Homemaking Tip—Decorating for Spring

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?