Furniture Tetris & Fluffy Socks: Finding Motivation When Winter Sucks the Spark Outta Ya

By a Very Cold, Slightly Overwhelmed, But Determined Perth Local

You know it’s officially winter in Perth when your fingers are too cold to scroll, your dog’s taken permanent residence under the doona, and you start rearranging the lounge just to raise your core body temp.

And that, my friends, is exactly where I’ve found myself lately.

The Seasonal Slump Is Real

I had big plans. BIG. PROJECT. ENERGY.

But then June hit me with its grey skies and chilly mornings and suddenly I’m three jumpers deep, avoiding grout-related tasks, and considering whether "watching reno reels" counts as progress.

Spoiler: It does. Kinda.

The Furniture Shuffle (aka Winter Cardio)

Motivation may be MIA, but movement? That’s still happening - mostly in the form of moving my furniture around like I’m solving a giant living room puzzle.

Honestly, I think I’ve lifted my coffee table more times this week than I’ve boiled the kettle (and that’s saying something). Rearranging gives the illusion of productivity and heats you up just enough to avoid turning the heater on. #Winning

Bonus: It’s oddly satisfying to freshen up the space without spending a cent.

Mini Makeovers & Cold Weather Cleaning

Somewhere between the second bookshelf relocation and my third ‘hot chocolate reward break’, I realised I was doing more than just dodging real projects. I was resetting.

• Packing away things I don’t like looking at right now (sorry, dusty fake plant from 2021 - you’re on a winter break).
• Creating easier-to-clean zones so I don’t curse myself when it’s too cold to deep clean later.
• Restyling little corners to make them feel calmer, cosier, and less chaotic (mood lighting = essential).
• Letting go of stuff I’ve been "meh" about for months. The emotional clutter can go too, thanks.

The 3 R's of a Winter Reset

Restyle → Move things around, change the vibe, switch up your space.

Refresh → Declutter, clean, open the windows (even if just for 2 minutes).
Reset → Mentally and physically reset your home for winter mode.

So while I haven’t built anything new lately (sorry, floating shelf project), I have built a space that feels easier to breathe in during the winter freeze. And that’s a win.

How I’m Finding (And Faking) Motivation

• Do something small every day - even if it’s just clearing one drawer.
• Rewatch your favourite DIY content - it reignites your “ooh I could do that!” spark.
• Layer up and lean in: Motivation sometimes hides under the fourth jumper.

And if all else fails? Light a candle, fluff the couch, and tell yourself this is progress.

Because creating a home that feels good in winter doesn’t always mean knocking down walls - sometimes it just means making peace with your space and finally dealing with that summer wardrobe still lurking in your washing pile - the one you’ve been ignoring because folding clothes feels like a personal attack - just so you can reclaim some much-needed wardrobe real estate.