How to Keep Your Room From Being Stuffy in the Winter

By Kaitlin Hurtado on December 9, 2019

This article is brought to you by CORT Furniture Rental. We take the hassle out of furnishing your new place so you can do more important things like read this article. Learn more about why furniture rental is the best way to get a great looking apartment.

There’s plenty to look forward to when it comes to winter: getting a much-needed break from school, the holidays, quality time with friends and family…it seems like winter is full of opportunities for a good time. It’s not all fun and games, however, the transition to weather can impact your life in ways you least expect it, including your home. Depending on where you live, the winter months can get very, very cold – windows stay shut, and the heater stays on. While it’s important to stay cozy during the winter, it can also lead to your home feel quite stuffy throughout the winter months. If you want your home to stay cozy, but not stuffy, this winter, check out these tips to find out how to keep your room from being stuffy in the winter.

Understand the issue at hand

Before trying to prevent your room from getting stuffy, or stop it from being stuffy, you should understand why it could possibly get stuffy in the first place. If your windows are shut 24/7, your home is bound to get stuffy sooner rather than later with the same area trapped in a limited space. If you keep a door shut for privacy reasons, it can further increase the chances of a room getting stuffy. The more you keep air trapped in a room, the more likely it is to get stuffy.

Make sure to pay attention to the type of smell associated with your room’s stuffiness. If your room seriously smells, rather than smelling “stuffy” or “old” – you know, if it smells like something that can actually make your stomach churn, your room’s stuffiness may indicate something much more serious than a closed-up room. Serious cases of stuffiness can be an indicator of your home’s mold or mildew issues, which can give you and other occupants serious health issues.

Circulate the air in your living space 

This tip will most likely be your go-to during the winter months, if you don’t want to let the frigid air in, or if you are facing stuffiness in windowless rooms. Try to get rid of stuffiness by circulating the air already within your room.

Photo: pexels

Make use of the fans you have, whether it be pre-installed ceiling fans or floor fans you already have purchased for yourself. Turn on fans often to help maximize air circulation during the winter months. Open doors and windows when you can, even if it’s for the smallest amount possible. Letting fresh air into your living space can do wonders to eliminate the stuffiness present in your home.

Invest in a dehumidifier

Sometimes fans aren’t quite the trick for you when it comes to keeping your home from getting stuffy during the winter months. Get a dehumidifier, which will take the moisture out of the air in its surroundings, which can be a big help if excessive moisture is the underlying issue in your stuffiness problem.

Taking the moisture out of the air with a dehumidifier can prevent your home from absorbing moisture and causing damage

Freshen up the place (with new scents) 

If you have carpet, it could be another big contributor to your home’s stuffiness problem. Lucky for you there is a low-cost, nearly hassle-free solution a grocery store trip away (or maybe not, it is a household product after all). Baking soda is an all-purpose cleaner and can even be used to help you get rid of the “stuffy” smell plaguing your living space.

Sprinkle baking soda on your smelly carpet and leave it alone, it does its magic on its own. After a couple of days, vacuum up leftover powder for a clean and fresh rug without you scrubbing away on your hands and knees.

Spruce up your house with your favorite scents – maybe a festive candle or an essential oil diffuser…whatever works for you! Of course, don’t rely on other scents to hide stuffiness if it really is a serious problem, but it is a tip for making your home smell less stale.

Keep your living space nice and clean

While spring cleaning is widely advertised, it doesn’t mean that you can push off all your deep cleaning until spring comes. Make sure that your living space is kept nice and clean throughout the winter months to keep it from smelling and seeming stuff to you and your guests.

If you have a messy and crowded space, not only may it smell stuffy, but it will feel stuffy with the lack of cleanliness and space. Who wants that? Right, no one. If you’re already going to be decorating for the holidays, start with a blank slate by cleaning up all the surfaces, nooks and crannies you have been neglecting. Piles of clothes (especially dirty and worn) and junk can make a room more stuffy and smelly, so why not avoid that issue if you can?

With these tips on how to keep your room from getting stuffy in mind, we hope that your winter months are stress-free and full of good times. Happy holidays!

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