55 Of The Best Winter Ideas & Tips: Not Christmas
I’ve curated a list of 55 Winter Ideas for you, which includes home decor DIY projects, simple winter decor ideas, recipes, fashion, skincare, and beauty essentials to enjoy the winter season in style!
This season is all about spending time with your loved ones, sharing a warm and cozy space, and making memories that last. And what better way to start than by making your home and routine winter ready?
Winter is a wonderful time to enjoy the coziness of your home. After all, for many, winter is a time for indulging in hot cocoa and baked goods, sticking close to loved ones in warm sweaters, and staying inside to sip wine by candlelight.
I love decorating for the holidays, but this year I wanted to create a list with decor and lifestyle ideas for winter, sans Christmas decorations.
So instead of focusing on Christmas trees and other holiday decor ideas, I’m sharing my favorite winter ideas to dress up your home and prepare your daily routine for the winter season.
So, grab your hot cocoa (or cup of tea), and let’s get started!
Easy Winter Home Decor Ideas
For me, winter décor is all about paying homage to the outdoors while bringing in the warmth and adding an extra layer of coziness. Here are some easy decor ideas to winterfy your home as well as some winter activities indoor!
Click on any of the blue highlighted links for more information and sources. They are also all listed at the bottom of this post.
- Hang up garlands in unexpected places, such as above a headboard to give your bedroom an outdoorsy touch.
- Bring in the cozy winter vibes to your home with throw pillows made of soft fabrics with organic textures, like this muslin cotton blanket.
- To add some playful and eye-catching warmth, layer different textures and patterns of pillows.
- If you have a working fireplace, consider burning cinnamon sticks, and pine cones or adding essential oils to your fire to infuse your home naturally with a delicious fragrance.
- Similarly, you can light candles with winter-themed scents like eucalyptus and sage or black cedarwood.
- Wrap yarn, jute, or twine thread around jars or vessels to add a rustic touch.
- Dress up your windows by framing them with a wispy pine needle tree garland over them.
- If Christmas trees are not in your decor repertoire, try something different but with the same look. Take some evergreen branches and place them inside a galvanized bucket for a rustic look or something more glam, go for ivory planters with golden stands.
- Warm up the colder winter natural light by adding warm, dimmed lights. My favorite way is to group battery-operated candles of different heights and place them around the home for a continuous glow. My top recommendations? These flickering amber glass-like ones or these wax-like flameless candles.
- Tie wreaths or burlap slashes to the back of your barstools.
Winter Decor Ideas After Christmas
- Swap up your art décor for more winter-themed works. This gorgeous landscape painting , seaside scenes, and Scandinavian folk motifs are some of my favorites.
- Place lanterns on your stairs for a soft glow.
- Bring the outdoors in! Add a tree trunk as a side table or as a tray to display your favorite decorative elements. If you can’t find one in nature, go for this one.
- Spruce up your dining table with small wintery details. Include candle holders in brassy or golden tones and add a whimsical touch with a floral centerpiece.
- Create an assortment of pine cones, and small branches in a ceramic bowl and tuck in fresh greenery for a pop of color in this quintessential winter decor element.
- Dull corner? Add a comfy chair, a faux fur rug, and some books, and create your own hygge nook.
- Display your favorite natural elements from outdoors like pinecones, acorns, and branches in a decorative wood bowl for an elegantly rustic touch, like this natural wood one.
- String up some twinkle lights in the trees or outside your windows, so you can enjoy the sparkling lights from the inside.
- A comfy and aesthetical chair, a few battery tealights, and dried floral arrangements will make your workspace and desk feel cozier.
- Place a plaid throw blanket on your accent chairs.
- Fill mason jars with pinecones and berries for a rustic winter display.
- Elevate your bed to a winter wonderland with a few simple tweaks. Change your sheets for neutral-colored ones, elevate your mattress with a mattress topper, and incorporate a fluffy faux fur blanket and a few cute neutral pillows.
- Light up your porch hanging baskets! Wrap up individual strings of small fairy lights around the baskets and enjoy the sparkly scene every night.
- Add a door basket to welcome your visitors with style.
- Play board games or cards as fun things to do in the winter with friends
- Looking for even more winter decorating Ideas after Christmas? Check out this home tour where you’ll find more easy non-holiday-themed decor ideas!
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Simple and Budget-Friendly DIY Winter Ideas
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- Nothing like decluttering and deep cleaning your home to welcome a new season. For a simple way to declutter, check out my do and don’t of the KonMari Method and learn a simple way to apply this wonderful decluttering strategy!
