Ways You Can Make Your Home More Cozy This Winter

Having a cozy and comfortable home can have a lot of benefits like reducing stress and helping with relaxation. Luckily, Real Simple has created a list of many different ways to cozy up your home this winter.

At the start of winter a good way to make your home more cozy is switching out your bedding. The winter is the best time to switch out your cotton and linen for flannel or jersey. These will keep you warmer and lead to better sleep and more comfortable nights. Having a quilt or blanket at the foot of your bed can also come in handy for really cold nights.

Adding soft lighting around your home can also help to make the space feel a lot more welcoming. Table or floor lamps with warm lights are a good option. You could also light some candles to go with your new warm-toned lights.

Get some comfy pillows for your couch to make the place cozy.  You can get two or three pillows for your couch in whatever style you like. Getting a fuzzy pillow and faux fur blanket for your couch will probably make it so comfortable that you'll want to just sleep there. However, if that's not your style there are many different types of pillows that you could choose.

Rugs are a great thing to add when it starts getting cold outside. They will help to keep your feet warm and there are so many options you're pretty much guaranteed to find one that fits your home.

The last but not least way to make your home feel more welcoming is by adding pictures of good memories or loved ones. You can add these photos anywhere you'd like to bring some extra happy feelings to your home.

We love a friendly rivalry between cities. And we love to see who comes out on top in those rivalries when publications put together different lists. This time it's the Best Places To Live. And this list comes from a reputable source- US News and World Report. As South Carolina residents we know there are plenty of fantastic places to call home in the Palmetto State. There is something for everyone. Each year US News ranks the best places to live in the US, and while two North Carolina cities made the top 10, some South Carolina cities weren't too far behind as great cities to call home!

And the top cities to call home in South Carolina? It's not what I would have guessed. In fact, it's a place you probably visit, and maybe even have a vacation home at. I would have thought the bigger cities would have topped this vacation destination as a place to call home in South Carolina though.  You can read all the information on the methodology US News uses in ranking cities here. Below you'll find the top 5 places to live in South Carolina. Why seven? It's the cities that are among the nation's 150 most populous. You'll also see where they stack up overall against the rest of the United States. And below that, you'll find the top places to live in the US.

You can read the full list from US News & World Report here.

#92 overall Best Place To Live

Overall Score: 6.2

Quality of Life: 6.2

Value: 7.2

#53 Overall Best Places To Live

Overall Score: 6.4

Quality of Life: 6.4

Value: 6.2

#43 Overall Best Places To Live

Overall Score: 6.4

Quality of Life: 6.3

Value: 7.8

#31 Overall Best Places To Live

Overall Score: 6.5

Quality of Life: 6.4

Value: 7.8

#18 Overall Best Places To Live

Overall Score: 6.6

Quality of Life: 6.1

Value: 6.9

According to US News & World Report

#135 Best Places To Live

Overall Score: 5.7

Quality of Life: 6.0

Value: 6.8

#72 Best Places To Live

Overall Score: 5.7

Quality of Life: 6.5

Value: 7.5

#41 Best Places To Live

Overall Score: 6.4

Quality of Life: 6.7

Value: 7.7

#29 Overall Best Places To Live

Overall Score: 6.5

Quality of Life: 6.8

Value: 7.0

#25 Overall Best Places To Live

Overall Score: 6.5

Quality of Life: 6.4

Value: 8.6

#8 Overall Best Places To Live

Overall Score: 6.7

Quality of Life: 6.4

Value: 7.0

#3 Best Places To Live Overall

Overall Score: 6.9

Quality of Life: 6.4

Value: 7.0

Overall Score: 6.7

Quality of Life: 6.9

Value: 7.8

Overall Score: 6.7

Quality of Life: 6.5

Value: 5.8

Overall Score: 6.7

Quality of Life: 6.4

Value: 7.0

Overall Score: 6.7

Quality of Life: 7.4

Value: 6.2

Overall Score: 6.8

Quality of Life: 7.1

Value: 6.2

Overall Score: 6.8

Quality of Life: 7.0

Value: 6.1

Overall Score: 6.8

Quality of Life: 7.7

Value: 5.3

Overall Score: 6.9

Quality of Life: 6.4

Value: 7.0

Overall Score: 6.9

Quality of Life: 7.0

Value: 8.2

Overall Score: 6.9

Quality of Life: 7.3

Value: 8.0