Remember how I said this was going to be the year that I didn’t hate winter? I’m still working on it. If I was going to be completely honest, I would still say that I hate it 😉 But I’m lying to myself in an effort to believe it into reality. You know, fake it ’til you make it.
Besides wearing warm clothes, I’ve been doing a few things around my apartment to make the winter months more enjoyable. Usually, I start to get the “itch” to be outside on a sunny day; I’ve been trying to combat that by making some small changes in my apartment and my daily routine. So far, so good.
Right before my self-imposed spending freeze, I bought myself this monogrammed robe. I had been looking for a fluffy robe and finally settled on this one. (FYI I got the longer one for warmth, but it’s definitely long… here’s a shorter version.) I feel like such a grandma when I wear it, but omg, it’s amazing. I love to put it on after showering or over pajamas when I’m just lounging around.
In addition to my robe, I’ve been living in my slippers while inside. I mentioned this weekend that the heat in my apartment is hard to get just right. I typically leave it off for as long as possible just to keep the air fresh so I use slippers to keep my feet warm. There is something just so cozy about wearing slippers.
MUSIC
Sometimes I make my way to a coffee shop to get some work done, but more often than not, I just stay home. (I prefer to be home with the pups!) My favorite way to add ambience in my apartment is also a great way to not feel so alone: MUSIC. I play Spotify and Pandora and a few Broadway soundtracks (ahem, like Dear Evan Hansen) all day long.
I have two Bose speakers (a mini one and then a micro one) that I switch between depending on what room I’m in. I dream of the day when I have my own house with speakers connected throughout.
Right now I’ve been pretty into Spotify’s “Peaceful Piano” playlist. So calming and great to work to.
CANDLES
Another easy way that I add some ambiance is candles. A no-brainer, of course! Pretty self-explanatory. I have a bunch right now from the holidays so I’ve been burning cozy, winter scents. Currently working on NEST’s “Hearth” and I have a couple from Anthropologie and Bath and Body Works!
When I first moved to NYC, I went to my doctor in Florida telling her that I thought I was kind of depressed, even though I wasn’t actually depressed. Turns out I had a Vitamin D deficiency at the time. I’ve also discovered through genetic testing that I actually have a predisposition to being Vitamin D deficient. If it’s warm, I can get in a few minutes of sun, especially when I walk the dogs. But since it’s so cold, I have been bundled up head to toe. To make sure I stay on top of my Vitamin D, I’ve been taking these chewable gummies.
BOOKS
Reading is my number one form of entertainment right now. (Well, I am a little hooked on The Crown!) Books are going to be my key to surviving, and enjoying, the winter. Here are some of the books I’ve recently read.
This. Blanket. Is. Everything. I cuddle up with it all the time, whether I’m on the couch reading under it or have it draped over my legs while I’m working at my desk. It’s the warmest blanket. Ever. After I put it on Instagram, I had a bunch of people messaging me with how much they love theirs too. Definitely a cult following, for a reason.
TEA
Lastly, tea has been a lifesaver. Normally I’d opt for a nice cup of coffee. Instead of being jittery from coffee all the time, I’ve been reaching for tea. I make at least two cups of tea between the afternoon and evening. Peppermint has been my go-to as of late.
What tips do you have for enjoying the winter months?
Love your survival tips for winter! ❤️ Tea is such an essential in the cold for me, when I don’t want something as heavy as hot chocolate. 🍃
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
You must listen to The Greatest Showman soundtrack. I’ve had it on repeat for weeks now.
Books, candles and tea is what I love about winter so much! Well I’m a little biased in my comment because I love winter a lot and especially now that the snow started falling yesterday. I’m more than happy – but I also get that there’s a lot of people hating cold times. And I get that people don’t really get when I tell them I can’t handle summer haha. I’d also recommend you some good movies for the long evenings! I usually love some romantic comedies (but like the GOOD ones) because it makes me feel so cosy. Hoping that soon you’re going to like winter as much as any other season!
