How to Survive Winter

Rented accommodation - particularly student accommodation - often has plain white walls, nondescript carpets, and even more nondescript furniture. You can do a lot about this without going to great expense; some posters, a lamp or two, a throw, or even a coloured duvet cover can make a great difference. Places with personality are invariably more comfortable than those without, and even if you’re sharing space with other people, there will be some touches you can put to the place to improve things.
“Warm” colours - reds, oranges, and golds - will make things feel cosier.  I find dark greens also help, but some people dislike them. A variety of colours is good, and don’t worry too much about principles of interior design; the idea here is to make you feel better about the winter, rather than have the place look like something from a magazine. Texture-wise, I find rough textures to be warmer. Wool, velvet, rough linen, patchwork, and so on all work very well. Sheepskin - mostly available as rugs rather than throws - is also very fine.

Scent-wise, I find woodsmoke, incense, and food to be the best things for dealing with winter. Woodsmoke can be a hard one to pull off if you haven’t got an open fire or a solid-fuel stove, but incense is very easy. Choose scents you like, and go for the more traditional incenses of sandalwood and the like, rather than modern “vanilla” or “chocolate” ones. Food, too, is pretty easy. Baked goods are ideal, and things like biscuits and scones are easy to make. Even a good scent of coffee can make the difference on a cold evening - that’s how many coffee shops draw you in.