triggering your allergies? It all boils down to your likings.
Even if you don’t have a big backyard, you can amp up your décor and add a mini fireplace to whichever room you and your family spend the most time in. This way, your whole family can sit around this source of warmth for a calm movie night. For your alone time, you can cozy up to the emitted warmth of your fireplace. For those calm, warm nights, all you need to do is to kick back and enjoy a glass of your favorite wine and a book that you have always wanted to read.
3. Necessary Fixes
Winter comes with longer heating bills that can throw a wrench into your house budget or double it, depending on your luck. But what if you can’t afford high heating costs and you can’t afford to sit in an unbearable cold? Thanks to science, the solution is rather simple. Due to heat transfer laws, when the outside area is colder than your house, your warmth is bound to be transferred to the outside until both bodies reach the same temperature. Since this is impossible, heat will keep seeping out from your house which will make your bills run higher.
All of this can be avoided with one simple solution, or a few, by insulating the house as much as you can to reduce your heating costs and keep your house warmer for a longer time. The first step you can start with is installing weatherstripping to the exterior doors of your house. This way, you will be able to block any cold air leaks. For extra protection, it’s better to add a door sweep that is usually made of rubber and installed in the lower edge of your door to stop drafts.
You can go the extra mile by sealing any attic leaks and installing insulation to stop the heat transfer process. These simple few steps will not only keep your house cozy and warm for the winter, but they will also save you a lot of money from being wasted on heating.
4. Install a Programmable Thermostat
After you have fixed the problem of losing heat and huge heating costs, it’s time to set your house to a temperature that makes you feel comfortable. We have all witnessed a situation where someone is feeling too hot and the others are almost freezing to death. We all have different responses to heat based on where we were born and how we endure low and high temperatures. However, the one thing we all share is that if the temperature isn’t right, it’s impossible to feel comfortable.
Installing a programmable thermostat that you can adjust to a temperature that makes you feel comfortable is a life-changing addition to your house. The consistent temperature can save you the hassle of waking up everyday freezing and shivering or excessively sweating. Other than comfort, programmable thermostats are also a way of saving money as they can save you up to 20% on utility bills.
With programmable thermostats, you will have the option to create a schedule that suits you and your family members’ daily routines without having to waste time trying to adjust your heating system to a reasonable temperature. In the winter, the recommended temperature as per the experts is 68 degrees Fahrenheit and 78 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer.
5. Create Your Own Space
During the cold months, there are higher risks of seasonal depression. Since we don’t get a chance to go out and enjoy the sun on our skin, you better be prepared by creating your own private space when you can pause all your responsibilities even for an hour every day and take time for yourself to chill and unwind. There are millions of available ideas on the internet. You don’t have to feel pressured to do a whole makeover. If you have an empty room or even a corner in your house that is unused, you can start by hanging a hammock, a comfortable swing chair, or even adding a cozy sofa, depending on your preferences. However, hammocks are proven to come with a myriad of benefits, especially for people who suffer from sleeping problems.
By spending some time on a hammock, you can decrease your risks of insomnia, back pain, and constant twisting and turning. Your corner can be whatever you want it to be. Do you miss doing yoga on the beach? Buy yourself a mat and some beautiful LED light strips and decorate your room with some colorful tapestry to make your room more zen. If you enjoy reading, then add proper lighting, a comfortable place to sit for hours, and a small fireplace to keep you warm.
Even if you enjoy video games and playing on your PS, you can add some comfortable chairs and a big TV screen. The important thing is to create something that is just for you where you can feel comfortable and relaxed. This way, you will be refreshed to face a new day.
6. Light Up the House
Do you know the easiest way to thwart the usual gloomy weather in the winter? Lights. It doesn’t matter if you prefer LED light strips that come with a special remote control to switch it to your favorite color and settings, or you prefer the old-fashioned scented candles that just warms up the whole house with their looks and scents. With both options and many others, lights are where you can get extra creative to kill two birds with one stone, aesthetic, and warmness.
If you prefer LED lights, then make sure to hang them in the corners of your house to ensure that every bit of your space is lit up. This doesn’t only accentuate your rooms and make them look wider and more pleasing, but they can change your whole décor with one push of a button. You can use these strips to highlight your favorite art pieces or the plants you have poured your love and care into.
If you lean more towards scented candles, you don’t have to settle for how cute they look. You can take your scented candle game to the next level by simply adding some rose petals in a bowl around your favorite scented candle. It will instantly brighten up your space and emits a lot of warmth and homey vibes. Even if you are the biggest enthusiast for candles out there, you can get tired of the mess they make. Fortunately, there are a lot of varieties of pretty gel candles that can save you from the hassle of cleaning constantly after your burning candles.
7. Carpets and Rugs
It’s not an exaggeration when we say that there is nothing worse than waking up in the middle of the night and having to walk on icy tiles all the way to your bathroom or to get some water from the kitchen. After this usual night trip, many people have reported some struggles with getting back to sleep, and this is totally understandable. Make it a habit to cover every inch of your icy floor with beautiful rugs and colorful rugs in the winter.
While walking barefoot on cold surfaces doesn’t necessarily cause any negative health issues, yet it can worsen some foot problems. Rugs and carpets will not only protect your feet from the cold, but they will add a cozy and comfy feel to your house.
Science has even proven that messy, cluttered spaces can heighten stress levels, which can easily reflect on your mood, personality, and overall quality of life. Your house is your safe haven. The best investment we can do for ourselves is investing in our comfort. Turning your house into a winter wonderland can be done with some easy steps that don’t cost much money or require much effort. There are thousands of hundreds of available ideas online, all you need is to only apply what feels closer to your personality and aesthetic and matches your house.
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