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.
Somewhere between September and October, my heart started craving cozy. We are about to “fall back” an hour and the days will be shorter and it will get dark so much earlier and I just wanted to surround myself with cozy 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 fall 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 7 simple tips to make your house cozy (and in glorious news—three of them 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 arms 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 fall throws here.
// Sonos speaker//
3. Create a playlist
There’s just something about a fall playlist that makes everything.
Here’s my fall 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?
It’s 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
// Cinnamon & Clove candle //
// Farm Apple Pumpkin //
5. Light this candle
This is my go-to candle to make a space smell like fall. It’s from Walmart and it’s so affordable and lasts all fall. I’ve shared it before—but I have a new candle combo heading into the holidays.
Start with this Farm Apple Pumpkin.
You can see it here.
Then?
Add this Cinnamon & Clove candle to the mix. It’s the perfect scent combination.
You can see the candle here.
There’s also the cutest pumpkin jar with the scent of Snickerdoodle Pumpkin.
You can see the pumpkin jar here.
// dusk-to-dawn candles //
6. Dusk-to-dawn window candles
Can you see it?
Right there in the windows?
See those candles?
There’s a candle in the middle of every window that looks like they stepped out of the pages of a holiday novel. And in super cozy news—these candles are so much cuter than in these pictures because they flicker just like real candles and they make the windows glow.
And here’s the amazing thing about these candles. They JUST COME ON BY THEMSELVES.
I know, right?
I cannot without much I LOVE THEM.
They come on at night and then turn themselves off in the morning. They are just like those dusk-to-dawn lightbulbs that we all love so much except they are candles and they are so perfect for fall and Christmas. They bring all the cozy without ever having to lift a finger.
You can see the 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.
And here’s one last cozy tip.
If you have a dog or cat or pet?
Sometimes all you need is a little snuggle.
All of a sudden, the world seems so much cozier.
PS What do you think? Do you use any of these tips? Do you have any cozy tips to share that I missed?
Buddy and I are ready.
disclosure: affiliate links are used in this post
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