Hi friends, so glad you stopped by I hope your new year is off to a good start. I don’t know about you but for me, January can be a tough month. After all the Christmas activity and sparkle decor is packed away the house can feel so bare. Things tend to quiet down and the calendar is a little more empty. The weather is cold and its so brown and dreary outside (unless ya live in Hawaii!) I’ve found that just making small changes in my home decor & organizing by cleaning up the clutter, cheers up the space and feels new again. Sometimes, just clearing out a space can give you a better perspective and energy to discovery things you’d never considered before, and for me…that’s exciting (hey I don’t get out much! )  I wanted to share a few things that work for me when the holidays are over and my house feels empty.  I hope you can gain some inspiration with some of these suggestions

Once your Christmas decor is put away and the last of the glitter and flocking is swept away, your home is kind of like a blank slate. I think of it as a canvas by using the large pieces of furniture as the basics of the space. Here are 5 tips to help you transition your home from Christmas.

…..COZY TEXTURE

When the weather is cold outside, all I want to do is cuddle up and relax from all the holiday activity. To warm up my home and make it feel welcoming, like to use a variety of pillows in different textures and add cozy throw blankets in the living area and bedrooms. Think about combining fur, with sweater like fabrics and even pom poms are a fun touch. It’s all about layering, think of it like dressing for a cold winter day!

To see a complete tour of my winter home, you can visit this post Neutral Winter Home Tour and you can visit some other bloggers homes for more inspiration.

 

…CANDLES

The warmth and light that candles offer is not only soothing but can liven a space and cheer it up quite a bit. You can use real candles with fragrance or battery operated. I have recently switched over to battery operated remote control candles. I feel like they are safer, but I also like that I can move them around, they will never burn down and they have a realistic character that gives a warm glow day or night. sometimes various candles have different smells and they can compete with each other, so odorless fakes are nice for that reason!

 

 

 

…POP OF COLOR

Monochromatic neutrals are so cozy and soothing, but a little pop of color can add an unexpected bit of character to a space and cheer up an otherwise bland area. Blush, soft blues and greens are a perfect addition to neutral layers. I love how the small amount of blush just brightened up my grey and white bedroom (and I’m sensing a hint of Spring already)

 

 

…REARRANGE A PIECE OF FURNITURE

When I decorate for Christmas, I usually end up removing a piece of furniture and a lot of my everyday decor to make room for the tree and all the holiday decor. For me, it feels a little les cluttered and allows my frequently displayed Christmas decor to be the stars of the show. However, once the Christmas decor comes down, I’m left with a blank space. I like to look at is as a clean slate or canvas to create a fresh new look.

This is a great opportunity to make a few changes while you have decor crowding up the space. So once Christmas is put away, go for it. Experiment with a little switch and try a new look. We made a shift in our great room and it feels like a whole new space and makes it feel new and fresh, even though it’s the same furniture. One small tweak can make old furniture feel brand new.

For tips on how to style a console table check out this post Tips On How To Style A Console Table

 

This photo our TV is in the corner and our sectional is cornered more into the room and two side chairs are separated.

 

Here we moved the TV in front of the window, readjusted the sectional sofa so one side is in front of the window leaving the opposite end open to place two side chairs together.

 

 

This change opened up our room so much and gave the room a whole new look and feel. Having a sectional sofa can really limit your arrangements options, so be sure to consider this if you purchase one. Just a small change like this can make all the difference in living up space and making it feel new and refreshed .

 

…Greenery/Plants

Another thing you can do to liven up your home is to bring in some new plants or greenery. You can even keep a few of your Christmas greenery pieces out if they have a winter feel. Just select a few that you love and incorporate them into a new arrangement on your mantel, use a few picks in a vignette or table top. Another way to bring in greenery is to place fresh, or faux flowers in soft cremes or whites on your dining table, tucked in on your mantel or in a hanging wall basket.

Paper whites and tulips are my favorite winter flowers. I like to start or force my own paper white bulbs in the winter in various stages. They have a lovely spring like fragrance and delicate flower that add a sweet touch and cheerful look to a room. I incorporated real tulips in vases and on my dining room table. They really cheer up the space and give a hint of spring to your home,

*Tip place a few pennies in the vase with water for your tulips and it will keep them from opening up too quickly. The copper helps to make them last longer.

 

 

 

 

Hopefully, these little tips will help you to spice up your home during the January bleh sesason…and hang in there, Spring is right around the corner and I can’t wait to share some new looks and project with you.

I’d love to hear what you like to do to your home after Christmas and what cheers you up at home. Give me a shout out, I’d love to chat! Thanks for stopping by and I hope you’ll visit again. Don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss future posts my friend!

Happy Decorating!