get fresh

Summer is filled with blue skies, sun kissed skin, long days, and if you’re lucky, a much needed getaway. Autumn is a stunner with burnt orange and ochre leaves, warm and cozy evenings, and a welcome reprieve from the sweltering days of summer. Wintertime is all about gathering together with family and friends, celebrating, and indulging in too many sweet treats.

But there is something about spring that makes me feel so alive, refreshed, and steeped in the hope of new possibilities. It may sound basic as hell, but I’m not ashamed to say that spring is my absolute favorite time of the year.

With the season upon us, I thought I’d take the opportunity to talk a little bit about the spring home and a few ways in which we can usher in the new season.

6 easy ways to get ready for spring!

1.Clean- Boo! I know, but you knew it was coming…cleaning is truly one of the best ways to revitalize your home after the winter months… there’s a reason why spring cleaning is a thing… The best part is, it’s free! That is, unless you are blessed with a cleaning service (goals for sure)!

It may sound daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. My suggestion is to work in small “chunks” and take your time (we ain’t runnin’ any marathons here). I like to add one task on with my normal weekly cleaning. Cleaning baseboards, windows, mirrors, doors, walls, and slipcovers are all great to refresh a space. Spring is also a great time to clean out washers, dryers, and dust and clean off plants and chilling fans, if you have them. I also like to clean up my computer desktop by deleting, organizing, and moving all those files and pics that are just sitting on the computer and cluttering up the space. This may all sound like too much, especially if you’re not the biggest cleaner, but just remember you don’t have to do it all at once! Spread it out over time to avoid overwhelm.

Try: If you live in a place that the weather is already warming up, open up those windows to clear out the old, stale air from months of closed windows and let some fresh air flow through your space!

2. Clear/Organize- I know, boo again. But like cleaning, clearing your space of clutter and getting organized really helps to bring new and fresh energy into your home. I’m not asking all my maximalist, cottage core, clutter core (well maybe clutter core…btw are we just sticking core at the end of everything now?) people to get rid of all your stuff, BUT I do advocate for a space that is thoughtful and where you can actually find your shit. Spring is a great time to take a step back and look at what you have and decide on if you still need something in your space or closet.

Call it sparking joy or just things that you actually need, take the time to go through and clear out what is not needed, loved, or in bad shape. I have trouble getting rid of things too in fear that I may one day need it, but trust me, you can toss that sock your big toe is poking out of. And who cares if you love that vintage pink leopard print Betsey Johnson bag so much if you can’t even fucking find it? Again, just chunk it out and go through things a little at a time- don’t be like me 5 years ago and go on a bender and get rid of everything and be left with two tops, a pair of pants, and one chair.

Be easy on yourself. If you’re not sure and have the space, set things aside in a box or at the back of your closet (I turn hangers around in the closet to signify an item of clothing I’m thinking of getting rid of). Just be sure to set a time limit on when to return to decide whether to keep or let go.

In the kitchen, decanting things like pastas, cereals, grains, and beans (there is an argument against doing this for spices) into pretty bottles and jars always makes me feel like I’ve actually got my life together.

Try: Clearing out and organizing the pantry or cupboards. You are not going to use those packets of hot sauce from Taco Bell you saved 2 years ago, Brenda! So just get rid of them. Take a little time to rearrange things so they make sense, are easy to see, and access.

3. Paint- The $30 dollar (ok, maybe 45 these days) makeover in a can… Let me tell you, paint is an amazing way to liven up/ change/ transform your space. Maybe it’s time to brighten up with a fresh white, try a trending beige, or add some color…whatever you fancy, freshly painted walls can be a game changer. And don’t forget places like the kitchen and bathroom, sometimes smaller spaces that might not feel too daunting to tackle.

If you are renting and can’t paint the walls, buy an oversize canvas at Michaels to paint on to add some color to your walls or get a generic piece of art from HomeGoods or Target to paint over- you don’t have to be an artist, you can just paint some abstract strokes if you’re into a modern or contemporary style.

Try: Repainting your front door a bold or funky color to add to your curb appeal. Or paint your 5th wall (the much neglected ceiling) a different color for a fun and interesting way to make a space feel new. Also, try painting the baseboards something besides white or the same color as wall for a modern touch.

