How to Get Your Home Ready for Winter

As excited as I am for Christmas, I am not looking forward to winter. Nashville may be a southern city, but compared to south Mississippi, it definitely has a winter.

I am used to wearing sandals on Christmas Day. I am not prepared to deal with snow days beginning in November (not that I minded an extra day to myself about 3 weeks ago.)

Still, I am happy to be living in Nashville, so I am going to be dealing with the weather from now on. Which means that I need to learn to like winter.

I may not ever enjoy being outside in the cold, but I can make my home a cozy and inviting place to spend the winter. If you're looking for a way to make your own home snug and comfy while the weather outside is not so nice, then feel free to steal my wishlist of things to get to make my  house prepared for the winter.

Full disclosure, some links are affiliate links. If you purchase a product using my links, I may receive a very tiny compensation from the company.

1. Blankets - I already have lots of blankets. Unfortunately, the ones that got me through winters with an average high of 60 degrees don't quite cut in when the temperature dips below freezing on a regular basis. Real winters need chunky, cozy knit blankets, just like this one from Etsy. If you've ever wondered what it would be like to hug a warm cloud, this is probably it.

2. Candles - Y'all, I used to not be a candle person. I would maybe go through one candle in a year. I still can't handle candles with strong scents. But, the glow of a candle makes a room instantly feel more cozy. You don't even want to know how many candles we've already burned through. The crackle of a Woodwick candle is one of my favorite things. You might want to make sure that you have unscented candles around too though if you're planning on lighting multiple candles at once. I do not advise mixing candle scents. Unless that's your thing.

3. Kettle - Ok, so we actually already own a kettle. I've had one for years, but I didn't use it as often as I would have liked. Now, I have the perfect reason to make hot chocolate every night (I don't, but I could). Sure, you could use a coffee maker or a regular pot to boil water. A stovetop kettle is a thousand times cozier though. It also heats up the kitchen more than a coffee maker or an electric kettle would. Mine is red, and it makes me incredibly happy every time that I walk by the kitchen. #win

4. Twinkle lights - You probably already have Christmas lights up. You can definitely leave lights up throughout the winter. Even once Christmas is over, having a little extra fun lighting can help when the nights still feel way too long. Although I already have some strings of Christmas lights, I am considering getting globe lights to put up in January and February. These would be a good investment because you could potentially use them outside during the summer as well. Then, they wouldn't be tangled up when it came time to use them the next year which is half the battle with strings of lights anyway.

5. Board games or book - Like I said earlier, I am not a fan of heading outside when it's cold, but that doesn't mean that I plan on spending the winter on my couch bingeing Netflix. Not that there's anything wrong with occasionally vegging out, I just would eventually start to glaze over if I did it too often. Obviously, you can't go wrong with a good book. If you need suggestions, you know I have them (here, here, and here). You can also invite others over to your newly cozy home for a game night. Some of my favorites are Clue and Dutch Blitz. I'd like to get Pick a Pig (a little bit childish, but so fun) and Hive (I haven't played this one yet, but it's supposed to be good for two people).


You don't have to spend all of winter miserable. We spend so much time and effort getting our homes ready for Christmas, but we should put some effort into keeping it just as inviting once the festivities are over.

If anyone needs me for the next three months, I'll be underneath a blanket on the couch surrounded by twinkle lights.

How do you feel about winter? If you already enjoy winter, please share your suggestions with the rest of us in the comments below.