In years’ past, I’d be the first person to complain about winter- counting down the days until the first day of spring. Living in the Midwest, winter can be harsh, cold, messy. And truthfully, as lovely as the holidays can be, oftentimes they can leave us burnt out. However, the last two winter seasons, I have made more of a conscious effort to slow down and understand the purpose of this season. This is a time for rest, reflection, and gentleness- something that feels so difficult when the world around us demands the opposite. If you’re ready to slow down and embrace this quiet season, keep reading! I’ll share with you some of my favorite ways to reset, cozy up, and enjoy the winter season at home.
Fuel Up with Nourishing Meals
When it’s cold and dark outside, prepping and enjoying warm, nourishing meals is one of my favorite ways to romanticize staying in. In an effort to spend less time on my phone, I lean into using cookbooks and trying new recipes.
Last week, we tried a new chili recipe from this cookbook. Am I the only person that has never tried crushed pineapple in chili? Oh my goodness, it was so delicious! Taking something as simple as a chili recipe and trying a different variation of it makes it feel exciting. Plus, making chili or any other soup is quintessential cozy winter cuisine.
For Christmas, I was given this beautiful cookbook that is filled with one pan meals. What a great concept! Delicious food + minimal dishes= more time to spend with my family. The sheet pan mini meatloaf recipe was a great dish to warm up with during these sub zero temps we have been experiencing.
Bedtime is Your Cozy Retreat
The sun setting at 4:30 used to put me in such a funk. *Used to* isn’t the correct term. It still puts me in a funk from time to time, but rest is so important during these darker months! Why not make it more enjoyable? Before I plan to settle into bed for the evening, I pop into the bedroom and turn the lamps on. The warm glow of a lamp really helps create a relaxing ambiance. It feels inviting and doesn’t leave me or my husband flipping a coin to see who will jump out of bed and flip the “big light” off after getting settled in. Next, I warm up this manatee Warmies (adorable and practical) and tuck it under the blankets on my side of the bed. Pajamas are such a personal choice, but I love the modal pajamas from Victoria’s Secret. The fabric keeps me cool because yes, despite it being cold in the winter, I still manage to get warm in the middle of the night.
Use Scent to Signal Sleep
The next step is literally the most important step to creating the ideal cozy retreat and signaling to your body, “hey, it’s time to wind down and relax!” Scent. Find a scent you love and spritz it on your bed, diffuse an essential oil blend- something that you find comforting. I could write an entire blog post about my love for Dedcool products (no gate-keeping here!). I use Dedcool’s Taunt home fragrance to help me wind down and relax. The scent is a yummy blend of bergamot, vanilla, and amber. I wash my bedding in their Dedtergent and every night I spritz the bed with the Taunt room and linen spray. It’s so lovely, even my kids ask for it! My oldest will insist he must crash in my room at night because the “smell” makes him sleepy. Another one I love is the Being Frenshe Lavender Cloud mist. It is a non-negotiable and truly helps set the scene for a relaxing wind-down. Sweet dreams!
Slow, Simple Wake-Up
There is nothing worse than feeling rushed in the morning! It’s hard enough with the sun taking its sweet time coming up and it being so dark. Throw in schedules, kids, pets, everyday life- a few minutes to gather myself in the morning before I jump into the day makes all the difference. I am NOT a morning person. Even after all of those years doing early morning floor sets, mornings are still hard. However, I have found getting up 30 minutes before my kids (darkness and all), is one of my favorite ways to slip some cozy into my day. The house is still and quiet. The smell of coffee wafting through the air. Pure magic! I slink around and turn on a few lamps, pour myself a cup of coffee, and flop onto the couch with the fluffiest blanket I can find. My favorite blanket to curl up with is my Saranoni XL fur throw blanket. This is time I use to journal, read, or catch up on a Real Housewives episode (my guilty pleasure). Warm coffee in hand, I can wake up slowly and in a way where my nervous system doesn’t feel like it’s gone from 0-100 in 3 seconds. I find that this little bit of “me” time sets not only me up for a great day, but my children up for a great day, too.
Lean Into A Hobby
I’ve *lovingly* referred to myself as a “serial hobbyist” for awhile now. It is so fun to make things by hand or try my hand at a new skill. This past fall, I pulled out my child’s old watercolor paint to have them paint some pictures and it turned into me giving it a whirl, too! A couple of days later, I found myself in Michaels purchasing a small watercolor palette and a pad of paper to continue exploring this hobby. I’d put together a little station with my paper taped to a hardcover book, a ceramic plate for mixing my paint colors, a small cup of water to clean my brush, and this versatile palette. Sometimes, I’d curl up on the couch with a lap tray and practice painting. Other times, I’d sit at the table with my favorite playlist on in the background and create whatever came to mind. I haven’t taken a single art class since the required classes in grade school. I have literally no idea what i’m doing, but that’s OK! It’s fun, and relaxing.
This quiet season post-holidays is a great time to finish (or start) some of those crafts you didn’t have enough time to get to weeks ago. I have been working on these felt ornaments, salt dough ornaments, and wood ornaments off and on since November. Now that the pressure of the holidays is behind me, I feel like I can really sit down and enjoy detailing these ornaments. I have very little experience sewing, but have thoroughly enjoyed learning different stitches and beading techniques. Crafts fall in the “cozy” category because it asks you to be intentional with your time. The gliding of a paintbrush, choosing which beads to sew- it is grounding and good for the soul.
Movement Can Be Cozy Too!
It is so hard to feel motivated to shed the layers and move our bodies when it’s cold and dreary. Yoga is such a lovely way to gently move our bodies. Honestly, it feels like a hug from the inside out- I know it sounds weird, but trust me! It’s the kind of cozy you can’t find from ambiance and texture. The whole concept of moving meditation, breath and movement fills my cup up and leaves me feeling peaceful. Cozy it up- I have a blanket, bolster, and blocks on hand to meet me where I am at in my practice. Follow it up with a cup of tea? Blissful.
I hope during this winter season, you can find ways to fill your cup, settle in, and embrace this restorative period. Warmer, brighter days will be here before we know it! Let’s not wish the days away in hopes of something better when this season carries a purpose. Lean into the cozy! Drink all of the warm drinks, flop into bed early- without guilt, try a new recipe. What are your favorite ways to get cozy and enjoy these dark, winter days? Comment below or message me- i’d love to hear from you! If you try any of the things I shared above, let me know!
– Cayla
*Just a little note: I don’t earn anything from the links I share in this post — they’re simply things I genuinely love and wanted to pass along in case you’re looking for something similar.*
If you’re new to the blog and want to learn a little more about why I decided to create this little corner of the internet, you can read more about it here.
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