How to Create Cozy Winter Routines (for Moms)

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Simple Ways To Stay Grounded and Intentional When We’re Indoors More

Winter has a way of slowing everything down. The mornings are darker, the days feel shorter, and suddenly the motivation to open windows, tidy surfaces, or tackle a reset just… is not there. As a mom, I feel this shift deeply every year. I feel more alive in the warm months. When the sunshine fades and the fresh air feels less inviting, homemaking routines that felt effortless in spring or summer can start to feel heavy or unimportant.

I’ve noticed two very different instincts show up during the cold months. For some of us, there is a deep urge to hibernate. Cozy socks, warm coffee or tea, blankets piled high on the couch, Netflix humming in the background. For others, a nesting instinct that makes us want to clean, organize, and prepare our homes for long days spent indoors. Honestly, I bounce between both. (I’ll never forget when my nesting instinct kicked in when I was pregnant with my first, and I just had to clean the baseboards with a q-tip 😂)

In this blog post, I’m going to show you how to create winter homemaking routines that keep your home calm and functional, even when motivation is low and we are spending most of our time inside.

If winter feels overwhelming in your home right now, keep reading. You’re not behind, you’re just in a different season.

Why Winter Homemaking Routines Matter More Than We Think

When we are cooped up indoors, the state of our home quietly starts to affect everything. Our mood, our patience, our energy… In warmer months, clutter feels more manageable because we naturally spend less time inside. But once winter hits, we can’t pack up and head to the waterpark and forget about it.

Things are different in the winter. We cook more. We snack more. We bake more. We bring out extra pillows, blankets, and cozy layers. Boots, mittens, and hats seem to multiply overnight. The visual noise builds slowly, and before we realize it, the house starts to feel crowded.

This is where intentional winter homemaking routines can support your everyday wellness. A calm and functional home may support your mental health, your sense of grounding, and your ability to show up with patience and presence, especially during long winter stretches.

1. Fresh Air, Cozy Scents, and Winter Wellness at Home

One of the simplest winter homemaking routines I rely on is intentional air and scent. It sounds small, but it changes everything.

Firstly, crack a window open.

Yes, even in winter, even when it’s below zero, I open the windows.

Not all day. Not for hours. Even ten minutes can make the house feel lighter. Fresh air may support a sense of clarity and reset, especially when we are inside most of the day. I’ve learned that my home feels calmer when the air doesn’t feel stale, even if it’s cold outside.

Alongside fresh air, I love using my diffuser with calming and grounding scents. This is my favourite one from Amazon and it looks so calm and stylish, plus the 200mL tank lasts several hours! Scent has always been such a big thing for me when it comes to feeling calmer and more grounded. Cozy, warm scents can help signal rest and comfort during winter.

I also try to stay on top of changing furnace filters. This is one of those quiet homemaking tasks that often gets forgotten but matters so much, especially in cold Canadian winters. It helps keep the air feeling clean and keeps the furnace running efficiently so the house stays warm and cozy when we need it most.

Freshening Winter Linens Without Overwashing

Winter means twice the amount of pillows and blankets on the couch. At least in our house 😂. Washing everything constantly is not realistic, so I use a simple homemade linen spray to freshen things up between washes.

Homemade Linen Spray Recipe

• Equal parts water and isopropyl alcohol
• About 40 drops of essential oils

I lightly mist throw blankets, pillow covers, curtains, and even beds some mornings. It’s a small ritual, but it makes the house feel cared for.

You might also like my blog post about how to keep your home smelling fresh all year round.

2. Decluttering for Winter Homemaking

A Gentle “Montessori Lite” Approach

Decluttering in winter looks different than spring purging. For me, it’s all about reducing visual noise and mental load, not getting rid of everything we own. Although some days I definitely am guilty of throwing everything I see into donation boxes.

We use what we call “Montessori Lite.” We tried full Montessori once and honestly, it added way too much to our mental load. This version feels realistic for motherhood.

We keep one toy shelf with four baskets and rotate toys intentionally:

• Imaginative play like dress-up, toy kitchen, doctor kits
• Building toys like blocks
• A themed category like dinosaurs, cars, farm animals, or ponies
• Musical instruments

Everything else gets boxed up and stored. When the kids are sleeping, I’ll pull out a bin and rotate toys. It’s amazing how toys that were ignored a few weeks ago suddenly feel brand new again. This routine may support calmer play and less overwhelm, especially during long indoor days.

Winter Gear That Doesn’t Take Over Your House

Winter gear needs systems or it will take over. Literally. Folding baskets for bulky items like hats, mittens, and scarves help keep them contained. Keeping them near the door or in a nearby closet prevents them from floating around the house. These are the baskets I’ve used for years and I love them. You can collapse them to store with the winter gear come spring or use them for other seasonal gear.

A boot mat is non-negotiable. Melted snow pooling by the door and stepping into cold water in fuzzy socks is not a vibe. Did this happen to me? Maybe. Here is a boot mat on Amazon with great reviews that is similar to the one I use at home.

These small systems matter. They protect your peace when winter already feels heavy.

3. Keeping Surfaces Clear During Winter Homemaking Routines

This is my hardest one.

I am terrible for pulling things out of cupboards and leaving them on the counter. By the end of the day, my kitchen feels impossible to navigate. When we are indoors most of the time, cluttered surfaces feel even louder.

One habit that has helped me is starting the day with an empty dishwasher. I load dishes throughout the day instead of letting them pile up in the sink. This may sound simple, but for someone constantly making snacks, coffees, greens drinks, and baking, it really helps.

By dinner time, my kitchen feels much more manageable instead of overwhelming. This supports my energy and patience in the evenings, which matters so much during motherhood.

Choosing Non-Toxic Products That Fit Winter Homemaking

During winter, I’m more mindful of what we use in our home because we are indoors so much. I lean toward non-toxic cleaning options when possible. Eco-Kind Cleaning products are something I reach for often because they feel aligned with intentional living and everyday practicality.

I order a lot of household basics through Amazon as well simply because it makes life easier during busy seasons. Convenience matters in motherhood, especially in winter. 😅

Let Glow Still Be Your Homemaking Rhythm Even In Winter

When I really got into my Glow brand it was the spring and summer and I never really pictured “glowing” through the winter. But, if you read my other posts, Glow has never been about doing more. It’s about doing less, but more of what supports you in this season. Winter homemaking routines are not about hustle. You can still live your life like a hibernating bear, wrapped up in blankets on the couch hoarding snacks, and also be intentional about creating a home that feels supportive when the world feels cold. Too cold…

If you’re looking for simple tools to support your home this season, you can explore my product shop for free downloadables and gentle guides designed for overwhelmed moms who want their homes to feel lighter.

And if you want exclusive discount codes, promotions, blog updates, and easy wellness tips for busy moms, you can subscribe to Let’s Glow. I share what’s working in real life, in real time, not what just looks good online.

A Gentle Winter Glow Encouragement

I like to end my posts in a Glow encouragement. So if winter feels heavy right now, which it often can once the anticipation of the holidays are over and you’re just trying to survive until spring, you’re not doing anything wrong. Your home doesn’t need to be perfect to support you.

If this post resonated, I’d love for you to share it, leave a comment, or subscribe so we can stay connected. ☃️