The best home and decor items to prepare your house for the winter

It’s abundantly clear that we’re going to be spending a lot of time at home indoors this winter, so it’s the ideal time to optimize your house to keep you comfortable and happy throughout the long season to come. A few simple options to consider can make a big difference to how you inhabit and enjoy your space.

Air Quality 

Your home’s air quality should be top of mind each winter, and this year you may want to amp up your efforts. Portable HEPA air purifiers or sanitizers can help filter the air in a specific room or area. Combined with other prevention methods, you may be able to reduce the level of some airborne viruses and other particles in your home.

Of course, your central furnace HVAC filters also filter air throughout your house, reducing many indoor pollutants. Change out or clean your air filters regularly, especially in the winter. 

Additionally, ensure your humidifier is working properly, so the air indoors isn’t too dry. Have kids? Adding a cute, personal humidifier to your kids’ bedrooms may also help prevent nosebleeds and ease dry coughs. 

Let in the Light   

 Make the most of winter’s sunny days by focussing on your windows. You can let the light in to brighten your space while also keeping them insulated with smart products that can do both! 

One example of beauty and function is cellular shades, like those from Canadian owned Zebra blinds. Cellular shades have a honeycomb shape that makes them especially good for insulation and reducing heat transfer. 

Roman shades are another great option, which have a thicker drapery-style material and can have added liners included for better insulation. 

Regardless of the style of window covering you choose, a modern upgrade to include in your home design is the smart use of motorization. Convenient and useful in all seasons because they can be automated to adjust in sync with other smart devices, but are also especially helpful during the winter. You can opt to close the blinds or shades in a room when it’s not in use, schedule the shades to open according to the position of the sun to let as much light and heat in as possible, and adjust according to the temperature of the room — all great ways to be more efficient with energy savings. 

Warm and Cozy

You’ll want to stop the drafts that may be coming from your doors, windows, or even fireplace. Quick fixes like a cute door draft stopper, or new weatherstripping can help. You could consider a portico curtain, like your favourite restaurants use, to block chilly air coming in when you open the front door. 

Often, winter decor includes the seasonal addition of throw blankets and area rugs to make a room more comfortable in cold weather. But don’t forget that by swapping out your regular translucent sheers for heavier fabrics, you can bring that cozy feel to your window decor. You can creatively combine your treatments, adding both window shades and curtains for added dimension, texture, and colour to give your rooms more warmth. 

Space and Storage

You don’t have to be a bookworm to understand how a bookcase can make any room look clean and neat by offering ample new space to sort your stuff including artwork, small collections, favourite objects, plants, record albums, and yes, even books. 

A favourite choice for family and living rooms, storage ottomans are a great way to stash extra blankets, dog toys, and anything else that takes up space but doesn’t need to be on display everyday. And you can put your feet up knowing your home is looking its best.