Refreshing Your Home For Spring is easy. Just start with these small projects.
Start at the front door. The Cost Versus Value Report for home improvements continues to cite relatively low cost curb appeal projects as having better than 100% return on investment for home sellers. Even if you are not selling your home, those front door and front porch projects can be high impact, low costs upgrades for spring.
A front door wreath is traditional, but your wreath itself doesn’t have to be traditional. Just cruise the web, and the granddaddy of eye candy sites, Pinterest, for unusual and DIY wreath inspiration. Recycle and found objects like garden hoses, coffee filters, moss, fabric scraps, and even this season’s Coke bottles can make striking and personalized wreaths.
Paint continues to be one of the easiest and lowest cost mood lifters and refreshers for your home. At about $40 per gallon, and with little more than a brush, roller, and painter’s tape, the average Joe or Jane can completely change the look of a room. No need to wait for warmer weather. Today’s paints are eco-friendly, with many low-VOC or no-VOC paint options to choose from, which means you can paint without having to have all the windows open. Not ready to pick your color yet? Buy paint bases during spring sales, and bring it back to the store later to tint it to your chosen color.
Word to the wise. Stenciled and chalkboard word art are still a hot trend. Bring a spring sentiment to the outside or the inside of your house with little more than a chalkboard or scrap wood and a freehand. Highlight a Bible verse, happy thought, or your word of the year. (You did choose a word of the year back in January like all the cool kids, right?)
Declutter and lighten up. Donate or toss everything that is worn out, grown out of, never used, and gathering dust. Your house will instantly feel refreshed, and you’ll be able to tackle any spring cleaning with less in the way. Enlist a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers to cut the time that you spend decluttering and to help you set up systems to stay organized longer.
