There is always that comforting relief of a house clear from all the Christmas things, but it never seems to last long. The winter blahs follow close behind when everything outside is brown, it gets dark at 2:00 PM and it’s just stupid cold. It’s easy to ignore around Christmas when the pretty decorations warm everything up but a few weeks into January and it’s like it never even happened.
Wow. I sound pretty doom and gloom, but that is just the not so pretty side of winter that has me ready for spring every year! But never fear, I’ve come up with a few simple things we can do to add some warmth and life back into our homes to get us through the winter.
1. Embrace Cozy Minimalism: January is when we vow to change our lives each year and become organized and perfect (I hope you get my sarcasm there) so why not use that to give your home some breathing room? Don’t rush to fill the spaces that are left from all the Christmas cheer but let your home breath and that will almost always tell you where you need to act next. Take this time to also put away anything you’re on the fence about. See if you miss it and if not, let it go.
3. Add Life: Are you tired of hearing this one? I hope not because it’s always the answer. Add plants and green! Just because it’s brown OUTSIDE doesn’t mean you can’t liven it up inside. Add a little plant to every room and if you’re a black thumb invest in some good faux plants. We picked the best faux plants we could find to make it super easy. 
4.Color Pops: Once again, it’s about bringing spring a little early for our happiness. You don’t have to pull out the bunnies but a few extra pops of color can go a long way. Add a fresh pillow to your bed or couch, place a colorful throw over the back of the chair or the foot of the bed. Get a bright and cheery kitchen towel. Little doses of color inside are almost as good as sunshine outside (almost)
5. Crisp Whites: One of the best ways to surviving the winter is capturing and embracing every bit of sunshine you can. Obviously, get outside whenever possible. We have a rule that if it’s a nice day, we do something outside but when there aren’t many days like that, you can still bring the bright in with whites. Add crisp whites where you can and it will bounce what light you have and brighten up that space. It doesn’t have to be a huge change- white art, a white tray, plates on the wall, baskets, you name it but it will go a long way to bring the light back!
6. Open up: I am the crazy person who will open a window or two on a borderline nice day, but that’s not what I’m talking about. The most life in our homes comes from who we fill it with not what. Throw on a pot of soup and invite someone over for dinner. Or maybe you declare a normal ordinary weeknight meal a fancy night and you all work together to make it special. Coffee is always a nice touch too. Fill your home with the people who make you happy and it will light it up like no other!
Easy enough, huh? We get so overloaded with filling every crevice and surface with all the Christmas Cheer that it can be hard to regain the balance, charm and character after but just a few touches here and there can help us make our homes extra happy! What a gift to start 2019 out with.