Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Homemaking Tip—Decorating for Spring

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The calendar says it’s almost here, but I’m afraid it still won’t act like Spring for a little while longer so I’ve been pretending: I rearranged the furniture last week, decluttered yesterday and am going to get pansies today. Here are a few more ideas if you want to pretend, too:

~Trim some fruit branches or forsythia branches and bring them into the house. Display them in a large container of water and watch the phases until they bloom.

~A bunch of daffodils, tulips or a potted pansy on the kitchen, dining room or entry table says “Welcome Spring!”

~Put a pot of pansies or primroses in each room for a bright pick-me-up. Both flowers are inexpensive and come in a variety of colors, you could even color coordinate to the color scheme in each room. When they start to wilt, transplant them outside.

~Clean your windows. Let the sun shine bright and shiny through a sparkling window.

~Add a few pieces of colored glassware from the dollar store to hold your pencils, flowers or even a bowl of colorful jelly beans. The sun will catch the glass and cheer up the room.

~Hang a small basket of flowers from your front door to welcome your family and guests home.

~Fruits have a rich, colorful hue. Keep a bowl of fresh fruit (lemons are such happy fruits) on your counter or on the table to add cheer to a room.

~Decorate Easter eggs early and use them as a centerpiece all month long. Just blow the eggs before dying and then put them in a wire basket on a nest of colored excelsior. Scramble the eggs or make french toast and you’ve (ahem…) killed two birds with one stone.

~Rearrange the furniture and put the throws and blankets away. Put light and airy throw pillows in their place.

~Buy a lilac or grapefruit scented candle and use it.

~Open the window a crack and let the breeze blow through.

~Add a bird, a real live bird, to your décor. Their song and color will brighten the day and the birdseed and feathers they scatter will give you something to complain about besides the weather.

~Add a bright, pastel tablecloth or table runner in the kitchen or dining room.

~Change the bed sheets to a light airy color.

~Swap the towels in the bathroom to a lighter shade.

~Place garden magazines or flower books on the coffee table.

~Declutter. It lightens things up and makes the house more airy.

~Add a dab of yellow.

What is something you do to make your home more bright and cheerful?

7 comments:

Lucy said...

I really need to do a few of these things. I'm ready for spring!

Jill said...

I love your suggestions Jane. I need to get some pansies and primroses to help spring along. We have crocuses blooming outside right now, and the tulip leaves are about 6 inches high so that's exciting. I've been opening the kitchen window for about a week now and I love it so much. I can hear the birds going crazy outside (they empty our bird feeder in a matter of hours each day). Oh how I love spring!

Cali said...

I loved your two bird suggestions... "killing two birds with one stone" and having seeds/feathers to complain about. I thought about getting a bird the other day, then I remembered HOW much I hated cleaning up bird seed and feathers. I'm thinking they now have inventions to keep them from doing that... right? No? Well maybe we'll get a baby turtle then.

Cali

I'm still chuckling about that killing two birds.

Unknown said...

Great ideas, Jane! My house needs some "spring" back in its step :)

Deidra said...

Great suggestions!

I just bought a $1 bunch of yellow flowers at the grocery store (Surprisingly, they were healthy and a decent sized bunch)-- instant cheer! I [finally] took down my Valentine hearts in my window this morning and pulled those blinds wide open! Double bonus with burning a citrus scented candle, it smells like you've cleaned without the work! :-)

Marie said...

Your picture made me so jealous. Crocus already? But then I found out that you, like me, are just pretending it is spring.

Your ideas were all good. I really should get on that spring cleaning.

Becky said...

There are so many great lines in this post that are making me smile :). I sure do love your way with words, Jane!

It is definitely "spring" here so I tend to start de-cluttering and simply getting rid of stuff. I loved all your ideas although I can assure you we won't be getting a real bird any time soon :)