Winter is often considered a gray, dreary time of year. But it’s also a time of year where people tend to spend a lot of time in their homes. So why would anyone let it turn into a boring and depressing space? In the spring, people often add flowers and plants to brighten things up – why not do the same during the winter months? Here are a few tips:

Do Some Research.

Before making any purchases, take a little time to look up flowers or plants that do well in the winter months. Even if you’re keeping them inside, flowers that require lots of light might not do so well during the shortened days of winter, and there’s nothing more depressing than flowers that wilt right away. So do a little reading about the flowers and plants that fit your needs and climate to decide what will work best for your home.

Keep It Low Maintenance.

Since winter probably isn’t the time of year when you want to plant a full garden and spend all your time watering and caring for greenery, do yourself a favor and go with the easiest varieties. Houseplants like succulents and Chinese evergreens don’t require lots of light or care. If you’re looking to just add a vase or two of flowers, go with a variety that tends to last a long time like mums or carnations.

Think Year Round.

If you’re just buying a vase of flowers that will be gone in a few weeks, go ahead and pick whichever color or style best suits your mood at the moment. But if you’re picking out houseplants, it’s likely that they’ll be around for a while. So don’t just think about what you want your space to look like in the winter months. Consider how the plant will fit in with your spring, summer, and holiday decorations before committing to one type.

Match Your Space.

Along those same lines, you’ll want to make sure that the color and size of your plants and flowers, along with their containers, will go along with the rest of your space. Measure if you have to, and find out if your plants might grow or flower at all after you purchase them so you don’t end up getting one that will grow out of your space.

Flowers and plants are an easy and inexpensive way to brighten up almost any space. But you don’t have to wait for springtime to add them to your décor. Take the easy tips above into account and you can have a much brighter and happier space to hide out in for the rest of the cold winter months.

Pictures: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7and8.