Making Your Home Welcoming This Winter

It’s the most .. wonderful .. time .. of the YEAR! Big thanks to Traci Bedard from Making Your House a Home for putting together these tips on how to make your home the coziest, comfortable place for you to exist this holiday season.

Traci is a wealth of knowledge, so grab a cup of cocoa and snuggle up to read these tips. I’ve also linked a few of my favorites in each category.

Let the fun begin!

• Soft and luxurious throw blankets are a must. The faux fur throws seem to be to most cozy and warm. So there is no fighting over them, let each member of the family choose their own. Steer clear of woven throws with fringe – they tend to snag and fray. Expect to pay $20 and up to $50 for heavier weight throws.

• Area rugs that are soft and plush underfoot are ideal for warming up a room. They not only visually anchor a sitting space, but are warm underfoot and help to dampen sound. High pile, shaggy, and wool rugs are best. The key to know what to buy – step on it with bare feet. Steer clear of thin, 100% polyester, or jute rugs. Although not traditional Christmas vibe, I love this one as a SW Christmas. Feels so warm and welcoming!

• Position larger furniture pieces so that they are facing and parallel to your fireplace. Pull furniture away from walls and closer to your fireplace and/or tv to both create a cozy feel, and benefit from the warmth of the fireplace. A minimum of 3 feet in smaller spaces and a maximum of 7 feet in larger rooms is ideal.

• Ceiling fans can enhance the performance of your heating and cooling system. Depending on the direction the fan is turning, air is either directed downward from the center of the fan or pulled upward. During warm months, the fan blades should be set to spin counterclockwise, creating a comfortable breeze. During colder months, the fan direction should be reversed, so that air is pulled upward in the center and warm air near the ceiling is pushed downward towards the perimeter of the room.

• Candles not only emit a cozy ambiance in a space, but using warm and woodsy scents like bergamot, tobacco, sandalwood, balsam, and cedar enhance that warmth. Take that cozy feeling up a notch by using candles with wood wicks. They mimic the sound of a crackling fire. If you are local to Tri-Cities, Earth Element Spirit is a local woman owned company that produces high quality candles, that can also be ordered online HERE. 

• Finally, check windows, outlets, switch plates, and baseboards for drafts. Use transparent weather sealing tape for windows, insulate outlets and switch plates with socket sealers, and repair caulking along baseboards if need be. Now is is a good time to get your HVAC system maintained. If you have a room that is difficult to maintain the temperature in, look into replacing your A/C vents with the Flair smart vent system. These vents have a built in motor that will open or close the vent depending on the temperature of the room. They work with a room-monitoring puck (sold separately) and can be integrated with your smart thermostat (ecobee, Honeywell, and Nest) to monitor every room in your home.

Be sure to get on Traci’s Facebook page to see all the free information she gives, and book her for a home refresh in 2022.