Winter Decor After Christmas: 11 Easy Ideas For A Cozy Home

Every January I start working on our winter decor after Christmas, because our home feels so bare the minute the tree comes down. As much as I get excited to start a new year and set new goals, I also get a little sad when all the holiday excitement is over.

My sister once said taking the Christmas decorations down feels like coming home from a fun trip, and I completely agree with her. LOL!

Bringing our regular decor back out doesn’t make me that excited either. So instead of packing everything away, I keep the cozy pieces out and switch our living room and kitchen to a soft winter look. Here are the 11 easy ideas I use every year to make that switch.

What Decor To Keep Out After Christmas

Here’s the short answer. After Christmas, keep out anything that feels like winter but not like the holidays: white and cream decor, faux fur throws, candles, pinecones, greenery, birch logs and natural wreaths. Pack away the red and green, the ornaments, the Santas, the stockings and anything with “Merry Christmas” written on it.

I usually make the switch the first week of January, but some people do it on December 26 or right after New Year’s Eve. Winter decor can stay out until late February or early March, and then it’s time for spring.

1. Start By Decluttering

This is my favorite part about starting a new year. After Christmas, I declutter so much! I find myself collecting so much stuff during the holidays, from mugs to vases to trays, candles and faux flowers.

I keep the pieces I know I’ll use and donate the ones I won’t. It’s such an easy way to open up space, and the house already looks cleaner before I add a single winter piece.

2. Keep Your Winter White Decor Out

I love the winter white look, and I keep it in our home until the end of February or early March. White flowers, white candles and white candleholders look just as pretty in January as they did in December.

I bought these white and gold ceramic vases from CB2 a while ago, and I still use them every winter. I paired them with white faux flowers, white candleholders and candles for a soft winter white look.

You can find cute white winter decor at Hobby Lobby or Michaels, or nicer pieces at stores like Crate and Barrel, Pottery Barn, Williams Sonoma and Nordstrom. I shop from all of them. Sometimes the craft store has the cutest piece, and sometimes I find something I love at Pottery Barn.

3. Stick With Natural Colors

Natural colors make the switch from Christmas to winter so much easier. I like beige, white, gold, khaki and cream.

If you already have natural pieces from your holiday decor, like gold accents, pinecones or white wreaths, keep using them. They don’t scream Christmas, so they work all winter long.

4. Keep Your Faux Fur Throws And Pillows Out

Faux fur throws are my favorite thing about winter decor. Besides our sofa, I like to drape them on the chairs around the fireplace. They make the living room look so soft and peaceful.

One of my favorite places to shop for faux fur throws is Pottery Barn. My sister bought me one of theirs years ago, and it still looks incredible. Valentina and Alina played on it, dragged it around the house and even ate on it (LOL), and it still looks great. I really recommend them.

5. Light Candles Everywhere

Candles do magic when decorating. One of the first things I think about when I decorate our fireplace mantel is candles.

Besides burning scented candles all around our home, in the living room, kitchen, bedrooms and bathrooms, I’ve been so into flameless candles with a timer. I keep them on our mantel in the evenings, and they turn off at the set time every night. You don’t need the timer ones, though. Any candles you like, or real ones, will give you that same cozy glow.

6. Add A Woven Basket With Birch Logs By The Fireplace

This is one of my favorite winter decor ideas. Fill any woven basket with decorative birch logs and place it next to the fireplace. It looks so cozy right away.

My basket is from Crate and Barrel, and it’s so well made, but it’s sold out now. I found a few similar ones for you below. I added a few flameless pillar candles and faux gold leaves next to the basket to finish the look.

7. Decorate With Pinecones

Pinecones in a wooden bowl or any decorative bowl are the easiest way to decorate your living room or family room. I like to put them on pretty plates, in glass jars or in a gold vase with a few candles.

You can also place a few white candles in rustic candleholders next to a bowl of pinecones. It makes a lovely centerpiece on your dining table, and it takes about five minutes.

8. Keep Greenery And Fresh Flowers Around The House

If you have faux garlands, a white winter wreath, faux eucalyptus, boxwood wreaths, cone trees or any other greenery, keep them out. They keep that winter look going after the holidays.

