Even though it's been spring for a few weeks, it's just now beginning to feel like spring here in Greenville. The temperatures have finally warmed up and the flowers are officially in bloom.
With the warm season here, you've probably done the official wardrobe swap trading your winter coats and boots for sandals and dresses.
Spring is a great time to start fresh - with our wardrobes and our homes. Most of us have been in hibernation the last few months, and our homes show it. So today we're offering you guys some tips and suggestions on how to officially rid your home of the winter blues and liven it up for spring. And remember that we have two boutiques here in Greenville (and a new one online) with consultants ready to offer any assistance you might need in the process.
1. Attack clutter. Because most of us don't spend a ton of time outdoors in the winter, there is a lot of time spent inside our homes. That means the kids have played inside for several months and toys have started to pile up. There is probably an overflowing pile of shoes somewhere, a stack of papers waiting to be sorted in the kitchen, and a living room full of blankets.
It's time to de-clutter. Go through the piles of stuff in your home {including your closets} and get rid of anything you no longer need. Consider having a garage sale or donate these items to your local thrift store. To avoid future clutter, come up with an organizational system to prevent those piles from forming in the first place.
2. Do a little spring cleaning. What better way to freshen up your house for spring than by doing a little spring cleaning? Gather all your blankets, bedding and pillows and throw them in the wash. Then do a thorough dusting of your house including ceiling fans, blinds and floorboards. Be sure to wipe down all of your counters and deep clean the refrigerator and freezer. If you have small children, with cold and flu season hopefully behind us, give all of their toys a good cleaning/wipe down to avoid the spread of any lingering germs.
To make the cleaning a little more enjoyable, choose a mild sunny day. You will feel better doing it on a pretty day. Plus, being able to open the doors and windows for clean fresh air to come inside is an extra bonus.
3. Clean your windows. From being inside all winter, your interior windows are probably full of fingerprints and grime. Give them a good wipe down along with your exterior windows. It will let more sunshine in, which will lift your spirits. If budget allows, hire someone to give them a good deep clean.
4. Clean out the fireplace. Since the fireplace is no longer needed for warmth, replace your logs with an arrangement of big chunky light colored candles of varied heights. It will instantly lighten up your living space.
5. Bring something from the outdoors in. A great way to liven up your home for spring is to bring a little bit of what's outside into your home. Fresh flowers are a great outdoor option to bring inside. If you aren't a fan of fresh flowers but like how they look, consider botanical reproductions, like NDI Botanicals shown in the image above.
You aren't just limited to bringing in flowers from the outdoors. Bring in a small wooden side table you had outside or a bird house. Give it a fresh coat of paint and it will add a bit of whimsy and freshness to any room.
Ready to get a jumpstart? If you live in the Greenville area, be sure to stop by our Greenridge boutique this Saturday, April 20 from 12pm-3pm where we're hosting a trunk show featuring Michael Aram's newest dinnerware collections. Interested in switching up some of your home decor for the new season as well? Stop by either our downtown or Greenridge boutiques where our retail specialists can help you select the perfect new spring accessories for your home.
What's one thing you do each year to freshen up your home for spring?
If you want to learn about more ways to liven up your home for spring, download these five additional tips from our design team.
