As the days get shorter and the weather keeps most people indoors, those who are looking to buy a home will have more time to spend browsing online. As there also tend to be fewer homes on the market in wintertime, buyers tend to be more committed.
If you want to sell your home this winter, cozying it up and making it feel more warm and inviting can give you the edge you need and spark the required interest. Here are 11 ways to make your home cozy for a winter sale:
Add Plenty of Throws and Blankets
One of the first things we think about when winter sets in is snuggling up in front of the TV or with a good book under a warm, soft blanket. Add to that a cup of delicious tea and a winter candle, and the mood is all set for a delightful evening at home.
You can capture the essence of this cozy feeling by adding plenty of snuggly blankets and throws to all of your seating areas.
Choose soft fabrics in colors that go well with the rest of the room. You can even artfully arrange them to appear as if someone has just been warming up under one.
Make sure there is a blanket on the sofa and on any large armchairs. Do not go overboard, as you do not want to make any room appear stuffy or cluttered. Also make sure that the blankets smell fresh and cozy. Whether you are a first-time seller or a seasoned home selling pro, keep reading for more tips to help avoid home decor mistakes and maximize your home’s chances of making a great first impression!
Choose Warm-Toned Pillowcases
The same rule applies to pillows and pillowcases. You want them to exude warmth and welcome, so make sure you swap over any summer-inspired ones you might still have lying around.
You are still aiming for warm, earthy tones that match the general color pallet of the room. Match them with the throws and pillows, and fluff them up before a prospective buyer comes over.
Be careful not to drown out the sofa or bed with pillows, though. While mountains of pillows are a huge trend, they do annoy some people who don’t see the point in having so many of them. Also, too many pillows on the bed can also be reminiscent of hotels, which can again be a gamble, as some buyers will love this vibe, while others will find it too sterile.
Stick to a reasonable couple of pillows per piece of furniture, and store any superfluous ones you may own.
Have a Plant in Every Room
Plants are a great way to make every room feel more welcoming. Having a touch of green promotes calm and serenity. Plus, it can make the space feel lived in and homey.
There isn’t a room in the house that won’t benefit from a plant or two. Even the bathrooms can be made cozier with a couple of small succulents. The kitchen is an ideal place for a herb garden in the window sill, and you can hang other decorative plants or place them on top of the cabinets, too.
The living and sleeping areas can benefit from larger planters and bigger plants if you have the space. You can even pair some faux vines with fairy lights in the bedroom.
Again, try not to go overboard with the amount of plants you have in a room. You don’t want it to feel like a greenhouse. Placing a couple on the bookshelves or in the corners is all you need to do.
As for the fake vs. real plant dilemma, the choice is yours. Most people aren’t able to tell the difference between a quality faux plant and a real one. Stay away from the cheap plastic kind that is obviously fake, and you’ll be just fine.
Think About the Smell
You want your cozy winter home to smell inviting, too. Think about lighting some candles throughout the space. The flickering lights will add to the coziness.
Choose unobtrusive smells that won’t be overpowering, and try to keep them similar. You don’t want a prospective buyer to be greeted by a different powerful smell in every room.
If you are a baker, you can also consider making a fresh pie (yes, people do do that). You can also make some mulled wine and serve it to your visitors or make some winter tea. Or boil some oranges with spices on the stove to make the whole house smell amazing.
Potpourri, dried oranges and apples, and home fragrances can also be your allies in the quest to cozy. Just stick to gentle, spicy scents that won’t make anyone sick or dizzy.
Throw on a Cozy Playlist
The atmosphere can also be significantly elevated with the right choice of music. You don’t need it to play throughout the home. If you put on a winter fireside playlist in the main living area, it will set just the right tone. You can also choose some smooth jazz or a cozy piano playlist.
Make sure that there are no ads in the playlist, though. Use Spotify or a similar app if possible, or make sure to play a YouTube playlist from a browser that does not play ads (like Brave). It would absolutely kill the mood if a 30-second ad for detergent were to intrude in the middle of your viewing.
Don’t put the music on too loud, either. It’s meant to be more of a background sound. If you do have a sound system running through the entire home, don’t put the music on everywhere. After all, you don’t want it to feel like a public space. However, do point out this feature to buyers.
Cozy up the Bed
The bed is a piece of furniture (alongside the sofa) that we naturally tend to gravitate towards in the winter. To improve your chances of making a sale, you want to make yours as comfy and cozy as possible.