- Nothing says winter like baking a homemade cinnamon treat- infuse your home with baking delicious aroma by baking some cinnamon rolls! Here’s my favorite Vegan Apple Cinnamon Rolls recipe.
- Friends coming over? Delight them with a cup of hot Peppermint Mocha.
- Give this Mini Pumpkin Pie Recipe a try and savor the flavors of the season!
- Add bits of color using small details, like this DIY ruffle clay bowl.
- Grab some Mason jars and give them a winter makeover with this simple DIY.
- Similarly, take some old jars and give them a metallic touch with this copper and gold DIY.
- Make your own stunning oil candle lights.
- Embrace the winter season with a white tablescape outside.
- For those more daring and looking for something more impactful, transform a corner or room in your home with peel-and-stick wallpaper. Check my DIY tutorial HERE.
Winter Fashion Ideas
- Enjoy the winter snuggling in a warm and uber-chic new set of pajamas.
- Make sure to have a lush winter robe for the chillier days ahead.
- For colder climates, choose something extra warm like this set of 2.
- Make the most of lazy days at home with a comfy -and chic- look. Pair this chunky ribbed cardigan with its matching sweater tank and a pair of soft knitted pants and you’re set!
- No matter the season, leggings are a must but especially during wintertime! Go for something practical to longe around and easy to dress up, like these high-waisted ones with tummy control.
- For a timeless sweater, you can wear up or down, get a turtleneck that features an oversized cut with side slits (so flattering!)
- A long puffer vest can really elevate any winter outfit -casual or sporty- especially if you like the layered look.
- Winter takes a toll on our feet, so comfort is as important as style. The harsher weather months require high-quality boots – go for a stylish Dr. Martens pair.
- For a more city-chic appropriate pair, these elegant but sturdy boots are ideal.
- In winter, you don’t have to sacrifice the comfy element. Look put together all season long with a timeless knit coat cardigan.
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Skincare & Haircare Routine Winter Ideas
- Winter weather calls for extra hydration when we’re talking about skincare routines. Lock the moisture in with an ultra-hydrating cream like the cult classic, Tatcha The Dewy Skin Cream.
- This buckwheat honey, shea butter, and vitamin E cream are perfect for those of us with more itchy and dry skin.
- To keep your skin soft and dewy during winter, you can’t forget about cleansing. Opt for a gentle cleanser, like this milky gel Avene one.
- Hair also needs some extra love this season. Make sure you start your hair care routine with a clean slate by getting a shower filter. The difference is incredible!
- Add an essential oil diffuser with a flame lamp effect to make your homestay feel like a spa.
- For those with sleep troubles, this white noise machine humidifier is another wonderful option.
- A hair wrap hair-drying towel will help your locks stay healthy and shiny throughout the harsh weather ahead.
- Cold weather and heating can cause breakage and frizz, so consider switching to a silk pillowcase.
- Not washing your hair daily is an unspoken rule during the winter, to avoid drying your hair even more. To extend the length of time between hair washes, I recommend using a high-quality dry shampoo. Pro tip? Use a bit at night the same day you wash your hair instead of waiting until your hair gets oily before applying it!
Your hair will look and feel freshly cleaned for much longer! - Keep your end moisturized using a protective oil, like the Olaplex Bonding Oil.
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I hope some of these ideas and recommendations spark a bit of inspiration for you to enjoy the winter season in a new way this year.
What’s your favorite idea or beauty product you are tempted to try?
Let me know down below in the comments!
I can’t remember when I have seen so many great, practical suggestions in one post anywhere before. And winter in Maine lasts a LONG time (too long in my book!) so non-Christmas decor is perfect! Right now I am overwhelmed get things ready for Christmas for others while my tree and decorations languish in their boxes. But, first things first! It will all come together!
Kathy, thank you for letting me know that you’re enjoying the practical suggestions! I hope that you just take it one foot in front of the other and everything will get done. Happy Holidays in Maine, I’ll bet it’s beautiful!
It’s not beautiful here in Maine YET! Rainy snow today; it feels like winter. BUT I got the last of the Giving Tree tags (that didn’t get chosen) from church purchased today! Al and I bought over $400 worth of stuff earlier in the week; the Masons made a donation and church group will pick up the remainder. Course I snuck in some extras to help, too. And got needed ingridients for Sunday church potluck. And a container of catnip for catnip mats; cats of my acquaintance celebrate Christmas, too! I will get it all done. But I am DONE for today!