Spring is officially here, so what better time to give your home a refresh in preparation for lighter days and warm evenings spent in the garden. These updates won’t cost a bundle or change the face of your home too much, but are simply good old-fashioned chores that will perk up your interior for spring. Check out the following ideas for some inspiration and make your home feel like new again.
Switch to lighter bedding
This is one of the simplest and best spring updates. Swap your heavy duvets for a lighter tog, and change any thick, brushed-cotton covers for lightweight cotton or linen. If you don’t happen to have any lighter bedding, now might be the perfect time to splash out on a crisp new duvet cover and pillowcases set for the freshest way to start and end the day.
Clear out kitchen cupboards
This is a slightly bigger task than some of the others, but it’s so worth doing – and if you make it an annual ritual, it should become more manageable.
Go through your kitchen shelves, drawers and cupboards and remove any out-of-date food, crockery that’s never used or utensils you don’t need, and cookbooks you haven’t even opened in the past year. Then think about where everything sits, and whether there’s a more logical order for the way you use your kitchen. Replace items in the most appropriate homes, and you’ll have a more efficient and work-friendly kitchen in no time.
Pressure-wash the patio
Banish the winter build-up of moss, algae and grime by jet-washing your patio. This can be done manually with a scrubbing brush, but it will take much longer, require much more energy and won’t have quite the same effect as a pressure washer, which can be rented easily.
Clear furniture, pots and plants from the patio, sweep away any loose debris and connect the jet washer to a hose. Move slowly from area to area and watch the dirt wash away to reveal clean slabs once more. Don’t forget to put on old trousers and overalls, as this can be a messy job.
Re-treat garden furniture
Your wooden garden furniture might possibly need a little pick-me-up after winter, so that you can enjoy it at its best during the warmer months.
For a general spruce up, grab a bucket of hot, soapy water or an all-purpose cleaning fluid, plus a sponge, and get scrubbing. If your furniture is looking really tired, lightly sand the wood, brush away any dust and re-stain, varnish or paint it. While you’re at it, why not invest in some beautiful cushions for style and comfort? You’ll have your seating area looking like new in no time.
Spruce up your hallway
Get ready to welcome guests into your home by revitalising the first space they see as they step through the front door – your hallway.
Bring in a dash of summery cheer with a new runner and hang up a series of hooks to whisk bags and coats off the floor or stairs. A clean and clutter-free entrance will give guests a sense of what to expect in the rest of the home.
Launder your duvet and pillows
Rather than just giving your sheets a good clean, experts suggest washing the duvet itself twice a year to cut down on a build-up of dust mites and other things. If you haven’t done yours in a while, now could be the perfect opportunity to give it a refresh.
Check if yours can be machine washed, and whether it will fit in your machine. If not, the large washing machines at the laundrette might be an option, or look into having it professionally cleaned. The same goes for pillows.
Make your windows shine
There’s nothing like crisp and clean, smudge-free windows to welcome in spring and let the light flood into every nook and cranny of your home.
It’s one of the tougher job, for sure, but it does make a huge difference to your interior and only really needs to be done thoroughly every few months. Experts recommend cleaning windows on a cloudy day, because direct sunlight dries the glass too quickly, leaving streaks. They also suggest buffing the dry glass with a wad of crumpled newspaper.
Get busy with a paintbrush
If your painted chairs (or table) are looking a little worn and chipped, why not treat them to a fresh coat of paint? If you’re feeling adventurous, go for something bright and bold, as here.
Depending on how much furniture you’re tackling, this could take anything from an afternoon to a few days, but it will be worth every minute you spend on it. Before you flip open the paint pot, remember to invest in a good brush. Natural bristles have a rougher texture that holds more paint, so are better for larger areas, but are more likely to leave brushmarks. Synthetic brushes are the opposite, so better for smaller jobs. They’re also easier to clean and last longer.
Do a towels and toiletries inventory
Having a good sort through your bathroom will free up space and make it fresher and more streamlined.
Get rid of any threadbare, stained or ragged towels (check if your local dogs and cats home is looking for donations). Give your nicer ones a good wash at a high temperature and leave them to dry in the sun all day if possible. Be ruthless with your lotions and potions, too. If you haven’t used it in the past six months, it’s probably time it went. And if you have multiple almost-empty bottles, give yourself a week to use them up and then ditch them.
Detox the office
An efficient and organised office is key if working from home is to be a productive and happy affair.
Perhaps you’re long overdue a seasonal sort-through of paperwork (shredder at the ready…). Now’s the time to file away important documents, bin the unnecessary and leave a clear desk for the weeks ahead. Magazine holders offer an easy and affordable solution for sorting and storing bits and pieces.
Move furniture around
Taking furniture and fixtures out of their tried-and-tested spots and moving them to new surroundings can work wonders for your home. Shift a bookcase that’s gathering dust in a hallway and stack it neatly with towels and toiletries in the bathroom, for instance.
The same swapping trick can be used for tray tables, occasional chairs and even wardrobes – apparently, Kirstie Allsopp’s prized kitchen larder cupboard is actually an old wardrobe.
Source: Houzz