Start by selecting the right type of mattress. It’s the first key step to a good night’s sleep and a super-cozy, comfy bedroom. Put on some clean, winter-themed bedding. Don’t go for anything too garish. A neutral color palette will do, with a hint of decoration. You can also go for something plaid or checked, in a warm red or green.
Throw an extra throw on the bed and just a couple of extra pillows. You can look at social media for inspiration for an extra cozy bed setup.
Don’t forget about the bedside table either. Make sure it’s not cluttered and that there isn’t any trash or dirty mugs there. You can light a candle, add a book and a small plant pot, and perhaps a couple of your own items you usually keep there.
Your goal is to make the home feel lived in and loved. You don’t want to make it too sterile or hotel-like. Your buyers need to be able to imagine themselves living there but not be overwhelmed by your personal touches.
Add Trinkets
Speaking of finding the right balance between personal and impersonal, aim to place a selection of tiny decorative items around that will make the space feel cozy and welcoming. Less is usually more but sometimes cozy requires a little personal touch.
Start by considering any larger art pieces. What kinds of paintings do you have on the wall? Are there any pieces of sculpture you own? How do they make the space feel?
Remove anything that does not contribute to the cozy vibe, especially if an item is clearly evocative of summer.
Add little tidbits to likely spots, like end tables and shelves. You can do pumpkins (if you are still in fall) or little fir trees or snow globes. Decorative trinket plates, photo frames, and unlit candles can also contribute to the cozy energy.
Don’t put out anything that is likely to get broken or damaged, especially if there’s limited space to move about or if you know your buyers will be coming with their young kids.
Books Are Your Friends
Books can make any space feel more warm and welcoming. They can also be terrific conversation starters, especially if both you and your prospective buyers are fans of similar genres.
Make sure any bookshelves in the house are organized and tidy. You don’t need to color-coordinate your books or stack them up according to size. Just make sure there’s no dust on them and that they are not haphazardly thrown around.
You can place a book on the coffee table, stack a couple of them on the bedside table, and add a couple of cookbooks to your kitchen counter.
You can choose particularly cozy books if you want to, like Little Women or Harry Potter. A vintage Agatha Christie will also do. You can also proudly display your favorite books and point them out as you do your walkthrough.
Cover the Floors
If you have great floors, you don’t want to cover them up entirely. However, you do still want to add to that cozy feeling by throwing in a likely runner or two. They can add a touch of color to the space and prevent buyers from walking on naked, potentially cold floors.
You can also do a fluffy rug under the coffee table and place a couple of fluffy mats near the bed. These small elements will add to the general atmosphere and vibe of your home.
A runner in the kitchen is a great idea, too, and you should definitely buy a new bath mat for the occasion.
Make sure all rugs and runners are vacuumed and fluffed up, as a clearly old and grimy one will ruin your hard decorating efforts.
Add a Personal Touch
Some home buyers like to see the space as it is now. They want to see what the people who live there are like and judge their personalities and the likelihood of them being honest about the state of their home. A bit of disarray can, in that sense, go a long way. It will help you appear more forthcoming, and your house will feel like a home.
On the other hand, some buyers prefer homes to be stripped of all personal touches before a showing. This is meant to help future owners imagine themselves in the space.
If your goal is to make your home appear more cozy this winter, you definitely need to hold on to some personal, family touches. This can be your family art and photo wall, the set of photos and memorabilia on the mantelpiece, or the trinkets you collect on your vacations.
If your home is a trinket haven, you might want to hide some of them but still leave enough out for buyers to be able to gauge what kind of family you are like. If you display a lot of happy memories, they may start imagining what their future life can be like in your home.
Make Sure There Is Adequate Light
In order to fully embrace the cozy winter atmosphere, make sure the lighting in your space is not too harsh. You don’t want it to be too muted or dark, but you do want to dim your home’s lights in the winter a little bit.
Light some candles and make sure the fireplace is going if you have one. You can add some fairy lights to the bedroom and kitchen. Light the floor lamps and your more neutral lights.
If you are going to be showing your home in December, a Christmas tree is practically a must. It will certainly make the space feel like a home and help buyers imagine their own Christmases living there in the future.
Wrapping Up
Consider these tips to make your home cozy for a winter sale. It’s all about setting just the right tone and making buyers feel welcome and at home in your space.
Ask your agent for tips on how to make your home inviting and increase its chances of selling quickly for top dollar. Their expert eye should be able to spot the superfluous details and help you rearrange your space to achieve the desired effect.
