5 Things That Make Your Home Feel Depressing at This Time of Year — And How to Overcome Them, According to an 'Interiors Therapy' Expert

If you weren't keeping up with the news agenda, the first day of this week marked Blue Monday. While widely dismissed as a PR invention, this Monday buried deep in January is often dubbed the most depressing of the year, associated with low mood, waning motivation, and a general lack of energy. Post-holiday lethargy and a seasonal dip in spirits are familiar feelings this time of year, but how much of that could actually be influenced by our interiors?

The truth is, our homes have a far greater influence on our emotions than we tend to acknowledge. In winter especially, we crave homes that feel like a warm hug: comforting, cocooning interiors that nurture our souls and make us feel safe. During summer, it matters less — we spend more time outdoors soaking up vitamin D and enjoying social plans. But in the depths of winter, a few decor missteps can quietly make a home feel flat, cold, and depressing.

If you're looking to inject a little positivity into your space this season, then you've come to the right place. I spoke with an interior therapy expert who pinpoints exactly what may be draining joy from your home and how to remedy it, be that replacing dark tones with joyful colors or swapping out poor lighting for layered luminosity. Consider this your cue to get those dopamine levels rising again.

1. Poor Lighting

Although we've passed the solstice and the days might be drawing out, it certainly doesn't feel like it in January. In the northern hemisphere, there are still very few hours of daylight, so good lighting inside is an absolute must.

"Even in the most spacious home, the low light levels and grey skies of a northern-hemisphere winter can make things feel very dim," explains Suzanne Roynon, founder of Interiors Therapy. "Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) will reduce motivation and mood, increase overwhelm, and essentially make everything seem ‘too much bother’. It’s not called the ‘winter blues’ without good reason."

Poor lighting, then, is one of the most common culprits behind a home feeling flat and depressing this time of year. I'm not just talking about relying on the stark "big light" (though I remain firmly opposed); I'm talking about lighting schemes that lack the thoughtful, considered layering that invites the depth and warmth we all need, especially this time of year.

So, what's the remedy? Besides planning a lighting scheme with plenty of layered lighting (that's a mix of task, ambient, and accent light sources), Suzanne says you could also consider using a specially designed light box like this one, from Amazon. "The UV levels help the brain to increase serotonin production naturally and boost both mood and productivity," she says. "Move them around the home to wherever you happen to be."

2. Too Much Clutter

Clutter wreaks havoc on our homes at the best of times, but it often reaches its peak this time of year. With the last spring-cleaning purge a distant memory, everyday belongings quietly accumulate — not to mention the lingering piles of Christmas gifts still waiting to find a proper home.

If you're feeling the slump, take a look around you. Are piles of stuff littering your dining table? Has your closet descended into chaos? Is the available space on your living room floor becoming smaller and smaller by the day? If so, it's time for a declutter.

As Suzanne notes, it's not purely about aesthetic benefits, either. "Clutter will cause emotional challenges, including anxiety and depression, which are exacerbated by feeling out of control in our environment," she says. "We start to notice the things which no longer suit our lifestyle or get bored with decor items and unloved possessions."

The good news is, the new year can be a great time to commit to some decluttering resolutions. "Take advantage of the need to inject new opportunity and space into the home and ruthlessly declutter anything which no longer serves," says Suzanne.

Suzanne Roynon

Suzanne Roynon is an Interiors Therapy expert and member of the International Feng Shui Guild. She shares hints and tips to create a home and office space to love and propel you forward rather than keeping you tied to the past. In addition to her Interiors Therapy and Feng Shui consultancy and teaching, Suzanne is the author of award-winning bestseller ‘Welcome Home, How Stuff Makes or Breaks Your Relationship’.

3. Dark Walls

Whether you pay much attention to it or not, color theory plays a huge role in how our homes feel. Now, I know that painting your walls every few months in line with the season isn't feasible, but paying attention to our surrounding decor and accessories really can make a difference.

As a Feng Shui consultant, Suzanne refers to the basic principles of the ancient Chinese practice when helping clients design a more joyful home. She notes that rich, dark colors should always be used with extreme caution for a couple of reasons.

"Firstly, blues, blacks, and dark greys can generate tears, sadness, and a sense of drowning, while dark reds can trigger angry outbursts and burnout," she says. Her second reasoning relies more on color theory. "The depth of color absorbs light, which means dark colors can be great in a cinema room, but dour and heavy without oodles of artificial light to make them feel less morose," she says.

Instead, consider lighter, more reflective colors throughout your home — a glossy, light blue console table, for example, or a sunny, bright rug to anchor a living room. "Whites and neutrals will also bounce available lumens more effectively and make a space more enjoyable to use," adds Suzanne. You could always pay attention to the best Feng Shui colors for happiness, too; yellow and blue are generally safe contenders, helping to boost positive energy.

4. A Chaotic Bedroom

Our bedrooms are our sanctuary, but they play an even more important role during the winter months. If your home feels depressing this time of year, take a look at your sleep space. If your nightstand is cluttered, your closet is chaotic, and you're rarely finding the time to make your bed, dedicate your attention to this room of the home.

"The winter season can leave a bedroom feeling very fusty, and with low energy, especially when it’s too cold to open the windows," says Suzanne. One of the simplest acts you can do, she says, is letting in some fresh air. "Exchanging the air is incredibly important, not just to refresh the room, but also to improve wellbeing and sleep quality," she explains. "Open the windows for at least 10 minutes each day and if possible, sleep with the window open."

A general reset is probably also in order. If you've fallen victim to the 'floordrobe', dedicate some time to organizing your closet so that you're more inclined to put your clothes away. To bring a sense of renewal to your sleep sanctuary, consider a new throw for the bed or a calming pillow mist to encourage better rest. It’s these small, thoughtful details that can swiftly shift a space from dispiriting to uplifting.

5. Stuff Around the Front Door

If you're anything like me, the entrance to your home is totally unrecognizable this time of year. Boots are piled up at the door, jackets are strewn on every surface, and the doormat needs vacuuming ten times a day. Unsurprisingly, this sort of welcome can really flatten the mood of our home.

It doesn't just look depressing, either. Suzanne notes that in Feng Shui, the front door is known as "the mouth of chi". "It’s one of the prime entrance points for positive energy, so it’s important to make the chi (lifeforce energy) feel welcome and enable it to meander throughout the home," she says. If rubbish bins and dirty boots are cluttering your doorway, consider this a sign for an entryway makeover.

Besides decluttering, address the underlying issue. Maybe you need to find suitable storage for coats or shoes, or maybe you need to add a catch-all to your console table. "A regular clean and tidy, including inside and outside the front door, will embrace the good whilst leaving no space for negative energy to stagnate by the door," says Suzanne. And Feng Shui aside, a clean and tidy entryway will help instill positivity the moment you cross the threshold.

If your home feels a little flat and depressing this time of year, you're not alone. With the cold weather, short days, and post-holiday blues, it can feel like everything is working against you, but don't let your decor be a contributing factor.

By sidestepping these common decorating missteps and following Suzanne's advice, you can create a home that feels uplifting and restorative year-round. After all, if there's anyone who knows the secrets to a nurturing home, it's a design therapist.