5 Ways To Make Your Home Feel More Cozy

Since I’ve had this extra time at home,  I’ve made it my mission to find things that make our home feel cozier and honestly, keep me sane. We all have different things to help us stay calm, cool and collected, but here are my top 5 at the moment.

Can you relate to any of these? xx Ashley

1. CANDLES 

There’s something particularly comforting about lighting your favorite scent. After all—now that we are spending so much time inside, we might as well actually enjoy it. And candles are one of my favorite ways to set the tone and vibe of the house.

I take after my mom and have a cabinet full of candles…one for every occasion. Austin says I have too many, but a girl needs options. Right now, my two favorites are Baies and Santal 26 from Nordstrom. Byredo is also a nice brand. You can reuse all of these jars for makeup brushes or cotton balls.

Baies has a fresh, floral scent (don’t worry, it’s not overly sweet) and Santal 26 is warm and has notes of sandalwood and cedar (it’s my favorite of the two).

2. BUBBLE BATH + SHEET MASKS

After we put George to bed and clean up the kitchen, I like to take a nice bubble bath and put on a sheet mask. It truly feels like an “escape” for me (now more than ever).

If you’ve been social distancing with kids and family in the house, make sure you are taking some time for you too! Early morning and nights are when I can find “me time”, so I make it count.

A few things that help me relax: Elemis Eye Masks, Joanna Vargas Dawn Sheet Mask, OUAI Chill Pills (I break them in half), Necessaire Body Lotion.

3. MEDITATE / QUIET TIME

Having time to collect my thoughts, pray and set focus is what has been getting me through the past few weeks. It is so easy to get caught up in fear and doubt. I have to remind myself to stay positive, count my blessings, be a light for my family, and set goals.

I like to do this first thing in the morning. I set my alarm before everyone wakes up, start the coffee and find a quiet spot in the house. I find that turning on some meditation music helps me focus and tune out my anxiety and other thoughts about work etc.

Find a chair or pillow to sit on. Set a timer on your phone (but make sure you’re phone isn’t a distraction) and close your eyes. I started with 5 minutes and now I am working on a 10-minute meditation. My goal is to make it to 20 minutes. I take deep breaths and create a breathing pattern. I tell my mind to listen to my breaths and if it starts to wander, I find that counting breaths helps me focus.

When I feel that my mind is calm, I will start to pray or voice my intentions of the day. I try to keep it short and not overwhelming.

This practice has helped me train my mind to slow down and rest. It’s also helped me focus on my intentions and create a less anxious environment.

4. SNUGGLE + WATCH MOVIES

There’s nothing like watching some of your favorite classics. As much as I’ve tried to be productive these past few weeks, I also find it really comforting to snuggle in bed and watch movies at night or on the weekends. This Barefoot Dreams Leopard Blanket is truly the BEST blanket I’ve ever used. It’s so soft and easy to wash. Highly recommend it.

5. LOUNGEWEAR

I’ve been living in loungewear these past few weeks. I try not to make it a habit every day, but I do love a good matching loungewear set — like this sweatshirt and matching joggers. These slippers have also been my footwear of choice lately. It’s always easier to find comfort when I feel cozy.