my cure all

Did you know that January is one of the hardest, gloomiest months of the year? Sounds like a total buzzkill for the first month of any (and every) year, but it's true. So many of us were riding on the high of the holidays: family, friends, festivities, that when January rolls around, we're caught off guard. We're so looking forward to NYE, often not giving much thought to the new year itself. And then before you know it, January is here in full force with it's lack of Christmas decor, but its abundance of gloomy days.

So I sense that we are all in need of a little light. I've said it many times before, but light can cure a multitude of ills. It can cure your negativity, your gloominess, and of course it can cure your darkness. When faced with darkness, light always wins. It's simple and true and utterly poetic. It never disappoints and it is consistently good. So why not get a little more light in our lives?

Tip 1// Let the light come in

Friends it is mind-numbingly simple. Yes we all have blinds, curtains, shutters, etc because nobody wants to be seen prancing around in a towel at night, but so often we forget to open them up during the day. Just the simple step of taking time to open your window coverings in the morning will transform the way you see your space. I challenge you to take one week, just one week and intentionally take the time to uncover your windows every morning. If you have to give up making your bed for that week, do it. You'll find the effects undeniable. To come home and see your house flooded with light is the best no-cost therapy you can get.

tip 2 // invest in lighting

While you already have a massive amount bestowed upon you daily from the sky, it never hurts to buy some to save up for those rainy days. What does this look like? Well if you're like me and you live that rented life and can't go busting up your ceiling to install recessed lighting, then it looks like lamps. Large ones, with good bulbs and unobtrusive shades. Sticking to lighter-colored shades will also magnify the effect of the bulb, whereas the darker shades diminish it.

tip 3 // exterior lights

You'd be surprised how much of an effect this can carry to the inside of your home. (Hint - especially if you've taken my advice from tip 1). We have two huge windows behind the couch in our living room that look out onto our patio. Last summer I strung up some fun outdoor lights across the top of the patio and when they come on at night, it's so much light it even brightens the living room! Bang for your buck, people!

tip 4 // timing is everything

We all know that if something's not easy, we're much less likely to do it. So take out the step of walking around your house and turning on your lights and instead, invest in a handful of light timers. They're not much, you can find them for $5-$10 at any CVS, Walgreens, or on Amazon, but friends they are game changers. Having your living room lamps on a timer to turn on every morning before you get up and every evening before you get home can transform the way you see your space. No more waking up to a dark and dreary den in the early morning hours, or coming home to a dingy living room. Instead you get to walk into a home that is already filled with a warm glow. The same goes for your exterior lights, I simply have to have my outdoor lights on a timer, because there's no way I'm walking out there every night to turn them on and off. Let's be real. #priorities

tip 5 // christmas lights aren't just for christmas

Now, I will acknowledge that this can date you a bit, as stringing up lights indoors is not something that you can get away with once you're 35. (Unless I decide to push that boundary in 10 years.) But for now, while I'm solidly in the snug youth of my 20's I will relish every little precious white twinkle light on the strands in my house. They truly have the best warm glow of any light I know (I love it so, I could write a po-em.) They bring more light than I think we tend to give them credit for, and if done right, they don't look like a 12 year old was your in-house decorator. My top tip - stick to white cord, white bulb lights, the chicest of the twinkle light family. We have them draped over our living room windows and I also have them on the antique window above my bed, both of which are on timers. They aide in the change from day to night and night to day by bringing their soft light to transition you gently.

If you're going to take anything from my blog, please take this: find yourself some light in any way, shape or form you can. There is after all a reason that good ideas are described as enlightening!