The shorter days have settled in and frigid temps are here to stay. These days, all anyone wants to do is cast off the heavy coat and scarf and hibernate for the winter. When your apartment is your escape from the world, you need it to ooze comfort every time you’re welcomed home. Take the blah out of wintertime with your own cozy indoor starter kit. With these simple DIY tips, you’ll be wishing for cold temps all year long.

Dim the lights

Adjust the mood to a more comfortable setting with smart home lighting. Add a Phillips Hue bulb to your living room and you can tell Google Home to dim your lights by 50 percent. It works like a charm.

A faux fireplace

Pick up an electric fireplace heater for an easy cozy fix, with flames that trick your mind into a more relaxed state. These heaters are easy to install – just plug in and grab a mug of hot cocoa. Once winter is over, all you need to do is slide it into the nearest closet for storage. Need an instant comfy boost? When you can’t get a heater, a fire from YouTube will create a great effect.

Velvety touch

One of the easiest ways to soften a room’s ambiance is by changing out your throw pillows. Replace throw pillows with a softer, richer texture such as snowy faux fur. Drape a colorful velvet blanket over your couch for an instant boost to your cozy.

Smart warmth

Stay warm with smart help. Get a SmartDuvet and you can control your heated blanket with your smartphone. Or program your Nest to know when you get up each day. It’ll have the temps in your apartment nice and toasty each morning, helping to conquer the struggle to leave your warm blankets.

Smell

Nothing warms the heart like a homey smell. If you’re in the mood to measure and sift your way through homemade cookies, the smell of fresh baked goods always offers guaranteed comfort. Or get the familiar smell of a bookstore at home with a book-scented candle from Frostbeard Studio.

A therapy light

Get the sunlight you lack throughout wintertime with light therapy. Use a winter light box for help with everything from SAD to jet lag to depression. According to the American Psychological Association, a therapy light can actually improve symptoms for SAD sufferers. Look for one with 10,000 lux of light. Be sure to talk with your doctor before beginning light therapy treatment.

Salt lamp glow

Himalayan salt lamps are beautiful, and many believe they offer everything from a mood boost to relief from allergies. Either way, the soft pink glow creates a delightful spa-like ambiance.

Get a massage at home

Nothing beats the winter blues like a heated massage. Get a reprieve from the aches and pains of life with a massage in your own apartment. A Zyllion back pillow offers heat combined with a back massage to deliver soothing relief to all your muscle groups.

Ski the Alps at home

Get the full effect of a snowy mountain retreat, right in your apartment. Go skiing or snowboarding indoors using virtual reality with Google Cardboard. Take in snowy panoramic views and get your fill of the Alps without ever leaving your zip code.

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