I use greenery in our kitchen, living room, bedrooms and bathrooms. Red berries are fine too, as long as they’re mixed with greenery and not paired with Christmas ornaments.

Fresh flowers are another easy idea. White tulips, paperwhites and amaryllis are all easy to find in January and look so fresh on a coffee table or kitchen counter.

9. Add Texture

I learned this one from Matt, my husband. Hahaha! He’s not an interior designer, but he has a really good eye for space and how to put things together. He always tells me we need to add texture, and he’s right.

As soon as I add some furry pillows, thick chunky blankets, woven baskets or a gold tray, it makes a huge difference in our space. Texture is what makes a room feel cozy instead of empty after the holidays.

10. Add Warm Lighting And Lamps

Winter evenings get dark so early, so lighting makes a big difference. Adding an extra lamp or two in the living room gives a soft glow that feels so much cozier than overhead lights.

I also keep our fireplace on in the evenings and line the mantel with candles. If you don’t have a fireplace, a portable electric fireplace is a nice way to get that same look. Warm curtains and a soft area rug help a lot too.

11. Dress Up Your Front Porch For Winter

Your front door is the first thing you see when you come home every day, so I like to give it some winter love too. Even if you live in an apartment or a townhouse, you can dress up your front door with a few winter pieces.

We don’t get snow here in Arizona, so we can use any kind of wreath or decor outside. After Christmas, we keep our white wreaths on the front door and the gate, but we take down all the other Christmas decorations and outdoor lights. If you have white or natural colored wreaths, you can keep them up until spring.

Easy Winter Porch Ideas

• Hang a white winter wreath with a white ribbon.
• Leave a woven basket with logs, winter branches or pinecones by the door.
• If you live somewhere snowy, lean a pair of vintage wooden skis by the front door and decorate them with pinecones.
• Add wood planters filled with fresh evergreens.
• Use a cute winter doormat to welcome guests.
• Wrap your bare trees with white twinkle lights.
• Skip the wreath and hang a green garland or evergreen branches on the door instead.
• Place two or three white vases in the corner of your porch with gold or neutral winter branches.

Winter Decor After Christmas FAQ

What Decor Should You Keep Up After Christmas?

Keep anything that feels like winter but not like the holidays, like white and cream decor, faux fur throws, candles, pinecones, birch logs, greenery and natural wreaths. Pack away the red and green, ornaments, stockings, Santas and anything that says Merry Christmas.

When Should You Take Down Christmas Decorations?

Most people take them down between December 26 and the first week of January. Some families wait until January 6, which is Epiphany and the traditional end of the Christmas season. I usually do it the first week of January.

How Long Can You Keep Winter Decor Up?

Winter decor can stay up until late February or early March. I keep my winter white pieces out until then and switch to spring decor in March.

How Do I Make My Home Feel Cozy In January?

Add soft textures like faux fur throws and chunky knit blankets, light candles every evening, add an extra lamp or two and keep some greenery or white flowers around. Natural colors like cream, beige and gold help too.

Can You Leave A Wreath Up After Christmas?

Yes. As long as it doesn’t have red bows, ornaments or Christmas words on it, a white, greenery or natural wreath can stay up all winter. We keep our white wreaths on our front door and gate until spring.

What Colors Are Best For Winter Decor?

White, cream, beige, gold, silver, soft gray and natural wood tones look the best. They feel clean and calm after all the red and green of the holidays.

Can I Turn My Christmas Tree Into A Winter Tree?

Yes, you can. Take off the ornaments and red pieces, keep the white lights and add pinecones, white flowers, snowflakes or faux snow. It works best on a flocked or all white tree.

What Do You Put On A Mantel After Christmas?

Candles, a greenery garland, pinecones, white vases with branches and a few framed photos are my go tos. Our mantel in January is mostly candles with a few family photos.

Bottom Line

I hope this post gives you some ideas for winter decor after Christmas, so your home still feels cozy once the holidays are over. You can make the switch on December 26, New Year’s Eve or the first week of January. Keep the white, the textures, the candles and the greenery, and pack away the rest.

In about a month, I’ll be decorating our home for Valentine’s Day, and I can’t wait. Have fun decorating!

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Love,
Sherry

Sherry, xoxo