How to Create a Cozy Home After the Holidays

Find easy tips on how to make a cozy home after the holidays. Transition from Christmas to winter style and beat the post holiday blues.

After a fun and festive couple of months filled with the best holidays of the year, we’re settling into a new year and the colder, quieter side of winter.

This time of year can be a strange time for me and I tend to have mixed emotions.

On the one hand, I am excited to be done with the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season and I am excited for the endless possibilities a new year brings.

However on the other hand, I’m sad that the holiday decorations and the Christmas tree are down and stored away.

Christmas decor gives our house that cozy, warm, and magical feeling with the twinkling lights, happy Santa faces, and sprigs of greenery sprinkled throughout the house.

And so, once the decorations come down, the house feels a little…well, empty and cold.

Instead of rushing past that feeling, I like to use this slower season between the holidays and spring as a time to pause.

To take inventory.

To look at our home with fresh eyes and appreciate the blank canvas it’s become.

Because while it may feel bare at first, a blank canvas is full of possibility.

And rather than feeling blue that Christmas is over, I’ve learned to see the winter season as an opportunity to create a cozy home that feels calm, inviting, and just as comforting even without the tree.

5 Simple Ways to Keep Your Home Cozy After the Holidays

Just because the holidays are over doesn’t mean your home has to feel bare, cold, or unloved.

I truly believe your home should feel as warm and inviting in January as it did in December…but in a quieter, calmer way.

After the Christmas decorations come down, I focus on simple layers that help our home transition from holiday cozy to everyday winter cozy.

Nothing complicated.

Nothing that requires redecorating your entire home.

Just small, intentional touches that make the house feel lived-in and welcoming all winter long.

Here are a few of the things I rely on to keep that cozy feeling going after the holidays are over…

Layer Throw Pillows & Blankets for Instant Winter Warmth

In my opinion, you can never have too many pillows, blankets, or quilts during the winter months.

There’s nothing better than curling up on the couch on a snowy day, surrounded by soft layers that make you want to stay horizontal a little longer.

One of the easiest ways to make your home feel extra cozy after the holidays is by adding extra layers to your seating.

Throw pillows and blankets instantly soften a space and make it feel warmer and more inviting…no major decorating required.

During the winter, I always gravitate toward pieces with lots of texture.

Texture adds warmth, and warmth is what makes a space feel comfortable.

Knits, linen, fleece, wool, and velvet are all cozy winter textures that bring depth and comfort.

I also like to mix textures and sizes for a lived-in look.

For example, you can layer a large knit pillow with a smaller linen pillow, then drape a cotton quilt or cozy throw over the arm of the couch.

Don’t overthink it.

Layering is key, and a little bit of “imperfection” adds to the cozy feel.

Create a Homey Feeling by Decorating with Books

Books are one of my favorite things to decorate with all year long.

They’re practical, meaningful, and incredibly easy to style, especially during the winter months.

When I decorate with books, I love mixing newer books with old, vintage ones.

Old books have so much character and I can’t help but think about the history behind them.

The hands that held them before mine, the story behind the name written inside the cover, or the reason a certain page was folded over.

That mix of new and old adds depth to your decor, and depth is what helps to make your home feel cozy.

When styling books around our home (shelves, coffee tables, or side tables), I always try to make them look like they’ve been used or are about to be picked up again.

Remember, cozy homes shouldn’t look perfectly staged!

I used to style books in a very uniform way, all neatly lined up, ordered from biggest to smallest or vice versa.

But once I stopped doing that and started mixing heights, textures, and ages, our living room in particular, immediately felt warmer and more inviting.

A Simmer Pot Makes a House Feel Like Home

One of my favorite ways to make our home feel cozy after the holidays has nothing to do with decorating at all.

It’s scent!

A simple stovetop potpourri simmering away in the kitchen instantly makes the whole house feel warm and well loved.

There’s something comforting about walking inside after being out in the cold and being greeted by familiar scents like citrus, cinnamon, cloves, or pine.

And the great thing about simmering pots is that they are completely customizable based on what you love, what you might have in your pantry, and what feels comforting to you.

Candles Offer Instant Cozy Ambiance

After the holiday decorations come down, our home feels noticeably darker without the glow of the tree.

So candles offer an easy way to soften that transition, and bring warmth back without having to do much decorating.

A few candles placed throughout your home can make a room feel welcoming, even when the shelves are cleared and surfaces feel a little bare.

Candlesticks with taper candles add height on mantels, dining room tables, or kitchen islands, while jar candles tucked onto side tables or nightstands give a more casual glow.

Comfort Food Makes Home Feel Extra Cozy

Winter is the season for comfort food.

Am I right, or am I right?!

It’s the perfect time to indulge in the kind of meals that warm you from the inside out and make home feel like the best place to be.

When the days are cold and dark, hearty, familiar dishes have a way of bringing everyone together.

During the winter months, our meals tend to lean a little more comforting and filling.

Think cozy, stick-to-your-ribs recipes that feel nourishing, familiar, and nostalgic.

Comfort food doesn’t have to be fancy to be meaningful.

I believe the simplest meals create the most warmth and connection around the table.

Other After-Christmas Winter Decorating Ideas to Keep the Coziness Alive

• Rely on lamps in the evenings instead of overhead lighting.
• Leave items like books, baskets, or trays out rather than tucked away.
• Use area rugs to soften bare floors in cold months.
• Open curtains during the day to let in as much natural light as possible.
• Play your favorite tunes as soft background music to make the house feel warmer.
• Embrace a relaxed look instead of perfectly styled surfaces.

One of the Most Important Things to Remember About Post Holiday Decor

If there’s one takeaway from this post, I hope you see it’s this:

Creating a cozy home after the holidays isn’t just about how your home looks, it’s about how it feels.

The coziest homes engage all five senses.

Soft textures, warm lighting, comforting scents, familiar sounds, and food shared around the table work together to create warmth and comfort.

When the holiday decorations come down, it can be tempting to focus on filling empty spaces visually.

Instead, shifting your attention to how your home sounds, smells, and feels can make an even bigger difference.

Decorating with the five senses is a reminder that cozy isn’t a style or a season, but a feeling you create every day.

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I look forward to sharing more of my home with you and inspiring you to enjoy simple cozy living!

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xoxo, Heidi