4. Plants + Flowers- Nothing says spring like plants and flowers! There’s just something about them that totally revive and invigorate your home. I love real plants and flowers, but there are some really good faux options out there (namely from Afloral, seen above) if you feel like you have a black thumb. You don’t have to go all Plant Core (is that a thing?) and make your space look like a jungle…in fact, being a former plant hoarder myself, I don’t really encourage it. That being said, I think bringing some nature in the form of plants is important to make a space feel fresh and alive. I’m really into the look of larger scale and sculptural plants (if you have the space) instead of a lot of little plants everywhere, but you do you boo. If you already have plants in your home, spring is a great time to dust and clean off the leaves, repot, and trim if needed.

And flowers… flowers are just pretty and dare I say, a bit more elevated than plants. They can be pricy though, so if you have access to some flowers or stems outside (don’t go cutting in people’s yard, Brenda), that’s a great way to get some florals on the cheap. Since I’m not near a great flower mart, I just get mine from the good ol’ grocery store and make my own arrangements or keep it simple with one type of flower. To keep flowers going longer, refresh the water everyday ( I like to throw the old water out in my garden not to waste).

Try: Getting a large bowl and a flower frog (get one here) to set your floral arrangement in a modern Japanese Ikebana-like style.

5. Home Fragrance - The way your home smells is a big part of what makes your home, well… your home. It can also signal what time of year we are in. Warm vanilla, spices, and fresh pine (as lovely as they are), are smells typically associated with the colder winter months. So when springtime hits, its’s time to switch up to lighter, fresher scents.

Cherry blossoms, lilacs, lavender, fresh cut grass, rain, herbs, green apple, lemon, grapefruit, pineapple, mango, and fresh clean laundry are all aromatic notes that just smell like spring and liven up your home. Look for candles (typically soy are vegan, but not always), essential oils, and non-toxic room sprays and reed diffusers to bring in some fresh spring scents. And fyi, just cleaning you place (see number 1) helps to make your space smell good and fresh too.

Try: Stepping out of your comfort zone and trying a new scent. You may end up hating it, but you just may love it too…

6. De-layer and Switch Out Linens, Pillows, and Throws- Are you still rockin’ your reindeer pillows? Yeah babes, it’s time to give it up and say goodbye for now. Depending on where you’re at in the northern hemisphere (some places get snow well into April), it may also be time to start removing some layers and switching out heavier feeling (and looking) fabrics for lighter fresher ones.

Look, Imma always have decorative pillows and throws on my couch and bed, but I still like to lighten it up a bit in the spring and summer. That means changing decorative pillow covers (that’s why I advocate for inserts- you can easily swap out styles) and throws from heavier materials like faux fur, heavy knits, and velvets to lighter linens and cottons.

Switching out patterns and bringing in some lighter colors like white, beige, taupe, or introducing some softer greens, blues, and corals is another way to freshen up and make your home feel like spring.

There’s no one size fits all for spring style or decor, but making some simple swaps and changes can really help to make your home feel brand spankin’ new.

Try: Switching out heavier cotton and flannel bed sheets for lighter linen ones. They aren’t necessarily cheap, but I personally feel they’re a good investment and worthy of adding to your sheet rotation for the spring and summer. Linen screams fresh, easy, and relaxed and bonus, they help to keep you cool while sleeping too.

Bonus

Something New- Feeling a little bored rocking the same ol’ style? Well, maybe it’s time to try something new. Tired of being a hardcore minimilist? Over farm house? (god, please say yes). Try introducing a new style! Maybe it’s time to introduce a little traditional style or Japandi. Whatever. Just don’t limit yourself because you think you’re one thing. Try on a new style, you might surprise yourself.

That goes for color too. As mentioned above in the paint section, bringing in a fresh new color is one of the easiest ways to change up your space. So if you’ve been on that vanilla girl aesthetic for the last two years, maybe try adding some color to your world… I mean, it never hurt anybody.

Or maybe you’re the reverse and fresh monochromatic space would be a big fresh change. This is not a call to change who you are and are comfortable with if it doesn’t feel right, however, I think it can be important to try new things once in a while (and yes this coming to you from a Taurus sun/ Virgo rising girl- who notoriously hates change). It can be good. Change can spark new ideas or realizations in your life. It can really help us to figure out what we really do like and want and what we don’t. Besides, it’s just paint Brenda, you can always paint it back later…

Fix It- It’s those little things… most of the time, they don’t take much time or effort, but we just decide to turn a blind eye to them for whatever reason. Chipped paint, loose door handles, dead plants in the yard…it’s time to handle that. Whether you have a honey to do or not, just take a little time and nip it in the bud. Trust me, you’ll feel 10 times better and wonder why you didn’t do it sooner.

What are your spring rituals???