Homemaking

Put Some Spring in Your Home!

You may still be walking around in your flannels and sipping on hot chocolate, but before you know it, spring is going to be pushing it’s brilliant green head out of the frosty soil. The skies will brighten, the sun will warm the earth, and we will throw open the windows and doors to waken our home from hibernation.
At a time when most people are thinking about spring cleaning, my thoughts tend to turn more toward celebrating the freshness and energy of a new season. Here are some exciting ways to add a little spring to your home this year.

A Splash of Color
Nothing says, “springtime” like color. Even on those inevitable gray, chilly days in early spring, you can surround yourself in a veritable garden of warmth and sunshine. No matter what your color scheme is, you can take it up a notch and add some variations in intensity or hue. For example, if you have soft pinks and taupes, then go for two or three splashes of bubblegum pink to add to the mix. Or if you have darker or more traditional colors in your home, then add some colors that don’t necessarily match, but definitely coordinate. If you have olive and burgundy, then add some shades of kiwi to liven it up a bit.

Some Fresh Air
As soon as the temperature is the slightest bit agreeable, I immediately open up all of the windows in the house to let the fresh air in. Of course, when the kids’ teeth start chattering and my husband puts on a hat and gloves, then I have to succumb to the chill and close the house up tight once more. But if you are lucky enough to let the air flow through the house, then take advantage of it. Open the windows, and then dust and vacuum to take advantage of the air current. You can also light some candles and place them where the air is flowing so that the fresh aroma circulates through the house. And get rid of the “apple crisp, cinnamon bun, or warm vanilla,” This is the season of florals and freshness so celebrate it with some new aromas.

Art Nouveau
Spring is a celebration of all things new, so consider replacing some of the art work that you have displayed throughout your home. Get some current photos of the kids enlarged and put them out for the world to see. And don’t pick the posed pictures. Instead, find the ones where they are splashing in water, licking an ice cream cone, or running across the yard. If you don’t have any sitting around, then by all means, use the first sunshiney day to take some. Resist the temptation to say, “smile,” and just capture them as they are. The spontaneous, natural pictures are always the best ones.

Feel the Freshness
During winter we want to surround ourselves in everything thick and cuddly. But spring comes around, and we are ready to throw off the layers. Consider doing some spring cleaning in your linen closet and replacing all of the worn out sheets and blankets with some new additions. Tear the snowman flannels off of your bed and replace them with some luxurious 100% cotton sheets, and go for the highest thread count you can afford. The higher the thread count, the better it feels and the longer it lasts. And white goes with everything, but, still, it’s white. And it’s spring. Why not splurge and celebrate the season with some color? I think it would be pretty much impossible to have dark dreams in sheets that are the color of raspberry sorbet.

Enjoy the freshness of a new season, and let the vibrant energy circulate throughout your entire home. And while you’re at it, make sure that you let some of that energy circulate through your spirit as well. It’s spring! Wake up!