7 little ways to make your home feel cosier for autumn

There is a point every September when the evenings suddenly feel darker, the windows start getting shut earlier and the house somehow looks like it needs a bit more warmth.

You do not need to redecorate the entire room. A few small changes can make a surprisingly big difference.

1. Change the lighting before anything else

Big ceiling lights are useful. Cosy they are not. A table lamp, warm bulb or little rechargeable light can completely change the feel of a room in the evening. Instead of trying to light every corner, create a few smaller pools of light.

2. Bring out the blankets

This is the easiest one. Keep one on the sofa rather than hidden in a cupboard. Apart from actually being useful when it gets cold, softer textures immediately make a room feel more comfortable.

A basket beside the sofa is also an easy way of keeping them under control without folding everything perfectly every five minutes.

3. Add something seasonal without turning your house into a theme park

You do not need pumpkins covering every available surface. One autumnal ornament, candle holder, wreath or warmer-toned accessory is usually enough.

The best seasonal pieces are the ones that still look good once Halloween is over.

4. Sort one irritating bit of clutter

Not the whole house. Pick the place that annoys you most. The pile by the front door. The things permanently living on the kitchen worktop. The blankets falling off the sofa.

One basket, tray or bit of storage in the right place can make a room feel calmer surprisingly quickly.

5. Make the coffee-table area feel intentional

Books, a small tray, candle or decorative dish can turn the collection of random things on a coffee table into something that looks like it belongs there.

And yes, the remote controls will probably end up back on it eventually. That is real life.

6. Add a little bit of nature

You do not need expensive flowers every week. A small plant, dried stems, eucalyptus or even a few interesting branches can soften a room.

7. Make it comfortable for you

This is the bit Pinterest sometimes forgets. A home is supposed to be lived in.

If your favourite enormous blanket is not particularly Instagram-friendly but you love it, keep it. If the basket beside the sofa is mostly full of children’s toys, that is fine too.

Cosy is less about creating a perfect room and more about creating somewhere you actually want to spend the evening.