Your home is your cozy nest for the holiday season that is supposed to evoke warm and uber pleasant feelings. It’s your space that brings loved ones together to bask in the glow and togetherness of the season. Think of it as your safe haven, and an ecosystem that you have full control over designing. With your home at the center of your snow globe these winter months, there’s never been a better time to redecorate and infuse a comfortable atmosphere for all to enjoy! 

Regardless if it’s your turn to host the extended family for the holidays, just keeping it small, starting new traditions, carrying on old ones, or even if you just need an excuse to infuse a surge of holiday energy into your home — it’s easier now than ever to make small updates that can make a big difference to your home. 

Here are seven super simple ways you can add a new layer of holiday cozy to your space.

1. Clean and declutter 

First things first — this is the picture-perfect time to get rid of any unwanted and unnecessary items taking up space. You don’t have to wait for spring to get to your household cleaning into full gear – use this seasonal time period to cleanse, donate what you don’t need anymore, shift some things into storage – or just flat out be gone with whatever does not vibe with the current energy in the room. 

2. Get in the spirit with your senses 

Candles are a classic way to add a joyous mood to your home. Every candle-lover knows that you don’t use a one-size-fits-all approach to candles — you bring out the holiday big guns when the time is right. Whether you choose to use potpourri, hints of sweet almond, cinnamon sticks, brown sugar, or honey, having an inviting fragrance to permeate through your house will really set the Christmas tone. 

3. Accentuate all the little nuances of your home.

Whether you want to drape every doorway and entryway in your home with garlands or take the minimalist route and let some twinkling lights dance on the railings, you can also accentuate your home’s naturally architectural elements with minor touches. Put cozy blankets on your couches or ottomans, add a vintage sled to accompany your tree or try using evergreen branches and pinecones to deck the halls. You can really add your own love to the various nuances around the home without really overdoing it.  

4. Greet the seasons in the entryway 

First impressions matter, and when you have a few big weeks with a steady stream of visitors coming in from the cold, trudging in with snow, dirt, and ice, it can make for a hectic entranceway. Pair that with having little room for anyone to take off bulky clothes, and minimal seating space to take off their shoes (especially for your senior guests), it can create an awkward entrance to exchange pleasantries while simultaneously delayering. 

Try enhancing this welcoming space with a splash of fresh paint, coat hangers, a collection of seasonal works of art, a seating area, and a touch of warm lighting. With a few moves, you can transform your entryway into a welcoming space packed with understated elegance and proper function.

5. Create a cocoa bar 

How appropriately adorable would it be to design your own hot chocolate cart decked out with all of the essentials and festive elements? You could have a variety of walnuts, pistachios or chocolates that will generate a lot of repeat traffic. It’s a fun little DIY project that you can’t go wrong with. 

6. You can have more than one tree.

You don’t have to go full-on Clark Griswold mode with three pine trees on every floor, but adding an additional tree can give you a new creative layer to play around with. Consider having the number one tree in your family’s depth chart as your key one in the prime-time location, and then a fake tree in a different room off to the side to give it that background feel. 

And take advantage of the ever-popular, space-friendly garlands that add a nice and convenient Christmas touch around the home, like the mantle, front door and on armoires.  

7. Set the mood with lights.

Who says Christmas lights only have a place outside? And what is cozier than the glow of Christmas lights dimming the romantic setting in the room? I think we just answered both questions right there. Decorate your home with a bevy of string lights around the wreaths, plants, bed frames, archways or stretched across a wall. It makes for a serene feel loaded with cozy vibes and warm feelings. 

Whatever fun DIY project you decide to take on this holiday season, just remember that this is your own personal space to design and implement whatever mood you want to go for! Share with us your own personal touches to your home and let us know how you made out!