This post was in partnership with BIOS Lighting but all of the opinions within are those of The Everymom editorial board.
"All this time spent inside my home has made me want to continually refresh the space I rarely leave. And it’s not just about adding new throw pillows for retail therapy.
I’ve noticed small changes at home can have a big impact. For example, a weighted blanket has seemingly cured my husband’s restless sleep. A softer light by all of our bedsides has made our nighttime routines and morning wake-ups feel more pleasant than jarring. And springing for a heated toilet seat in our bathroom has… well, never mind, you get the idea.
Below, we’re rounding up a few ways to add a little extra calmness and coziness to the safest place for us all to be right now: at home.
Sponsored by / Scouting America
my kid absolutely loves it—and I know yours will, too.
1. Lighting Is Arguably the Most Important Thing You Haven’t Considered
Screens have been my crutch during this pandemic. Important Zoom meeting? Kids play a game on the iPad. Working at the kitchen counter? They’re next to me on their own device. Something fun to do on Saturday night because we can’t go anywhere? Movie night!
But what I didn’t think about with all this extra screen (and indoor) time—until I found my 8-year-old crying in her bed over not being able to fall asleep—is how the artificial light from screens and traditional interior light bulbs can mess with our natural circadian rhythms. It makes so much sense. We are barely outside thanks to the Midwest’s frigid temps and, when we’re inside, we’re under the constant glow of artificial light.
So when I heard about BIOS Lighting light bulbs, designed to mimic the sun’s rhythm (yes, mimic. the. sun.), I swapped out all our bedroom nightstand lamps and replaced them with BIOS Nightfall bulbs. I also added BIOS SkyBlue bulbs to the rooms where we spend the most time during the day. Similar to sunlight, this lighting is designed to give you a boost of energy during the day and help you (and your kids) wind down at night.
Similar to sunlight, this lighting is designed to give you a boost of energy during the day and help you (and your kids) wind down at night.
Dimming the lights and turning on our BIOS Nightfall bedside table lamps (which my 8-year-old said reminds her of a sunset) has become an important part of our nighttime routine, as much as brushing teeth and bedtime stories. And it’s also helping my daughter fall asleep without tears.
BIOS Lighting
These specially-designed bulbs provide the same circadian benefits of the sun right in the comfort of your own home—how cool is that?!
Use code EMBIOS2021 for 21% off your BIOS Lighting purchase!
BIOS Lighting
Replace the bulb in your bedside lamp with a BIOS Lighting Nightfall LED bulb to help promote a better night's sleep. The bulbs give off a glow akin to a campfire, mimicking nature's end of the day indoors.
Use code EMBIOS2021 for 21% off your BIOS Lighting purchase!
2. More Coziness? Yes, please
Cozy is the theme across nearly everything this winter, from fuzzy slippers to sherpa sweatshirts and boucle pillows to plush throws. Adding a warm little something to your couch or your primary living space can make watching the latest Disney movie on repeat a little more enjoyable.
Target x Studio McGee
Choose a soft and cozy boucle fabric pillow to complement any couch!
Etsy | Sensory Driven
A weighted blanket like this one can help boost serotonin levels and improve sleep.
Etsy | Ottoman Marrakech
A cushiony ottoman can also work as a kid-friendly coffee table in your living room, finished basement, or other home gathering place.
Amazon
Add a super soft faux sheepskin rug to the floor beside your bed or layer it on top of another rug in any space. It can also be draped over a chair to add extra coziness!
Amazon
This beautiful and useful guide from one of home design's reining queens, Joanna Gaines, includes design tips for creating a home you never want to leave. Plus, it looks great on a styled coffee table, too.
3. Shift Your Mood With a New Scent
Scent can trigger so many things: nostalgia, energy, relaxation, and more. Try a new scent with a diffuser, scented candle, or even a tablet in the shower.
Target x Studio McGee
Add a reed diffuser for a sweet-smelling pick-me-up to your home.
Tokki
Bring a seasonal scent (and a motivating message) to your abode with these hand-poured coconut soy wax candles.
Palm + Perkins
Your bathroom deserves some calm and cozy, too! Turn your shower into a soothing oasis with these eucalyptus and peppermint shower tablets that release essential oils into your hot shower steam.
4. Bring the Outdoors Inside With Greenery
Plants just make people happy and can add warmth and interest to any room. Small houseplants are perfect starters for aspiring plant moms. Pick up one on your next Trader Joe’s trip order one delivered to your door. If you have a room without great sunlight—or are worried about your green thumb—faux plants and trees are beautiful, low-maintenance alternatives.
The Sill
This cute little potted plant thrives in bright indirect to low indoor light, is pet friendly, and only needs to be watered every one to two weeks.
Nearly Natural
Caring for live plants not your thing? Adding a faux potted plant or larger tree to your living spaces is sure to add a sense of calm.
5. Find Easy Ways to Stay Tidy
There’s nothing that bursts a calm bubble more than clutter and mess. Using baskets, cubed storage, or other organization hacks from design pros can help keep clutter at bay.
IKEA
Natural fiber baskets like this one add texture and help your home stay organized. Plus, you need a place to store those extra cozy blankets and throw pillows!
Target
A cotton rope basket with handles is perfect for a toy catch-all in the kids' rooms or your living space.
6. Add Personalized Touches
Now’s the time to finally get around to printing and framing those family or vacation photos. Not many things warm up a space better than the faces (and places) you love.
Framed & Matted
Family photos can look like works of art in these oversized matted frames!
Etsy | The Heart Department Co
A creative way to display (and easily swap) favorite family photos on a shelf or in a home office.
Etsy | Black Butterfly Signs
Add a personal touch to your front door, if for no one else but your family and your delivery drivers.
This post was in partnership with BIOS Lighting but all of the opinions within are those of The Everymom editorial board.