Every year when the leaves start to change color, I immediately have the urge to prepare my home and my family for the long winter ahead. Winter is the time of year that I get back in touch with myself and my family. Since my family spends a lot more time at home during the colder months, there are things that I do to prepare our home to make it as warm and inviting as possible. Here are the three main steps that I take to get ready for winter.
Step 1:: Let's Get Clean and Organized.
Most people spring clean, I fall clean. I feel the first step to prepare my home for the long winter is to thoroughly clean and organize it. With summertime being so busy, this is a project that is usually much needed. First, I go through all of the clothing, shoes, toys and supplies in our closets. The contents are divided into four categories; store, donate, sell or upcycle. Anything that is in the store category is stowed away until next year. The items in the donate bin immediately go to our neighborhood family shelter. The sell items are listed on Ebay and the profits are used to pay for the upcoming holiday expenses. {I have been doing this since my son was a toddler and to this day I have not had to use any other funding for the holidays.} The upcycle bin, which usually consists of old towels and clothing too worn to donate are upcycled into cleaning cloths or pet toys. I also clean and organize our cupboards and pantry to ensure that everything we have on hand is fresh and to make room for the items that we will stock up on for winter. We also clean and organize our garage, basement and put our gardens and flower beds to rest for the long winter ahead.
Step 2:: Brighten It Up and Make It Cozy.
I love to add accents pieces to my home to give it a warm feel and a burst of cheerful color. I organize baskets of cozy colorful blankets in each of our nesting rooms. Our nesting rooms consist of our living and family rooms. My husband and I will make beeswax candles to place throughout our home making for a warm ambiance. I also stack books and magazines on our coffee and end tables, since we tend to do a lot more reading during this time of year. This is the time of year that we bring out our family board games and make it a priority to snuggle up on the rug in front of the fireplace for a good game of Trouble, Uno or Monopoly a few times a week. We usually have more plants in our home this time of year, since we bring in all of our potted plants for the winter. Not only does this give our home more of a nature feel, but the plants help to clean the air in our home all season. It is fun to bring a little nature into our home with branches, leaves, berries, rocks and pine cones that we arrange in vases and dishes throughout our home, reminding us that spring will be upon us soon enough.
Step 3:: Reconnect and Plan Ahead.
Winter is the perfect time to reconnect with your family and friends. We spend a lot more time together in our kitchen cooking and baking together as a family. We enjoy making arts and craft projects and look forward to our reading tradition. My husband reads to myself and my son every night before bed. It is the perfect time of year to talk with your family about the dreams and goals that your family would like to reach together. It is also fun to discuss future vacations and where you see yourselves in the year to come. As the months get longer and colder, we find it to be the perfect time to gather with friends and family for hot meals, board games and great conversation. You could have a monthly dinner club with friends and family, or organize a children's cooking afternoon for your friends and their children. Any reason is an excellent reason to get together and celebrate fall and beautiful winter to come.
How do you prepare for winter?
