january feel cozy | How to Make January feel Cozy without

January feel cozy: a concise orientation before we get practical.

January feel cozy: Quick notes

Looking for simple ideas on how to make your house cozy? Here are seven tips (and in amazing news—three of them are free)

Yesterday, in a blue ribbon ceremony, I gave my house an award.

Miss Cozy.

Seriously.

This wonderful, amazing, lazy week, my heart started craving EXTRA cozy. In the midst of football playoffs and family gatherings, I just wanted to surround myself with cozy things and snuggle in.

Am I the only one?

Am I the only one whose heart is longing for a house that makes you sigh after a long winter day?

A house that makes your heart snuggle.

A house that makes you want to kick off your shoes and wrap your toes up and pull up a furry blanket and pour a cup of hot tea, and rest your weary self.

A house that makes all the troubles of the world…

…melt away.

Want to see my ideas?

Oh, good.

Because I’m sharing how to make your house cozy for January (and in glorious news—so many of the ideas are FREE).

1. Add cinnamon and nutmeg to your coffee

Are you surprised I started with this? I told you that they would be simple.

Have you ever tried adding cinnamon to your coffee?

It’s the perfect toasty way to start the day.

But why stop with cinnamon? Here are some other ideas for simple ways to cozy up your coffee:

mini chocolate chips
whipped cream
honey
a cocoa packet
a cocoa packet with a drop of peppermint extract
maple syrup

I use this little frother to blend everything from coffee to tea to hot chocolate. It’s handheld, and I’ve had it for over two years. It solves the problem of that spoon with clumps of stuff that doesn’t really mix it up.

You can see the frother here.

(total aside: look at this cute idea to make a cozy for your coffee or tea with a sock.)

// tassel throw //

2. Add a throw

I know this is a Captain Obvious idea, but I couldn’t help it. I just love a really cozy throw. Or two. Or four.

Drape them over chairs.

And beds.

And benches.

That way, a throw is within arm’s reach at a moment’s notice. I truly don’t think you can have enough throws.

If you are looking for a throw? I have 10 of my coziest throws here.

// Sonos speaker//

3. Create a playlist

There’s just something about a playlist that makes everything cozier.

Here’s my cozy winter playlist with tons of the classics. 🙂

And my playlist is dancing all over the house.

See that little thing on the very top of the hutch?

That little thing that is metal with a white top?

Ever wondered what that is? It’s my beloved SONOS—a mini speaker that connects to your phone that sounds like you have a built-in sound system. They are a little bit of a splurge, but worth EVERY SINGLE PENNY we spent. We have three of them all over the house that we gradually added. We’ve had them for over four years, and they still work SO WELL.

I have one in the kitchen, one in the office, and one in the front living room. You can easily connect them to a phone and play one at a time or all together, and you can just adjust the volume from your phone.

These speakers are PERFECT for a party—but I like to turn them on in the morning, and my little playlist makes the house SO COZY.

You can see the SONOS here.

4. Put a simmer pot on

Do you ever use a simmer pot on the stove?

It’s one of my favorite fall traditions around here. You just add water and different combinations and let it simmer.

My favorite is with apples, but you can make a simmer pot with anything.

Here are some of my favorite simmer pot combinations:

orange peels, lemon slices and rosemary
cinnamon sticks, cloves, orange peels and ginger
apple slices, cinnamon sticks and nutmeg (smells like apple pie)
rosemary, thyme, bay leaves and orange peels
vanilla beans (make sure to open it), cinnamon sticks and nutmeg
cranberries, cinnamon sticks, orange peels and cloves

// Red Lava Citrus candle //

5. Light this candle

This is my go-to candle to make a space smell like a super high-end candle from a high-end retailer. But this candle? It’s from Walmart, and it’s so affordable and lasts all winter.

I’ve shared it before—but it’s worth the reshare.

You can thank me later. 🙂

You can see the candle here.

//battery-operated candles //

6. Add battery-operated candles

This tip should have been first.

It’s the easiest, simplest way to add cozy to a room.

I have these candles all over my house. They are on mantels. They are in my faux fireplace. They are on my hutch.

The candles operate off of triple AAS batteries and they are on a timer. The timer is the key. I set the timer to go off when the sun sets and when I walk into a room there’s instant coziness.

The flames flicker and look so real and I never have to worry about lighting them.

You can see the set of candles here.

7. Add a fireplace to your television

I have a real fireplace that I love. But when I’m in the back living room and I need a little extra cozy? I turn on the fireplace on the television. It crackles and sounds so real.

We have a smart television, so I just use an app.

Here are directions to get a faux crackling fireplace on your television with a smart TV and without.

Smart television:

1. App Store: Most smart televisions have a built-in app store. You can usually find it by pressing the “Smart Hub” button on your remote and search for “fireplace” in the app store. There are tons of apps dedicated to fireplace videos, often with crackling sounds and different ambiance options.

2. Streaming Services: Services like YouTube and Netflix have a ton of fireplace videos available. You can simply search for “fireplace” and find many relaxing options.

Regular television:

YouTube on a Computer or Tablet: you can always watch fireplace videos on your computer or tablet and just place it near your couch or wherever you want to relax.
DVD Player: If you have a DVD player, there are actually DVDs dedicated to fireplace videos. It’s a bit retro, but it definitely works! Plus, it’s a nice way to add a bit of nostalgia to your evening.
You can also find lots of free audio tracks online. There are websites and apps dedicated to ambient sounds, and many of them have realistic fireplace crackles. Instant cozy.