With kindness
I love the idea of taking a Vitamin D supplement. Do you find that it really helps? When the weather is dreary and the sky is gray, I’ve found that reading & planning for a vacation help me get through it. And setting up dates with my husband and then girlfriend coffee dates help, too. It’s a great way to have something to look forward to instead of focusing on how cold and sad I am! xoxo Jessica, http://www.roomforgelato.com
I love these essentials, Carly! I’ve been meaning to nab a faux fur blanket for a while to keep myself warm over the Winter period!
I hope you have a great Wednesday!
Michael
https://www.mileinmyglasses.com
I LOVE a nice fluffy robe. And candles, as well as many other things in this post! This is my first winter in New England so it can definitely be hard (especially coming from Florida) but I’m not completely hating it!
Kendal // Life With Kendal
I have been trying to survive winter for my whole life! It’s not easy, but your strategies are good! Another option…book a vacation somewhere hot (Florida!) in February.
I completely agree about having these things for making winter a bit more enjoyable! Living in the Midwest these are all things I use to make it a bit more fun as well!
Taylor | http://www.livingtaylored.com
This is the weirdest tip, but I learned to love winter because my dogs love it so much! Our 10 year-old black Lab is obsessed with snow, and this year, our 7 year-old Lab mix has been really into it. It kind of makes it more bearable to go outside in 10 degree weather when it’s bringing our fluffy friends so much joy! 🙂
I actually love getting some new indoor herbs and plants. Having something to “garden” while it is cold helps me feel connected to nature!
My best tip for enjoying winter is to get out and enjoy it if possible. We did a family road trip to Quebec and Vermont over the holidays, and it was amazing. I’m usually more of a “read beside the woodstove” person, but several days of snow-tubing and skating through a forest made me LOVE being outside in the snow. Proper attire was key, and I found that with the right socks, boots, base layers, sweaters, jacket, hat, gloves and mittens and handwarmers, I was all set! It seemed excessive when I was getting ready, but it was worth it to be able to enjoy several amazing hours out in the snow.
I also think getting out in the sunshine, however much there is of it, helps my mood immensely. Our family is big on staying warm and comfortable on stormy days or nights, but as soon as the snow clears, we bundle up and head outside. Fresh air and activity, even just a bit, make the winter seem more enjoyable and less “oh my goodness, it’s gonna be like this til April?” 😉
That sounds like Charleston except for about 2 months in summer. Our winters may be more mild (although we did get an historic snow this year and I’m actually wearing my heavy coats), but our summers are miserable. Heat indexes at 110 for about 2 months. Let’s swap for a few weeks!
http://www.holycitylife.com
That’s how I felt growing up in Florida!
YES to all of this! It’s amazing what a difference candles, tea, and music can make, especially when you’re working from home. And I’m all about the faux fur blanket, slippers, and robe when it comes to relaxing in the evening.
Love this post since i live in Michigan and its been frigid. I also have to give you credit for the night-a-mins cream, i bought it after reading your rave reviews and it has honestly saved my skin in this extreme cold! So thank you Carly, you have become my go-to for recommendations for pretty much everything 🙂
I just ordered a pair of those slippers after seeing how cute/cozy they looked on your blog this weekend! My current ones are pretty worn out and just weren’t cutting it anymore.
My go-to is hot cocoa or tea (I picked up a lemon/ginger root herbal tea recently that is amazing) and burying myself under a blanket with a fun book or whatever work I had to bring home.
Carly – I hear you on surviving winter. I live in my ugg slippers during the winter! And Vitamin D – so important! I just started taking it after being told I’m low (duh, chicago winter) and hearing great successes from my parents.
Also – music! I love my Amazon Echo and eventually want a dot so I can blare music all over my tiny apartment.
I’ve found that getting outside – even if it’s just 10 minutes – when it’s sunny can improve your mood a lot.
Good luck with the rest of winter 🙂
I love the “Peaceful Piano” playlist on Spotify. I listen to it at work when I’m trying to really dive in and focus.
