- Purge if you can: Changing weather is a great time to get rid of any winter clothes that you didn't wear all season. If you're still hanging onto that sweater from college or an old winter coat, now's the time to donate it and clear out some space. In our minds, if you made it all season and you never put it on, then you won't miss it next year. This goes, too, for any of your children's clothing that they might have outgrown by next season. You can store anything that you really love, but we like to think that donating clothing allows someone else the opportunity to take advantage of it. Donating to a non-profit helps others and gives you a tax credit, too. Search your local area, but we often donate to Easter Seals, which picks up right at your door.
- Clean and store any winter wardrobe items: If you're putting away winter clothes or shoes, make sure they're cleaned properly and stored safely. If you put away those leather boots with leftover salt on the heel, they could be damaged before you open the box again. Dry clean any sweaters or coats. Polish and box up your boots. Maybe you're lucky enough to have a lot of closet space, but we often switch out our seasonal wardrobe from the guest room closets. We also take advantage of storage space under our beds, using boxes like these for sweaters or winter pants.
- Clean, clean, clean: Here comes the hard part, you're going to need to block off some time on your schedule and clean your house. Wipe down the counters, clean the floor (we do it old school on our hands and knees), do it ALL. With pets and kids in our houses, we like to stick to natural cleaners and avoid harsh chemicals and bleach. We love all things Mrs. Meyer's, especially this Multi-Surface Concentrate which works on lots of surfaces and comes in lots of lovely, natural scents. On hard wood floors, Jess uses Method Squirt and Mop to get them shiny and clean. In the bathroom, we swear by Method's Tub and Tile Bathroom Cleaner. We always keep some Method All-Purpose Cleaner on hand for touch-ups and daily up-keep. Finally, there's no problem that these Eraser Pads can't solve (for the record, they DO remove crayon from painted walls...just ask Jess).
- Refresh your home decor: This time of year is a great one to start up any lingering home improvement projects. Have you been wanting to give the bathroom a fresh coat of paint? Need to hang that photo collage on your staircase? Now's the time. You can also think small and add a couple of decorative pieces to your home. A fancy pair of book-ends or a new lamp are inexpensive accents that can change up a space quickly. Target's home inspiration site is great because you can search by your design style to find items that are perfect for your house. Another great designer trick is to "shop your house". You basically check around your house to see if you have any underutilized decor items that might shine better in a different space. For example, Jess recently moved a print that hung in a little seen bedroom onto the bathroom wall to add interest. She's also eyeing a rug in the kiddo's room to move into the kitchen after an upcoming floor remodel (more on that later). Sometimes it helps to ask a friend to give your house a more critical eye to suggest options you might not have seen yourself.
- Bring nature inside: Spring is a great time to add some house plants or fresh cut flowers around your house. Choose plants that work well in the sunlight that you often have and pick pretty, decorative containers. If your pets can't be trusted to leave them alone (like Ryan's) or if your room doesn't get enough light, artificial plants can look and function nicely. Target has a lot of great options here and here. Fresh-cut flowers don't last long, but they beautify the space inexpensively and easily. Trader Joe's is our favorite source for great seasonal bouquets at awesome prices.
Will you be doing any Spring Cleaning this year? Leave us a comment to let us know what you'll be tackling this spring.
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