10 Ways To Make Your Home Cozy For The Winter

 This post is brought to you in collaboration with Cree LED bulbs. All thoughts, ideas, and opinions are my own.

Lots of things go into making your home cozy during the winter season, from decor and ambiance to prepping your house for the colder weather. I can't believe winter is almost upon us! This year has flown by. Here are a ten simple ways to make your home cozy for the upcoming winter months and help yourself save some energy along the way!

Indoors:
Rugs: Swap out thinner rugs for nice plush rugs. If you don't have rugs down at all, be sure to add some! Having rugs helps to keep your floors warmer, your footsies warmer, and your heating bill a bit smaller.

Layering: A great way to add coziness to your home is through blankets and pillows. I always bring out my nice large wool blankets and layer them all over the couches and chairs. I also place pillows everywhere, even at my dining table. It just brings a nice warmth to the space.

 Windows: Insulate windows throughout the house. Also, layering drapes is a great way to make your home feel cozy. Just remember to go simple with patterns when layering drapes. Do a solid with a bold pattern, or a small scale with a large scale. Layering with bamboo shades and curtains is a great look also. You could also switch out your light summery drapes for thicker lined ones.

Lighting: Now that the days are getting shorter, you'll want ample lighting to make up for the shorter days. These lights are going to be staying on longer and you'll probably even bring in more through lamps. Sounds expensive in ways of energy, but if you switch out your regular incandescents with Cree LEDs, you'll be saving yourself some money on your energy bill. And even better, you won't have to change them for 25 years. In fact, Cree just introduced the new Cree LED Bulb with 4Flow™ Filament Design to achieve a warm, omnidirectional light that uses just a fraction of the energy of incandescent bulbs...and it's dimmable. Perfect for lamps :)

 Texture: Bring in texture through rustic accent pieces, rugs, pillows and blankets. Break up colder, smoother textures by layering books on it, placing a fabric clothe on it, or even something furry like a sheep skin rug.

Bring nature inside: Adding natural elements brings texture to a space in a simple, organic way. I love bringing in logs or firewood and placing it by my fireplace, even though it's a gas fireplace. I also use branches found from trees outside and place them in vases or gather limbs and place them in a corner.

Turn on your fireplace: Obviously, make sure your fireplace has been serviced and is in good working order first :) Turning on the fireplace on a cold winter night or morning makes all the difference in the world, especially if you have a chance to cozy up by it with a book and some hot chocolate.

Outdoors
Weather stripping doors: Every year I go through and check the weather stripping on our doors and replace it if it need be, or fill in where I find cracks. It's amazing how much cold air can get into those little cracks making your house feel cold and drafty.

Changing outdoor lighting: Your outdoor lights will be on a lot longer since the days are shorter. I made the switch and changed all my outdoor lights to Cree LED bulbs. These baby's last for up to 25 years and are far more energy efficient than normal bulbs. Plus, that means the less I have to sit on my husbands shoulders to try to change the porch light, or teeter on a ladder to try to change the lights in the eves.

Add Color: Add a splash of color to your door. Imagine all the white snow, and your door standing out in a stunning hue. Don't want to make such a big change? Then bring in color through your door mat, or pillows along a porch bench (even if they won't be used for months).

Interested in learning more about Cree LED bulbs? Just check out their website www.creebulb.com. Cree LED bulbs are available at your local Home Depot!

Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a “sponsored post.” The company who sponsored it compensated me via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value to write it. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”