Works For Me: Cure for The Winter Blues

Okay. Christmas has arrived and left. We've packed away all the decorations, returned all the gifts that didn't work, and now what?

The months of January and February are always tough for me. The days are shorter, colder and the ending of the happy Christmas season can leave me feeling blah. It is a long time before Spring, so I've found a few ways to boost my spirits until that first bloom appears.

(I was going to repost an old post about this, but alas, I can't find it.)

1. I start my Spring Cleaning now. Moving furniture for tree decorations and boxing things up is a great opportunity to start cleaning. It just makes me feel better. I clean windows and baseboards, but I don't go crazy with it. The idea is to feel better, not overwhelmed.

2. Light or bright colored linens like white, cream or yellow. Pick a color that you think is cheerful. Change the throw pillows. Put out different place mats. Whatever works for you.

3. Shells. Who cares if you don't live at the beach? You can find shells at most craft stores. Put them in a pretty glass dish or whatever you love. Something about sea shells makes you think of summer.

4. Scented candles and fragrance for the home. I like linen, cotton, or beach scents. They smell fresh. Floral candles are a bit too much for the winter months.

5. Fresh flowers. Pick up some fresh cut flowers at the grocery store. Look for an inexpensive bouquet that has a variety of flowers. Put them all in one vase, or use them in smaller vases all over the house. A small container in the bathroom makes for a cheery morning. Use old jars or any other favorite container. No need to spend lots of money.

6. Change your curtains. Unless you need heavy curtains for warmth in your house, change them now for a lighter, brighter feel. Use light colored, lightweight panels. They will brighten up a dark room.

7. Soaps. Put some nice soaps in the bathroom scented with your favorite scents. Lavender and vanilla are always nice. Whatever works for you.

8. Your front door. Find ways to add brightness to your front door. Use a simple grapevine wreath with a pretty bow or a natural wreath of any kind. (Just make sure it doesn't scream Spring just yet.)

Find a new doormat. You'll be surprised the difference it will make.

If you have any ideas of how to cheer up your home and mood in the winter months, please leave them in the comments.

For more tips, see Shannon at her blog Rocks In My Dryer.