If you’re anything like me this year, the dust bunnies in your corners have teamed up with your cobwebs and are growing in both strength and volume! Around the last week of March, when things start looking sunnier, I start getting a craving for fresh air, time outside, and a good old-fashioned scrub down of the house.
While I definitely don’t consider myself to be a neat freak, I definitely have a preference for order and keeping things generally clean. In a perfect world, I’d have a spotless home with every little thing just so… but most of the time life has other plans. Junk mail piles up, shoes get kicked off wherever, and our dog has reached the stage in puppyhood where she can’t resist bringing anything resembling a stick or leaf inside the house. This is a season of my life where I’ve needed to vacuum more than ever before, and even so, it seems like our floors are back to being dirty the second we put the vacuum away these days!
While Martha Stewart or Susie Homemaker I am not, I still have my favorite ways of bringing some freshness into my home come spring. I’d love if you’d share your favorite tips as well, so be sure to leave a comment!
Open the Windows
This is the BEST on a crisp sunny day. Letting the air in, listening to the birds, and getting down to business on some tidying is one of my favorite ways to celebrate that winter has finally broken and we are headed for warmer days! It’s like putting your house out on the clothesline. It just feels so fresh.
Hardware Refresh
Little details like cabinet knobs, drawer pulls, light switch covers, and door handles are easy to overlook, but over time they get gunky, aged, or worn down. A rainy spring day is the perfect time to take them off, shine them up, or pop in to the hardware store to find an update. When we moved into our house I swapped out the shabby-chic kitchen cabinet knobs for something a little sleeker, and it made a huge difference in the way our kitchen feels! I’d love to do this with all our light switches and doors as well!
Tackle Chaotic Drawers
I hate to admit it, but I’ve got a junk drawer in pretty much every room. If I think too hard about it, every drawer I have is technically a junk drawer, because I’ll do my best to assign items to specific drawers, but do they end up back in their homes? Not always. For a drawer to be junk-free, everyone in the household must agree exactly what goes into it, and then actually put it there. THAT is something that would make millions if bottled and sold. So, drawers and the junk within… time to tackle them! Take everything out of the drawer, inspect and assess each item, and then put it back, give it a new home, or get rid of it, based on your assessment. If you have success with systems or labeling, implement those too, and if you come across the secret to keeping a drawer junk free forever, call me, maybe we can go into business together!
Sink Detox
Using the sink every day pretty much guarantees a bit of grime buildup that is not only unsightly but downright annoying to clean. Our sink is old, porous and stains easily, so we’re thinking about upgrading to a stainless basin someday soon, but a renovation isn’t always necessary to get your sink looking nice, smelling nice, and functioning better than ever. If you have a garbage disposal, a good dose of plink or even a squeeze of lemon can make a huge difference. Cleaning your faucet, replacing your sponge, and trying a new scent of hand soap will make washing dishes a little less of a chore.
Shelf Edit
I love a beautiful bookshelf filled with special items, travel souvenirs, and treasured books, but if you’re like me, a shelf can invite and encourage clutter. If you’ve got knickknacks, tchotchkes, and bric-a-brac aplenty, spring is the perfect time to pare down a little, get out the swiffer duster, and reorganize those shelving units. It’s also a nice opportunity to try out new placement for your items, just because something was on the top shelf before doesn’t mean it has to go back there. Don’t be afraid to stack books in a different way, organize by color or size, and put things in decorative baskets and crates. Our shelves can be utilitarian and practical, while also making a room feel more unique and special!
Top to Bottom
Cleaning and decluttering top to bottom is one of the best ways to make the most impact and use your time wisely. It’s always best to clean your countertops before cleaning your floors, so why not start with the very top of the room and work your way down? Split your room into thirds, tackle light fixtures and high shelves first, then move on to the middle of the room catching clutter on tabletops and other flat surfaces, and then focus on the bottom, sweeping floors and wiping down the dreaded baseboards. Thinking high to low, when was the last time you dusted your ceiling fan or cleaned your rugs? I’m not judging, because I know mine are in desperate need of a spring refresh!
Reorganize Seasonal Decor
I love decorating for holidays, but one thing that has always alluded me is storing it well and making sure that it all goes back in the right place once the holiday has passed. I’ve allowed myself one bin per season (with the exception of Christmas, of course!) and this year I’m trying out a system of adding an alert on my calendar to bring down the decor bin at the start of each season, and another alert about actually putting it away. We’ll see how it works, and if it’s the key to my success I’ll let y’all know!
Move Things Around & Mix it Up
Another lovely way to freshen things up without spending a dime is to move your furniture and home decor around. The painting that hangs in your hallway may be even better in your bedroom, the table in the basement could be the perfect harvest table in the kitchen, or the photo frames on your mantle may be better served on the wall going up the stairs. Moving things around could start a chain reaction that brings even more joy into your home, or you could end up moving it all back, but that’s not a problem either – it’s your space, and you get to choose!
How are you freshening up your home this spring?
Share your tips in the comments, and then keep on reading!
