How to Create a Healthy Winter Hideaway
Winter is upon us again and it’s time to create a warm and cozy home that protects us from the freezing weather.
Everything is a little more difficult in the winter, from staying warm to avoiding getting sick and keeping spirits up while stuck indoors. You can’t control the winter weather, but you can control how you prepare for it and those shorter days spent indoors.
Fully Stock Your Cabinets
Food, drinks, and medicine are essentials any time of the year, and it’s even more important to be fully stocked in the winter. If you’re snowed in or sick, you won’t have to stress about getting the essentials in freezing weather.
Adequate food supply, access to purified water (and purified air), and cold/flu medicine are all essential to have on hand during the winter. Soups and tea are great to have in the house if anyone gets sick. It’s also smart to stock food that doesn’t need to be cooked or refrigerated if you lose power and clean water if your pipes freeze.
Dress for the Weather
It’s important to stay warm in the winter even if you’re staying indoors. Having warm clothes and blankets you can layer is the best way to dress for any type of weather. You can always add or remove layers if you’re too warm or too cold.
Layers are great if you’re leaving the home or staying indoors. It’s also smart to have blankets and jackets in your car if you’re traveling or even just driving to work.
Invest In a Humidifier
A humidifier adds moisture to your air, which is crucial in the winter when dry air abounds. It will help with dry skin and dry sinuses that can be worse in the winter. And a humidifier will help with respiratory issues if your indoor air is too dry.
Running a humidifier will help maintain a healthy humidity level indoors. Striking the right balance here is key because too much humidity can lead to mold spores and dust mites spreading in your home.
Purchase an Air Purifier
Air quality is worse in the winter, so cleaning your indoor air is even more important. Cold air is dense and traps air pollution, which makes pollution remain in the air longer. Maintaining healthy indoor air quality is much easier with a safe and effective air purifier.
An air purifier that uses HEPA filter based media and strong motors will safely and efficiently clean your indoor air. You won’t have to worry about increased air pollution in the winter if you’re indoors running a reliable air purifier.
Replace the Filters in Your HVAC and Air Purifiers
Your HVAC filter helps to collect bigger dust particles and keep your device clean. Dirty HVAC filters can spread dust throughout your home when your heat turns on in the winter or air conditioning in the summer.
Air purifier filters are going to catch the smaller airborne particles like viruses and smoke particles. A dirty HVAC or purifier filter will spread nasty particles that can irritate your allergies and potentially make you sick. These filters are supposed to catch these particles before they can be breathed into your lungs so it’s important to make sure you change your filters regularly.
Have Your Furnace Checked
It’s a great idea to have your furnace serviced before it gets really cold. If it’s not working correctly after you’ve replaced the filters, then it’s essential to have a professional fix the furnace so it can properly warm your home.
The earlier you can schedule this the better so you’re not stuck in a pinch. Portable space heaters are another option, but you have to be very careful as these devices are notorious fire hazards.
Plan Activities
Seasonal depression is higher in the winter months because we’re not outside as often, and there’s less sunlight. The winter holidays can also be a challenging time for some. It’s best to plan activities whether you’re staying warm indoors or safely venturing out.
Having something fun planned a few times a week will help your mental health in the winter. It can be as simple as calling a friend, watching a movie, reading a book, or starting a new hobby. You could also venture out into the cold to meet a friend for hot cocoa, go ice skating, or visit winter farmers markets.
Decorate Your Home
Decorating your home is a great way to bring joy throughout the year especially when you’re stuck indoors in the winter.
Also, consider color choices for your decor. Some colors invoke peaceful, relaxing feelings like purple and blue while others are more intense and stimulating like red and orange. The most important thing to remember is to find decor that brings you joy!
We hope you’re able to create a cozy and healthy winter hideaway to safely wait out the colder months!
