I love a good winter season, but when spring comes, in I feel alive again! This is why a spring refresh is one of my favorite ways to welcome in the season. Between running around with my two boys and making healthy recipes, I don’t often have a chance to prep for seasonal changes. With spring, however, a few simple tips like a spring cleaning checklist, and easy organizing gives my home a welcoming breath of fresh air!
1. Toy Organization
As with most things, I start with organizing. More specifically, organizing toys. With grandparents visiting and the holiday madness, there are plenty of toys to go around (as I’m sure most moms can attest to). Don’t get me wrong, we are incredibly blessed and grateful! But often times it is easy to feel like the toys are taking over. This is why spring is the perfect time to assess what toys have been outgrown, which can be donated, and then decide how best to organize what is left.
My favorite ways to keep the toy clutter at bay is with a good shelving unit, large woven baskets, and collapsable storage cubes. With the boys being so little right now, most of our toys are large and require more space. Large woven baskets are a great way to keep all the big toys out of sight and easily accessible. I love that a woven basket in a neutral tone can also be kept in our family room without too much sacrifice on style! The collapsable storage cubes hold the smaller plush items and make for easy little hands clean up. This kind is also easy to fold and store for when I don’t need quite as many cubes out.
2. Change out simple decor for spring
When it comes to decor I often feel like I don’t have any time to make huge changes or upgrades around my house. That’s why I like to find easy decor changes that will have the most impact on my home’s immediate look and even on my mood! These are my quick go-to’s for an easy spring refresh.
Start with fresh flowers
With spring, the first things to come right on are flowers. Fresh flowers are such mood boosters, room brighteners, and are naturally fragrant. They really communicate that spring has arrived! I love a simple fresh vase at the center of our dining table, one near our fireplace, and one in my kitchen. The more places I can see flowers, the more I feel like spring! I love to have lilies since they are so fragrant but I clip the pollen stems once they open since the pollen can stain where it lands.
RELATED: The 9 Best Indoor Plants for a Healthy Home
Bring in a new scent
Speaking of fragrance, I also like to switch out my candles. I burn a long and steady pine-smelling candle in the winter, but spring calls for fresh linen, floral, or clean citrus vibes! Just a change in the smell of your house can do wonders for your mental clarity and mood. If I don’t want to burn a candle I also love to spray my linen, living room, or bedroom with a citrus mist that refreshes but doesn’t overwhelm.
Lighten the mood
A few other simple decor tips include changing out thick heavy sofa blankets with lighter, cotton kinds in a neutral color. This lightens the room up a bit and allows for the warmer temps to match your home. This also works with darker-colored sofa pillows. Swap out the pillow covers for neutrals and watch the room lighten up.
In addition to this, I also love to bring in a new plant or two for an immediate space shift. Like with the flowers, greenery can really help. Small changes throughout the house can stack up and transform a space quickly and easily.
3. Spring Cleaning
Spring and cleaning go hand in hand! It’s out with the old and in with the clean and refreshed at my house during springtime. I use my trusty and thorough spring cleaning checklist for when I really want to get deep into the clean, but before I do that I like to check out my cleaning supply to make sure I have what I need. My favorite types of cleaning products are natural, non-toxic, sustainable, and most importantly, effective! After a few colds in our house from the winter season, I like to make sure our deep clean will last.
Clean it quicker
If you’re not up or ready for the deepest of spring cleaning, here are some tips on the fastest way to get your home that spring cleaning feel.
- Break your home down into quadrants. If you see your home as sections or quadrants, you can decide to do one section a day depending on how much time you have to devote.
- Set a timer on your phone. A timer set to 30 minutes can keep you focused and productive so that you can zip through with an end in sight.
- Start with the largest, most accessed rooms. Cleaning through the living room first will give you a quick win and the motivation to keep going with the tougher rooms.
Tip: The simplest natural cleaner can be made with one part white vinegar, one part water, lemon rinds, and rosemary sprigs! Want more healthy cleaning product options delivered right to your doorstep? Check out Grove Collaborative!
4. Bring in the lighter fare
Winter means hearty meals and richer foods, but spring is all about light and fresh! This is a great time to explore your local farmer’s market for fresh seasonal produce. This is a great way to refresh your home for spring and bring in new flavors at the same time. Trade out the winter squashes and root vegetables for fresh berries and all the citrus!
Here are some of my favorite recipes using seasonal produce that can bring in all the spring vibes!
- Springtime Avocado Strawberry Spinach Salad
- How To Perfectly Roast Asparagus
- Gluten-Free Healthy Rhubarb Muffins
- Golden Glow Pineapple Turmeric Smoothie
5. Pare down
My last and perhaps one of the more essential ways to refresh my home for spring is to let some things go! Call it purging, decluttering, or merely paring down, spring is a great season to open the windows, let some light in, and declutter all that was accumulated during the winter season. It isn’t just regular cleaning, it’s creating space in your home that can also create space in your mind! Categorize your paring down by starting with clothing. A cluttered and tight closet never makes for a good morning routine. Donating clothes is a great way to start!
Try it out: How To Have A Stress-Free Closet
For decluttering other areas of your home, a great strategy is to remove all items from a counter, shelf, or mostly cluttered area. Then, after cleaning begin adding them back in one by one with the most important items first. Once you’ve added what you feel looks good and is necessary, assess what items were left behind. Are they of sentimental value? Do they serve a purpose? Will you miss them if they are gone? Then donate or hold a spring garage sale!
However you choose to refresh your home for spring, take time to enjoy the process! After a long and cold winter, a spring refresh is just what your home and your family needs. A busy mom schedule might seem to stop you but with quick cleaning tips and simple changes, your home can be spring-ready in no time!
Julie Wunder says:
Such good advice here! My toys are also taking over the house! It’s the perfect time to clear them out.
Deborah Brooks says:
Spring cleaning does feel good! I love to add fresh flowers to our house. My closet will never be stress free