Preparing Your Bedroom for Winter
Winter is coming. That means that frost warnings, snow, dark days and hibernating indoors are all just around the corner. (Or maybe you’re already there.) As the weather changes, though, so does the definition of “cozy bedroom”.
As we begin to think about winter, there are few things you can do to make your bedroom extra cozy and winter ready.
Deep clean
Fresh air will be a bit more limited with windows and doors shut tight. In the meantime, take advantage of the last few warm(ish)days, open the windows, and do a full deep clean of your bedroom (and other rooms if possible!).
When we say “deep clean”, we mean:
Dusting all your shelving
Taking any dishes (water glasses!) out and cleaning them
Cleaning out under your bed
Vacuuming all those dust bunnies up (yes, under the bed, too)
Washing all your bedding
Replacing pillows as needed
Decluttering anything off your floor and sleeping space
Doing any rearranging if you feel the need for it
This can also be a great time to get rid of any old PJ’s or clothing, as well as empty drawers out and organize your entire space.
The goal of this deep clean?
Doing this will help ensure that your space is relaxing, tidy and healthy for you as we spend more time indoors. When you walk into a room and feel like it’s organized, it does a lot to reduce your stress while enforcing a state of calm. This is exactly what we want in the bedroom.
Change up your scent
New season means a whole new mood. Sometimes, the best way to build a mood is with a nice scent. Candles, flowers, essential oil diffusers and bed sprays can all be used to change up the smell of your room.
Believe it or not, the smell in your room really does make a difference! Lavender, for example, is a well known relaxant and sleep aid (and also can lower blood pressure!). Peppermint can help to clear your mind if you feel anxious when you lay down for the night.
A few more of our favourites are:
Cedarwood: The woodsy smell can be cozy and calming to people who love the outdoors
Eucalyptus: Great to help relax you and can be good if you’re feeling stuffy or congested from an oncoming cold
Vanilla: This smell reminds many people of home, while having the added benefit of reducing heart rate, blood pressure and aids in relaxation
Camomile: Not only is this great as a pre-sleep tea, but this smell can help you relax and fall asleep in bed.
Candles: Safety first!
If you’re partial to candles, make sure to never leave one lit while you are sleeping. It’s a fire hazard.
Tips for using candles before bed
If you do like candles, consider doing your bedtime meditation or reading with the candle lit and blow it out before going to sleep.
Image borrowed from Hunter Fan.
Change the direction of your fan
Have you ever wondered why your fan can change directions? Air flow is the answer.
The blades on a ceiling fan are tilted to either pull air and push it down, or to pull up and out towards the ceiling. When you want a breeze, you want the air blowing down. In the winter, however, that extra breeze can make you cold.
Changing the direction on your fan encourages airflow without making you feel cool. The circulation is still good because it moves the warm air around your room. Hot air rises, so without this circulation, you could warm your house all day and not really feel it.
So, change your fan direction and use it on the lowest setting to get the most out of your heating.
Update your bedding
Depending on if you’re a hot or cold sleeper, this tip may speak to you more or less. In the winter, you can swap out your bedding for fuzzy, flannel sheets to help keep you warm. This material helps to insulate you more because the fibers retain more heat.
While you don’t want to be too hot in the winter (more on that below!) and there are benefits to being cooler while you sleep, you don’t want to be cold. If you keep your house cooler — something many people do overnight in the winter — having warm sheets and bedding can keep you sleeping soundly, no matter the weather.
Either way, use this time to change your bedding. Look at your sheets: do you need new ones? If you don’t, give them a good wash and put fresh, clean ones on, whether they’re flannel or not!
TIP: You should wash your sheets once a week in every season to keep them clean.
Be careful of over-warming yourself
While we recommend flannel sheets to keep you warm, we should warn you to be careful of over-warming yourself at night. Between the fuzzy sheets, cozy pyjamas, heat blasting and windows closed shut, you could end up sweating.
You should be cool but comfortable while you sleep. What this means will change over the season as temperatures rise and fall. Don’t be afraid to change up your sheets every week as you wash them, rotate through different pyjamas and lower your house temperature at night.
Winter heating tip
Your house, during the day, should be set between 20 - 22° C (68 to 72° F). When no one is home and at night, that can and should drop down to about 16 degrees (60.8° F).
Why? A few reasons.
Every 1 degree cooler you drop the house temp, you can save 1% on your energy bill. That adds up over time.
There’s no point heating a house if no one is there
It’s actually better for you to sleep in a cooler room/home so dropping the temperature is good for your sleep, too.
All of this being said, you should keep your heat on all winter to maintain that base and prevent any issues like pipes freezing.
Embrace wintertime trends
Last, but not least, let the winter season help you make the most of your sleep routine — both in and outside the bedroom! Winter activities are a great way to get outside and breathe in fresh air. Hot cocoa, teas, cozy movies and early sunsets can be the perfect reminders we need to slow down, enjoy the little things in life and to rest our bodies.
BONUS: Holiday season is a great time to ask for some bedroom upgrades! New pillows, sleep masks, silk pillow cases, meditation app subscription, new alarm clock… The gift ideas are endless.
Wintertime: A friend to sleep
We love getting ready for winter, and with these tips you can prepare your bedroom (and yourself!) for a season of snow. What is your favourite thing about winter? Comment below and let us know!