How to Decorate Your Home to Ward Off the Seasonal Blues

The winter season brings plenty of holiday cheer, but there's no denying the gloomy months after daylight saving time can be difficult. The downside of having less sunlight during the winter months is that many people experience the “winter blues.” These blues can develop into seasonal affective disorder, a condition that’s believed to be caused, in part, by the season’s shorter days. And while SAD requires an official diagnosis, there are several small things you can do to improve your mood, starting in your own home.

For tips on how to decorate to brighten spirits, we chatted with designer Jason Saft, founder of Staged to Sell Home. Saft says winter is the perfect time to give your home a refresh, and shares his tried-and-true decorating methods that can transform your home into a warm and joyful space, even in the gloomiest months.

Winter Is the Best Time to Redecorate

Saft says the dreary winter months are actually the best time to redecorate your space. First, he suggests embracing the fact that wintertime—which coincides with the new year—is an excellent opportunity for a fresh start. It’s also a time when people are usually indoors more often than any other season, which makes it an ideal time to embark on a home design project.

Saft also recommends placing an emphasis on comfortability, warmth, and cleanliness of your space. “We’re hibernating, it’s dark earlier, it’s important we make ourselves more comfortable,” he says. As you’re redecorating, he suggests asking yourself, what can function better in my home? He gives the example of swapping out the duvet on your bed for one that can help you sleep better by keeping you warmer during the chilly months.

Start with a Vision for Your Home

Before you begin any home refresh project, narrow down the exact vision you have for your space. Defining your reasons for wanting to put time and effort into decorating this winter is a good place to start. Saft suggests writing down your goals for your home so they become clear: “Let’s say you dream of hosting a dinner party but the dining room was never completed," he says. "Or, you want to hang a gallery wall but you need to clear some wall space first.”

He suggests working backward from your goal list, so it doesn’t feel overwhelming. For the above example, you'd first need to clear some wall space, patch any holes, and give the wall a fresh coat of paint. Then, you can work on finding the art you want to hang, and finally, actually put up the gallery wall. “Divide and conquer is the key,” Saft says of decorating projects.

Don’t Forget to Declutter

Clutter—or lack thereof—can have a profound effect on our mood. And, while it’s not considered a part of interior design per se, decluttering sets the stage for how your home looks and feels. “Once you pare down your things, you now have room to decorate," Saft says.

If it feels like too big of a task to tackle at once, he suggests starting in the smallest space, because it will make a big difference in a short amount of time. This can look like replacing the shower liner in your bathroom or tossing expired spices from your pantry.

Saft also calls attention to the fact that decluttering your home can help you rediscover items that were once forgotten about, or prompt you to reuse them in a different space. Repurpose items you forgot had been tucked away, and use the opportunity to shop from your own home. Eco-friendly organizing and decorating is a win-win in our book.

Decorating Tips to Combat the Winter Blues

Once you’ve envisioned the goal for your space and decluttered it, it’s time to infuse joy into it via your home's design. Saft shares a few of his favorite decorating ideas to inspire a cozy home refresh.

Swap Out Fabrics

Swap out the fabrics around your home similarly to how you would with your winter wardrobe. Using heavier, warm textures, experiment with new throw pillow covers, bed sheets, and blankets. According to Saft, this is a cost-effective, yet impactful, way to upgrade your space.

Use Happy Colors

While you may gravitate towards wearing darker colors during the winter, Saft says you don’t necessarily need to dim down your space. “Everyone likes different color palettes so you should go with what makes you happy. If warm plaid patterns don’t appeal to you, don’t incorporate them,” he states. If anything, light and bright colors might cheer you up and have you thinking about spring being just around the corner.

Add Extra Lighting

Saft suggests adding additional light sources to your home to combat the early sunsets and dreary weather conditions of the season. One way to inexpensively illuminate a room is to switch out your cool LED lightbulbs for a warm 60-watt version if you don’t already have them. The warmer glow will add a coziness to your space that combats the gray conditions outside.

Alternatively, you can try a new light fixture altogether. Saft explains that dome-shaped lamps push light up so opt for a different style, such as pendants or globes, that will shine light downward instead.

Maximize Your Light Sources

Since the lack of light is one of the reasons for feeling blue in the winter, you want to do all you can to increase it in your home. Once you've added additional bulbs, lamps, and other lighting, consider adding other elements that can brighten your space.

One of the more labor-intensive ways to lighten a room up is by painting it. Even if you love the color that it currently is, a fresh coat will look clean and vibrant. Use a glossy paint to reflect light around the room, especially when using a darker shade of paint. Saft also suggests adding mirrors to brighten up a space. “Always place them near a window so they can reflect more natural light," he says.

Quick Decorating Projects for a Dreary Winter Day

If you don't necessarily want to embark on a total room refresh, there are a few quick changes you can make in an afternoon. These are a few of Saft's favorite ways to give a space a fast and easy upgrade.

• Rearrange furniture for a new view.
• Style your bookcase a different way.
• Decorate with winter flower arrangements and incorporate greenery such as pine and evergreen.
• Air out the house, even when it’s cold, and use seasonal scents that make your space smell warm and welcoming.
• Include “serotonin-boosting artwork," as Saft calls it. “I love a piece of art that the minute you see it, you smile.”