4 Winter Must-Haves If You Work From Home
Working from home in the wintertime has its perks. While everyone is digging through snow to get to their cars and their offices Monday morning, I don’t have to step foot out the door. However, it’s the season of chills up the spine and all the cozy things so why not embrace it? My “working” wardrobe might not consist of sweater dresses and dress slacks but it certainly reflects the season. There are a few tweaks I make to the kitchen and home office this time of year as well. I call them my “Winter Office Must-Haves.” They are the necessities to get me through the colder months which can stretch through April and even May sometimes in Chicago.
A Good Pair of Slippers. I’m one of those people who can be sweating but still have icicles for toes. For some reason, my feet are always cold. In the summertime, I normally have a thin pair of ankle socks on and a pair of slippers handy for easy warmth when the toes start to feel a little stiff. In the fall and winter, I’m all about thick, cozy socks and the slippers. I love a good, thick slipper that wraps around the heel as opposed to being an easy slip-on. I tried finding my current slippers which I actually bought on clearance at Meijer over a year ago and love but failed. They’re super warm and comfortable. I wish I were able to find them for you but I looked around for a few others instead. These Chenille Rib Knit Clogs at Target are similar to others I’ve owned in the past and I’m currently in love with the Cally slippers from Minnetonka. The clogs look like they’d be warmer but with a good pair of cozy socks, the Cally slippers would be great as well. They look more like shoes too which is nice for when you’re entertaining.
Winter Scents. I love using a good winter essential oils blend in my diffuser when there’s a blanket of snow outside. I’ll use pine, cinnamon and thieves - not necessarily altogether but you get the idea. This is also a great time to put those immune boosting oils in the diffuser with cold and flu season running rampant. Anything to amp up the winter feeling and make it extra cozy inside. I’m a huge fan of Young Living Essential Oils because their products are much higher quality than anything else you’ll find on the market. If you’re interested in bringing essential oils and cleaner lifestyle into your home, feel free to email me at christine@latteslifeandluggage.com.
Hot Beverages. I can’t hear the word beverage and not hear Sheldon Cooper’s voice in my head. He’ll forever be a part of my drink decisions. One of the things that I am always working on is drinking more water but when it’s cold outside, I just want to drink something hot. You know what I mean? Coffee is a must. I personally have the Ninja Coffee Bar and love it. I went the Keurig route for a long time but after too many problems with my expensive Keurig in the first year of its life and no help from customer service, I switched machines. It’s a million times better too. For starters, I don’t feel terrible about all the pods going into landfills and there are a lot more options. There are several different brew sizes, you can make hot or iced coffee, there is a specialty coffee option, and even a frother! I just used the frother for the first time recently with some oat milk and it works really well. I’ll always have lots of coffee on hand, plus I keep several different types of tea. I usually hit the coffee through the first half of the day and move to tea around 3pm unless I’m desperate for a new jolt of energy...then I hit the Ninja one more time.
A Cozy Wardrobe. This is probably the #1 perk of working from home, not having to wear uncomfortable clothing. My regular uniform usually consists of either a chunky pullover sweater or a simple tee and cardigan with yoga pants or jeans. I love this Waffle Stitch Pullover Sweater from The Gap and Marled Pointelle Crewneck Pullover for more casual days. I absolutely love this Ribbed CloudFleece Cardigan from Anthropologie and the Natalie Off-the-Shoulder Sweater for a chic coffee shop day outfit. For more affordable pieces, this LC by Lauren Conrad Soft Raglan Sweater has Monday written all over it and I’m dying to grab this Slubbed Border Plaid Ruana. I love the cutout on this Ribbed Turtleneck Sweater from Jennifer Lopez and this Turtleneck Poncho Sweater from LOFT looks super comfy as well as this Striped Soft Open Cardigan. Some of my favorite sweaters and outfits have come from Stitchfix. I’ve said it several times but I really mean it. Both of my coats are from them and a very good portion of my winter wardrobe so if you’re interested, sign up today and get $25 off your first fix!
