Spring Inside Your Home

Don’t you just love Spring? The pear trees are dressed in bridal finery, with their veil of snowy white blossoms. Daffodils nod their cheery heads in the flower bed, and forsythia branches burst forth with yellow blooms. The outdoor world looks fresh and green, full of new promise. We have an urge to bring springtime inside, and put away the heavy winter décor.

[break][/break]Spring weather signals a time to clean out, declutter and redecorate. The sunshine reveals dusty corners, and the tired couch pillows look rumpled and faded. You don’t have to get overwhelmed with huge projects. Just take advantage of the atmosphere to get motivated to bring some fresh touches to your home. Here are a few simple ideas to bring spring indoors:

[break][/break]Clear off and redecorate surfaces. The surfaces in your home are the end tables, fireplace mantels, bookshelves and the tops of cabinets like a TV armoire. Dust or wipe with a damp cloth, then have fun rearranging accessories with an eye to a fresh new theme.   Teacups and china saucers, greenery, bird figurines, crystal, fresh candles and even old books with a nature theme can create a new look for the season.

[break][/break]Replace or re-cover decorative pillows. The couch and loveseat in our den are a neutral dark green. Recently I realized that the unmatched, frumpy old pillows needed a facelift. I sent gift cards with one of my daughters to TJ Maxx, and she texted photos of various types until we hit on the right ones at the right price. Pillows can be found inexpensively at discount stores, or you can quickly recover them if you have sewing skills. Spring colors or prints can transform a room.

[break][/break]Bring spring to the fireplace. If you have a fireplace, clean out the ashes and sweep it clean. Fill it with silk greenery and replace the screen with a piece of rustic fence. We found a white wrought iron screen at a garage sale, and it’s our spring screen. One summer we put our TV in the fireplace!

[break][/break]Clean the windows. If you don’t have time or energy to clean the big windows, how about just starting with the little window above the kitchen sink? Sparkly clean windows let the sun shine through.

[break][/break]Clear the clutter. Cleaning off the kitchen windowsill and the top of the refrigerator is a good start. It’s easy to stop “seeing” the clutter. Someone suggested buying a new accessory before you start a decluttering project so you’re motivated to make a clean space for the new piece.

[break][/break]Switch your candles. A new scent that brings the outdoors in will change the atmosphere. Pastel colors and a crisp scent freshen the air and the atmosphere of your pretty new spring décor.

[break][/break]The change of seasons is a great time to freshen up your home. A few pretty touches, clean space and a bit of polishing can transform your home. Waking up to fresh décor is motivating and encouraging, and your family will enjoy the change. Go outdoors and take a deep breath, then bring some of that freshness indoors!

Inspire us with your ideas to bring Spring indoors! Please comment…