The feasts are over, the presents have been unwrapped, and champagne glasses are empty. This can only mean one thing: The holiday season is over, and we’re already looking forward to spring. During the cold, dark days of January, spring can feel like a million years away, especially when the trees are bare and it’s dark by 5 p.m.
 
Instead of hibernating with takeout and Netflix, we suggest embracing the season by making your home extra cozy. With a few tweaks, you can transform your house into a winter wonderland. If you’re thinking about selling your home in 2016, these tips are also a great way to give yourself a head start. Selling during the winter can be difficult, but by making these small changes you can light up your life and show buyers your home’s best side, even when the weather outside is frightful.

• Buy some new throw pillows and cozy blankets. Accessories are a great way to change up your home’s look without investing a lot of money in temporary solutions. Throw pillows and blankets are an ideal way to do this, especially in the winter. To take the coziness up a notch, focus on warm colors and patterns, like red plaid, and natural fabrics, such as wool. Not only will these accessories look great, they’ll also keep you warm on those cold winter nights.
• Add more lighting to your home. Your home may get tons of natural light in the summer, but that doesn’t matter much when it gets dark before dinner. Invest in a few extra floor lamps or even a chandelier to light up your home. You can also hang string lights. As long as they’re white, their merry twinkle doesn’t have to be limited to Christmas!
• Take advantage of your fireplace. Many homes in North Carolina have a fireplace, but sometimes the effort it takes to clean them, maintain them and actually light a fire seems like too much work. Don’t let winter malaise keep you from enjoying this beautiful perk. After all, winter is the perfect time to enjoy a roaring fire. If you simply don’t have time to properly maintain your fireplace, buy a few pine or vanilla scented candles and put them in your fireplace. The flickering glow will warm you up in no time.
• Don’t ignore the great outdoors. Just because it’s cold and dark doesn’t mean you can ignore your backyard. While most flowers won’t grow in the wintertime, there are plenty of cold hardy plants and shrubs that can add a pop of color to your yard. Holly and pine are great options that stay lush and full most of the year. Also make sure to rake your leaves regularly and edge your flowerbeds, as they’ll be more visible during the winter when shrubs and bushes are no longer in full bloom.