GUEST POST
If you live in the Northern Hemisphere and you’re feeling intimidated by the long, cold months ahead, create a cosy writing space for winter. Design it with hope, health, and productive writing in mind.
The winter season is marked by short days, cloudy skies, and cold weather. Gloom and depression can set in easily and it can be hard to get out of bed at times. It can be even more difficult to motivate yourself to start writing creative manuscripts.
However, that’s looking at the glass as half empty. The bitterly cold months of the year provide a perfect opportunity to fight seasonal depression with a spirit of cosiness and comfort.
Create A Cosy Writing Space
Select a Good Space
It all starts with your location. Nearly everyone requires a home base to return to when that warm coffee shop vibe turns into an overwhelming white-noise distraction.
Though some people can write anywhere, at the end of the day, most writers need their own office or other designated writing space. This becomes hallowed ground for them. They can retreat to it when creativity, productivity, and efficiency fail.
Begin by carefully choosing what space will serve as your writing retreat this winter. Make sure it has enough room for you to function in, but preferably isn’t overly-spacious. Remember, you want to maintain that cosy feeling. It’s also important to find an area where you can remove all distractions when necessary.
Organise Everything
Once you have your space selected, it’s time to start working on it. At this early stage, adopt the feng shui principle of decluttering in order to bring peace and order to both your space and your writing life.
There’s a good chance that your space will inevitably become cluttered over time. If you begin by organising everything, it will set a benchmark for the potential of your space. This will also serve as a memory of what it could be, to inspire you to keep things neat and tidy.
Next, organise your writing gear.
- Is your screen dirty? Clean it!
- Is your laptop bag a mess? Organise it!
- Do you have piles of notes and papers strewn to the four winds? Gather them up, throw away the excess, and make some sense out of the papers that must remain.
If you’re feeling ambitious, you may even try scanning them to create digital copies. You will be able to recycle the hard copies and keep your space neater.
Make sure to organise your digital life as well. If your desktop is littered with dozens of drafts from different writing projects, organise everything into files and folders. If you have too many writing apps, pick your favourites, consolidate everything onto them, and get rid of the rest.
Set The Stage
Once you have your space selected and your writing life organised, it’s time to start turning the space into a writing haven. Begin by considering the foundational elements of the room you’ve chosen.
It can be helpful to look for writing inspiration by using a warmer hygge style. This includes things like:
- Ditching that white-washed colour scheme for something with warmer, earthier tones.
- Finding an area rug that adds to the aesthetic and provides you with warmth underfoot.
- Adding texture to your walls through things like wallpaper or tongue-and-groove planks.
- Sprucing up your windows with curtains, shutters, or even a combination of both.
Find Writing-Positive Decor
Finally, once you have the ideal, organised writing space with your elements in place, add the finishing touches. Some of these should continue along the hygge trend. For instance, consider incorporating:
- Warm blankets.
- A fireplace (when possible).
- A well-stocked pantry or coffee bar with treats, tea, coffee, and other heart-warming goodies.
Along with the decor, consider adding a mood lamp or a light therapy box to keep your spirits up during the shorter days. Also, make sure not to overwhelm the space with electronics. Don’t set up a television, put your phone on do not disturb, and only bring in your laptop if necessary.
Setting Up a Simple, Cosy Writing Space
And there you have it, four simple steps to create an ideal space that will keep you happily writing. To recap:
- Find a good space.
- Organise both the space and your writing life.
- Set the stage with hygge-inspired wall, floor, and window elements.
- Decorate with warm, cosy items like candles and warm blankets.
It’s not complicated, nor should it be. All you’re doing is embracing the seasonal changes to keep those creative juices flowing all winter long. So what are you waiting for? Pick out a space, set up for winter, and get writing.
by Ainsley Lawrence. Ainsley is a freelance writer who lives in the Northwest region of the United States. She has a particular interest in covering topics related to politics, social justice, and workplace issues. When not writing, her free time is spent reading and researching to learn more about her cultural and environmental surroundings. You can follow her on Twitter @AinsleyLawrenc3
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