Your Go-To Guide for Getting Through a Melbourne Winter

Melbourne has a lot going for it—world-class coffee, vibrant laneways, and a cultural heartbeat that pulses all year round. But let’s be honest: winter in Melbourne can be tough. The rain feels endless, the skies stay grey, and the damp seems to seep straight into your bones. Unlike other places where winter brings snow-covered streets or festive energy, Melbourne’s winter can feel like one long, chilly sigh.

If you’re someone who finds the winter months a little harder, you’re not alone. The good news? There are ways to soften the edges of winter and make space for warmth, joy, and even a bit of magic—without having to escape to the tropics. Here are a few ideas to get you through.

Create a Warm Winter Ritual

We can learn a lot from our distant Scandi cousins on how to survive long, dark winters. There’s a reason these countries lean into rituals like fika (coffee and cake breaks) or hygge (cosy moments). It’s not just charming—it’s protective. In Melbourne, it might be lighting a candle each morning while you sip your tea, or finishing your week with a long soak in a warm bath with your favourite music playing. Maybe it’s putting your phone away while you savour a hot lunch or planning a Friday-night movie ritual complete with blankets and snacks.

The key is consistency—having something to look forward to each day or week helps combat that flat, dragged-out winter feeling. You don’t need to overhaul your schedule, just find one small, nourishing ritual and make it yours.

Let Warmth Be Your Winter Style Guide

It sounds obvious, but being physically cold all the time wears on your mood. Between Melbourne’s infamously poor housing insulation and the wet weather, we really can’t afford to treat warmth as an afterthought. If you’re shivering on your walk, struggling through a draughty workspace, or skipping outings because “nothing’s warm enough,” it’s worth rethinking your winter wardrobe. Quality thermals, good waterproof shoes, and an umbrella that doesn’t invert in the first gust of wind can be mental health tools in disguise.

Dressing well for winter also doesn’t have to mean dull. Whilst we have the reputation for all dressing in head-to-toe black, bringing some colour can make a surprising difference in yours, and even others’, day. Throw in a brightly coloured scarf or a quirky beanie—something that makes you smile when you put it on. I’m always surprised by how many people smile and comment when I’m wearing a hot pink shirt, or bright blue scarf on a drab winter’s day.

Find Your Sun Substitutes

We know from research that sunlight affects our mood (you can read about Seasonal Affective Disorder here). But when the sun’s hiding, you can still tap into other sensory boosts. We can use our senses to make us feel more settled and grounded (otherwise known as self-soothing). Warm, ambient lighting can make your home feel more welcoming, especially in the early mornings and evenings. Salt lamps, LED candles, or even a small desk lamp with a soft yellow bulb can add comfort to your environment.

Scent is another powerful player—research has indicated that different scents can evoke different physical and emotional states. For example, lavender can induce feelings of relaxation whereas jasmine and peppermint have been known to have more awakening effects.

Diffusers, scented candles, or even a few drops of essential oil on your scarf can make a difference. Tactile pleasures count too: a soft throw blanket, a mug that fits perfectly in your hands, or thick socks that feel like a hug.

Move in Ways That Feel Good (Not Punishing)

I really appreciate my morning walk, but even I hesitate when I get up and it’s driving rain and 8 degrees outside. When it’s cold, the motivation to exercise can not just falter, but disappear entirely. Unfortunately, this can have a negative impact on our mood, as we lose the benefits of regularly moving our bodies.

Fortunately, movement doesn’t have to mean dragging yourself to the gym or pounding the pavement in the rain. The aim isn’t fitness perfection—it’s moving your body enough to shift your energy and mood.

Try a 10-minute YouTube yoga session in the living room before work, or an impromptu dance in the kitchen while dinner’s cooking. If you can get outside between showers, a brisk walk in fresh air can be more effective than you’d expect. And if you’re tired? Gentle stretching while you watch TV is still movement, and it still counts.

Make Your Environment Work For You

A cluttered or dim environment can amplify the heaviness of winter. This is a good time to declutter a corner of your home, bring out warmer bedding, or rearrange a room to feel more open and inviting. Small changes—like cleaning a window so more natural light gets in, or putting up some art you love—can shift your whole experience of a space.

Plants also go a long way in lifting a space. Even if your thumb isn’t green, there are hardy indoor options like snake plants or peace lilies that thrive with minimal care. If you are unsure where to start but are willing to give it a go, this article has a list of 15 great indoor plants as well as notes for how to care for each of them! And if real plants feel like too much, there’s no shame in opting for a realistic fake; whatever lifts your space.

Stay Social, Even When You Don’t Feel Like It

When it’s dark and rainy, staying in can feel easier than going out—but over time, too much isolation can chip away at your mood (and can be a slippery slope to depression). Instead of forcing big social events, think small and achievable. A quick coffee with a friend, a phone call on your commute, or a shared meal (even if it’s takeaway on the couch) can reconnect you without draining your energy.

You don’t have to say yes to everything, but saying yes sometimes, even when it’s tempting to hibernate, can help keep the blues at bay.

Create a “Winter Wins” List

It’s easy to fall into a pattern of waiting for spring. But winter can hold good moments too, if we pay attention. Try keeping a note in your phone or a journal where you jot down small wins: the best chai you’ve ever had, a surprisingly sunny morning, the book that kept you hooked for hours, or even just getting through a day that felt heavy.

These small, positive moments are literal proof that dark clouds can have silver linings. When you reflect on them, it helps build a sense of agency and hope—and reminds you that you’re doing better than you think.

Let Yourself Off the Hook

Winter can be tough. You don’t need to love it, or thrive in it, or post aesthetic rain shots with captions about gratitude. Sometimes surviving is enough. Your energy might dip, your motivation might wobble, and that’s okay.

Instead of resisting the season, try softening into it. Adjust your expectations, lean into comfort, and treat yourself with the kind of gentleness you’d offer a struggling friend. Spring will come. But in the meantime, you deserve to feel okay.

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If you’re curious about the myriad ways in which the weather can impact our lives, you can listen to ABC Science explore this in their podcast episode, Whatever The Weather. If you do find yourself struggling more than normal with the change in the weather, talking with a psychologist could help. Psychologists are able to provide support and assist with making change. If you are interest and would like to find out more, reach out to our team today.