Five easy ways to prepare your home for the colder months
Here we are again, the summer is over, the kids are back to school, the days are getting shorter and the temperatures have suddenly dropped in the UK this week. And the autumn has officially come around a few days ago with the equinox on the 22th of September.
As nature is preparing for a slower pace, what can you do to prepare your most personal space, i.e. your home, to also be in sync?
1. Declutter
Decluttering your space is one of the easiest, most efficient and satisfying ways to clear energies and feel satisfied. That doesn’t necessarily mean going down the minimalist route, the main thing is to address what needs to be, keep things tidy, put items back to where they belong and if something doesn’t appeal to you anymore get rid of it. By taking the time to go through everything and consciously looking at everyday items, ask yourself if they still have a place in your heart and if not, discard.
Go through your letters and paperwork, wardrobe, kitchen cupboards, pantry and medicine cabinet and if going through all your cupboards at once might be too daunting, break it down by doing one area at a time, one cupboard for each day or weekend. Bin what can be and give the rest to charity, knowing you might be helping a person in need can also make the decision easier, and before you know it you’ll feel lighter in your heart.
If you are not too sure how to start or the process feels too daunting, I can help you with a virtual decluttering consultation - you will be able to book it here.
2. Do a home service
The summer months are usually busy, we socialise more, spend more time outdoors and are less inclined to spend hours cleaning our homes, and that’s absolutely fine. But now that the days are not too cold or dark, it is the ideal time to give your home an autumnal check. Do a deep clean, wipe down the shelves of the wardrobe, clean the windows internally and externally, clean the forgotten areas like shelves and the top of the kitchen units, clean the oven too. No one likes doing it but as it represents nourishment and energy, you will feng shui your home a bit more.
Pay attention to your home energy too, bleed the radiators (even if they seem to work well) to ensure they give optimal heat and make sure your boiler has been serviced.
If you have a working fireplace, give it a good clean and the chimney a sweep if you haven’t done so during the spring.
Spending some time for your home will get you mentally ready to slow down and do more cocooning without guilty feelings.
3. Add some texture
After focusing some of your time and energy on the wellbeing of your home, it’s time to get to the exciting and clearly visible changes by introducing more seasonal touches and ramping up the cosiness. Think Hygge and Scandinavian inspired interiors with plenty of cosy textures like faux fur, velvet, wool blend and chunky knits. Favor natural, earthy tones for your textiles, as well as some touches of more coppery, golden hues if they go with your colour scheme. Don’t limit yourself to the cushions, you can also swap your curtains if that brings you joy, get the throw out and treat your bedding to a cosy bedspread.
You can also check out my favorite products here!
4. Get the lighting right
An important part of the design of a room is the lighting, and having several sources for ambient lighting really makes a difference. You can imagine spotlights are not the best to create a warm, welcoming space so if it’s your main lighting source, invest in floor and table lamps, preferably with shades for a softer light and don’t go over 3000 Kelvin for the light bulbs (if you need help to understand the technicalities of choosing a light bulb I have a post just for that!).
Candles are also wonderful for lighting as the Scandinavians show us. They have long winters, sometimes without daylight for days or weeks, and they do candles the best! Get inspired by their interiors and particularly windows, get some new candles, mix and match tea lights with bigger ones or stick to a size, spread or concentrate them on your windows’ sills, trust your feelings and arrange them in a way or a specific place that you like, it will always be right for you and you will create a soft glow and wonderfully warm and cosy atmosphere.
5. Update the scent
We can get a lot of satisfaction with our sight but a scent can transport us to any place, any time instantly.
You can use it in your home to stay more connected with nature by getting some scented candles, and muskier, woody or spiced notes are the ideal fragrance updates for autumn.
Also if you have the option, lighting a fire or log burner will immediately set the tone and bring the restful, soothing faint scent of wood smoke.
These five easy ways will get you into the headspace needed for the winter months, embrace the slower pace and your inner Yin energy!