There is no one anticipating the warmer temperatures that summer brings than me. Personally, I feel ready for bright, joyful energy by the end of January. We asked a few of our clients to describe what they do to prepare their homes for warmer weather. Here’s what they had to say:
The Season to Clean
image by Pete Vondelinde
We hear it every year! Deep clean and declutter your home by donating home goods, clothing, and kitchenware that you haven’t used. Wipe down baseboards, trim, and vents. Maximize your home’s natural light by opening the blinds and cleaning the windows. Our client, Peg Witthaus recommends “Have your windows cleaned! It makes such a difference after all the winter weather!” In feng shui, the ancient Chinese art of spatial arrangement to optimize flow (qi), a tidy and clean space allows positive energy to pass through. Start with spring cleaning, and you’ll feel an immediate shift in your home.
Summer Scents
There is a strong connection between emotion, memory, and our sense of smell. Scents can impact the atmosphere of a space. Add some lively scents with candles, soaps, and incense. Look for citrus fruit, bergamot, and floral scents. Peg recommends freshening up your bathrooms with a nice, mildly scented handmade soap. She is loving her local soaps from Ellen by Handmade Soaps who offers an array for scents and colors.
Colors and Patterns for Warmer Months
image by Pete Vondelinde
Bring your space to life with bold and bright patterns by adding colorful throw pillows, blankets, and artwork. Swapping out textiles and artwork is a great way to make a room feel brand new. Shop Etsy for inexpensive throw pillow covers and artwork. For bedrooms and guest rooms, change out the linens with bright colors and fresh patterns!
Decorate with Flowers
image by Adam Jarvi
This might seem simple, but flowers and greenery can truly liven a once dull space. Find some fun pots and vases to put them in, and voila! A lovely decorative statement piece to welcome spring. Melissa loves peonies and ranunculus. Pro tip: trimming the stems and refreshing the water can make bouquets last up to a month. Another idea is to create small bouquets with a few flowers and place them in different rooms throughout your home.
For the Lawn and Outside
Our client Lindsey has a check list for their lake house to get it ready for spring and summer:
Get out the lawn furniture
Order new cushion to replace any damaged ones
Get the sailing gear ready to go
Clean up the dog poop
Make planter and landscaping plans and get new plants
Sweep the porch
Start the seeds
Our other client, Rebecca, is also on the same page as us. She shared her thoughts on the warmer months:
“There is something so calming sitting by a pool, sunhat on, a good book, cicadas in the trees, boats moving around the lake. Like being on vacation at resort, but that resort is home.”
We are seriously looking forward to the rejuvenation, warmth, and liveliness that summer brings. We can jump start that energy within and outside our homes with these cleaning tips, simple decor changes, and colorful additions!
Header photo: Spacecrafting
Article Photos: Vondelinde