Absolutely love these tips and do many of them myself! Also you just blew my mind with the Vitamin D. I’ve def been feeling kind of off lately, like sad but not exactly sad, and it just hit me that I haven’t been taking my Vitamin D bc I hate the flavor of the spray I bought. Just ordered the ones you use and eagerly awaiting their arrival. Thank you!
My best part of my day is when I get to put my robe on! Mine is a cashmere robe I found at an estate sale for something like $12 and it is my absolute favorite item of clothing. The only sad part of the weather turning warm is that I can’t wear it any longer!
Love these survival tips!
Lauren,
http://www.atouchofsoutherngrace.com
Winter is such a rough time for us Floridians! This is my second winter living in SC and it’s been unusually cold. I practically live in my warm robe and comfy fuzzy socks! I love to drink a lot of tea during the winter. It’s how I stay sane this time of year.
Try Sonos speakers! They can be an investment depending on how many you buy or which ones you buy but you control them from your phone. You can have them play the same music all at once, or have them playing different things in different rooms. It’s basically a house stereo/surround system but with speakers! Highly recommend.
totally agree on tea! just saw this great write-up in GQ about switching from coffee to tea and thought of this post: https://www.gq.com/story/tea-primer-for-coffee-freaks
My tip is a space heater. I also don’t like keeping the heat on high in the apartment, I find it super drying, so I’ll use a space heater. I don’t have it on all the time of course, but if I’m sitting in one place like my desk for a while I’ll turn it on – it wards off the chill without drying everything out! xAllie http://www.theallthatglittersblog.com
Ah! I had one in NYC and loved it!
That tea is just the best! I love getting my daily H2O with herbal teas in the winter. Even though they kind of freak me out, I couldn’t do without a space heater for my frozen (even in slippers) feet. Also… have you tried the Google Home/Minis? You can sync them to play the same music on every device around your apartment – they’re awesome!
I can’t decide between Google home and alexa right now so I’ve been at a standstill!
Yes! Slippers, tea, candles and lots of warm snuggles. My fireplace also gets me through the winter pretty easily because I love the warmth so much and being cozy. Also baths and steamy showers, and warm breakfasts! Haha, I’m still going…
http://www.shessobright.com
I LIVE in robes all winter long! They are a definite staple of mine too. They just make the winter so much cozier!
Noelle
http://elle-no.com
Move to California like I did! It’s warm & sunny here :p
I love the reading is your number one rn, I started a book for new years but it’s soo boring and I haven’t gotten past chapter 2 yet. Womp
ebonyknowles.com
Oh I LOVE this post!!! I’m currently in Florida and I am deeply appreciating all the sunshine but in two weeks, I return to Chicago…the other New York. lol And I’m nervous about the lack of sunshine AND the cold. So I’ll be saving this article as a reminder to check on.
But I also love the reminder to read. I LOVED to read as a kid but as an adult….Netflix and now Amazon Prime TV has completely taken over my routine. (I’m ADDICTED to The Good Wife, it’s SUCH a good show!)
But I want to read more and this reminded me how much I love and miss it! <3 Thanks for this!
Also SUPER obsessed with The Crown, I think I binged it all in 3 days?! It got me super interested in that era and the royal family’s history, so I put together a roundup of what to read and watch next! https://areweadultsyetblog.wordpress.com/2018/01/10/what-to-do-when-you-finish-the-crown/
Loved this post too!! I’m Canadian so I get the struggle to survive winter. Another tip I have though is to just get out and enjoy outside even if it’s too cold! Not only is it healthy, but you’d be surprised how beautiful the winter can be 🙂
This is so good! I’ve also found that just getting out of the house can be so beneficial. During the winter, it’s so easy to stay at home, but pushing myself to go out and about always makes me feel better.
Thanks for suggesting those gummies! Seasonal depression is real in Boston 🙁 and Tea is my life saver too!
http://alexamjohnson.com
I love the necklace you have on in these photos! Where is it from?