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In the northern hemisphere, Spring runs from the end of March to the end of June. That means it's time to freshen up the place. Gather the quilts and the coats on the rack and store them away for the cold season. The grass is green and the leaves are on the trees. Flowers are blooming but your home is drab and stuffy. There's no period like the present to give Spring a proper welcome to your home.
Of course you're going to sweep out the cobwebs, buff the floors and spend time in your garden. Why not take this chance to re-design your space with cheerful touches that bring the garden inside? Replace the little things. Rethink the big things. Move beyond a hearty wash and scrub. With a few adroit steps, you'll fill your abode with the same energy and vividness that's just outside your front door.
Some new towels, a few perky pillows, brighter sheets and sheer curtains for your rooms. It doesn't cost much to switch heavy fabrics and dark shades for spring-like items. Set your table in textile hues and dinnerware that remind you of meadows and budding life. Pay heed to your kitchen, your bathroom as well as your bedroom and den. Speaking of dens, you don't need buy a new couch. Instead, purchase a cotton or linen slipcover with a light color or pattern. You can break out the winterized goods and pack up your sunnier stuff when the temperature starts to chill. In the meantime, a tablecloth here, a lacy bedspread there and it appears as if you changed everything.
In frosty weather, we like things overstuffed and snug. Come April, those fleecy jammies, fluffy rugs and bulky throws belong in your closets and drawers. If it reminds you of short days and snowy nights, exchange it for something that evokes dewy fields and blue skies. If you have a built-in fireplace, replace the grate with a lightweight screen that covers the reminder of toasty, burning wood. Let your wood/tile floors free by taking up those woolen area rugs. That collection of furry hats, clunky boots and outerwear in your foyer, occupy more room than you think. Clutter is confining, stagnant, the very antithesis of rebirth and renewal.
Springtime signifies sweet breezes and stirring spirit. Take advantage of the delicate winds and gentle sunlight this season offers. Open your house to the outdoors. Draw back the curtains, leave your backyard door opened or screened during the mornings and early evenings. Regulate the climate of your home naturally. Air out your interior the best way possible. In addition, you've spent three solid months shuttered behind your drapes and blinds. Let the sunshine in. Replace opaque window treatments with glassy, lacy panels. These are the months when the air and light are clean and mild. Fresh oxygen and sunny rays cleanse your living quarters at no charge.
Plants and flowers are life. Cut greenery and blooms continue photosynthesis in fresh water. Living plants are especially advantageous, as they produce oxygen, absorb carbon and filter the air. You can find delightful, easy-care, low-cost foliage almost anywhere. Aquire bouquets of leafage and blossoms at markets and grocery stores as well as the florist. Plantings come spare or pre-potted. Place plants and flower arrangements on as many surfaces you desire, from dining/coffee tables to nooks and window sills. Living things animate your surroundings.
A bowl filled with fresh citrus or apples livens a breakfast setting. Display candles and wick diffusers - scented with essential oils - for sparkling aroma. Be crisp. Be clean. Be modern. Nothing says spring quite as effectively as the latest thing. Try clear or pale vases, glassware, table lamps and knick-knacks. Go for pastels and palettes that lean toward cool tones with small hints of red, yellow and orange. Opt for natural. lightweight fibers when choosing bedding, bath towels, curtains and throw-pillows. Arrange furniture so that conversational groupings can admire butterfly garden views or any sprightly touch.
Your house, your office, your living room, your kitchen, your bath. With minimal effort you can change seasons in harmony with mother earth. Cornflower Blue, Peach,Yellow-Green, True-Green, Lavender, Rose, Eggshell and White. Add live plants and cut flowers. Exchange winter fabrics and linens for materials more befitting of springtime. Clear the clutter. Open the doors and windows. Invite Spring inside your home. 
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