Start Fresh This Spring
For northern states, the snow starting to thaw is the first sign of spring. For Georgia, it is different. We rarely get snow, but when we do, it thaws in about a day or two, max. Instead, our first sign of spring is the thick layer of yellow pollen that is on everyone’s car. You can tell it is spring here because everyone is wiping their noses and sneezing into their elbows. It doesn’t sound very pretty, but it’s true. Luckily, there is so much beauty to spring here in Georgia. The sun comes out and warms up the weather, flowers start budding, birds chirp more, and everyone gets out and about more.
Because everyone gets out more, it also leads to a lot of people neglecting their homes in the springtime. You hear about spring cleaning all the time, but in reality, not many people actually take the time to do it, including myself sometimes. So, I’ve decided to take it upon myself to find a new way to bring spring into the home, and trust me: it is not all about rotating mattresses, cleaning under couches, and washing curtains (although there is some cleaning in there). I tried to make it fun and fresh for you all! Check out my ideas
House Plants
According to NASA, houseplants can remove up to 87% of air toxins in 24 hours. In order to remove toxins, as well as freshen the air, it is important to include house plants throughout your home. Another bonus is that it also makes your home look fresh, beautiful, and happy. Some popular houseplants are air plants, ferns, fiddle leaf figs, and small cacti. The craze right now is fiddle leaf fig trees. While they are gorgeous, they are also pretty hard to take care of. There are differing opinions on if they should have full lighting, partial lighting, less water, or more water. I don’t think anyone really knows. Either way, if you take a chance taking care of a fiddle leaf fig tree, be prepared for a challenge.
Seasonal Colors
Seasonal colors create a fresh palette for your home when the season changes! For winter, try blue, silver, and white. For spring, try light pastel colors, or neutralsp like cream. You can incorporate different colors in decor pieces that you set out, or other staples like dinner plates, glasses, lamps, or other bigger decor items.
Donate
Spring is the perfect time to go through your closet and get rid of things that you do not need. I know how most like to hold on to their clothes in hopes of losing weight, or wearing the dress again (even though you have not worn it in 5+ years), but do good and donate your clothes. One great thing to think about is if you do this before you file your taxes (I might be too late with this advice for most), then it can be a good tax deduction to take. Of course, don’t forget to ask your CPA any questions that you might have about how this will affect your taxes.
Fresh Coat of Paint
Look around your home and see if you need to touch up paint anywhere. How are the baseboards looking? If they look like they just need a cleaning, then try that out first. If there are scratches on the wall, take the opportunity to paint over the scratches, or choose a new color to paint the entire room. I talk about this all the time, but paint really does freshen things up and make a home feel like it is new. If you focus on painting neutral colors in your home like cream, beige, gray, or other light colors, you can add more color throughout the rest of your home.
Clean Windows
I know I said I wouldn’t add too much about cleaning in here, but one thing that you want to do each spring is clean your windows so that you can see outside and look at the beautiful weather! Another great idea that you may want to think about is adding window tinting. Window tinting offers many benefits including privacy, lower utility bills, a more controlled climate, and the list goes on. It even adds a touch of decoration into your home, as well. I looked online to find a company in Georgia that provides window tinting services and came across UHS Window Tinting and Blinds. UHS Window Tinting and Blinds has been providing the greater Atlanta area with much-needed window tinting, security film, decorative film and select blind treatment services, as well as installation since 2003. They are award-winning, have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, and have fantastic reviews. In fact, I dare you to try to find a bad one. They are licensed and fully insured, provide free estimates, and are there to answer any questions you might have. If you want to lower your energy costs, but still let natural light in to your home, window tinting just might be the way to go!
