To ask how to make my cold and sad home cosy?

[Cacticus12345]

I’ve been away for 3 weeks helping a relative and have returned home to a cold, dark rather miserable (and messy) house.

I live alone so don’t have the family warmth and activity I can see through people’s windows at this time of the year

What can I do to make myself feel better and feel cosy at home?

Hi, today ive put up a garland on the mantle piece with tiny lights wrapped round it. It has made my living room look so cosy and warm i might keep it on all year round. I agree with the candles they can transform a room. I get what you mean, i live alone and this time of year is hard.

Get up when it is still daylight (even if you know you'll slope off back to bed later!)...

Do ONE thing, even if you do it crappily.

Wash up, put the washer on, put up a strand of tinsel - just one thing, done whilst there is still daylight, makes you feel far far better.

Curtains, tinsel, fairylights, all make somewhere feel cosier. Blankets on the sofa if you like, put something familiar on the tv for background noise (I like Friends for this as theres loads of it).

We have warm-white fairy lights up year-round that have an integrated timer, so they come on automatically in the evening - it makes a huge difference to come home and see that bit of light peeking through the curtains, especially at this time of year.

I also love my slow cooker for this - to come home and smell that someone has got my dinner ready always makes me feel great (even though that person was me, first thing in the morning).

I also like to pop the TV on to one of those youtube radio stations that have names like 'lofi beats to study/relax to' that just have pleasant background music and a chilled out little animation (of a girl writing, or a little raccoon going for a walk, etc). They stop the house from feeling empty.

Thank you for your lovely suggestions. It’s true, I am feeling lonely and quite sad but realise I need to help myself. Your comments really helped

I’ve been out, bought a candle, I have a big pot on the stove cooking a spicy curry and I’m going to get the Christmas decorations down from the loft.

Hope you all have a lovely Sunday night x

Create mini 'altars'. Like an altar to reading could be a cosy chair with a rug and cushion, a table beside it with a stack of good books and a lamp. An altar to meditation might have a candle and some flowers. A family altar could be an arrangement of family photos in nice frames. Anything that guides the eye towards an appealing setting and makes you think of something happy.

I love houseplants on window sills, soft throws on sofas, bowls of fresh fruit and vases of flowers in the kitchen. A cat helps!

Make pools of cosy light with lamps, christmas lights in warm colours (warm white not ice white) and candles or firelight.

Keep the house fairly warm. Have uplifting music that you love playing softly in the background. Air it for a good half hour in the mornings, even on cold days, by opening all windows and doors, but then make sure it smells inviting. I love the smell of our house in the morning when DH toasts brioche and I make fresh coffee. I don't even like the taste of brioche but love the smell. I sometimes spray my favourite scent into the bedroom or on the landing when I'm putting it on in the morning because I love walking into a room that has traces of it. Cook's candles do a lovely fresh-scented diffuser for under £10 or you could get some Christmassy cinnamon and orange scented candles or pot pourri,

@Twopenny

We have warm-white fairy lights up year-round that have an integrated timer, so they come on automatically in the evening - it makes a huge difference to come home and see that bit of light peeking through the curtains, especially at this time of year.

I also love my slow cooker for this - to come home and smell that someone has got my dinner ready always makes me feel great (even though that person was me, first thing in the morning).

I also like to pop the TV on to one of those youtube radio stations that have names like 'lofi beats to study/relax to' that just have pleasant background music and a chilled out little animation (of a girl writing, or a little raccoon going for a walk, etc). They stop the house from feeling empty.

where do we find raccoon walk animations? That sounds adorable!

Warm lower watt lightbulbs.
Cushions, blankets, rugs etc in warm colours.
A cup you love to use.
Comfortable sofa, bed etc.
Lovely bedding, pillows and a fluffy quilt.
Gorgeous pjs.
Heat, a warm home.

We found a fire effect on netflix. Can't remember what it was called, but it's one hour, shows a fire starting, burning, then dying off, with sound effects. Very cosy

Everything will be better if it's clean and tidy

Well done for taking action today. Hope the curry tastes good

Great update OP. I hope you enjoy your evening!

Fairy lights! They solve everything!

Fabrics - lots of luxurious throws, cushions and rugs

Well done. Enjoy your curry.

Well done OP.

Well done OP!
One step at a time.
I recommend fairy lights.

Love it when people come together like this.

Heated Blanket for the living room.
Definitely lights... And I adore fake real candles they have a real flicker glow of flame. They also turn off and on on a timer. These will make a huge difference.

Ahhh @Cacticus12345 let us see a photo when your tree/decorating is done!🎄🎄🎄

Lighting makes a room in the evening - table lamps better than overhead lights. Keep the room tidy, warm and welcoming so you want to come back to it.
Keep it bright in the daytime. Get a nice Christmas tree up with lights on. Then plan ahead to make yourself less 'lonely and sad'. Look up groups or activities you can join that will enhance your life in the year ahead.
Good luck

I must say I think fairy lights do wonders for a room. I know they might seem a bit childish, but get some warm ones to put up for Christmas and just see how the space is transformed. Also candles!

@hivemindneeded

Here's the raccoon going for a walk:

The raccoon is the Chillhop channel's mascot, so via the sidebar you'll probably also find the raccoon reading, chilling in his bedroom, out in a coffee shop - there's a raccoon for every occasion.

Heated fleecy blankets are lovely.

Soft blankets, fairy lights, nice smells, heating, nice warm drinks, good relaxing music. A little tidy up. Also a favourite in our house is YouTube on the TV with fake fire playing. Honestly it's just amazing ☺️. You need something good to read, listen to, watch, drink and eat. A simple warm drink with a pinch of cinnamon does wonders. Its the little things op.

But some new pictures. They'll transform your home if it's looking sad.

Just tidy one room that you can sit in and enjoy - living room?
Put candles and fairy lights in there, a blanket and cushion/s to add texture.

What a lot of lovely responses and I hope they bring you comfort OP.
I've nothing really to add but will echo the previous poster who said a sheepskin rug.

If you don't fancy/can't stretch to a real one, Amazon have a cracking faux one that washes up brilliantly in the machine.