Spring Cleaning

Although April has arrived, we are still in the awkward transition between winter and spring, sometimes called mud season. We've had just a few days full of sunshine that have been warm enough to step outside without a jacket on. While waiting for more weather that will draw me out of the house, I find it is a good time to clean and spruce up inside. The days get longer and lighter and I can no longer ignore dusty corners and disorganized shelves. As I wait for new growth, green grass, and budding leaves I like to bring new life to my living space.

Deep cleaning and organizing might sound like a pain, but it can be really refreshing. Rearranging a room, some furniture, or even just what I put on the walls can change the feeling of the whole space for the better. I love to use what we already have and find creative solutions for eliminating clutter and neatening up. Since we moved we only had one bureau which meant that Ray's clothes were just in a pile on the floor. I freed up two shelves which can hold all of our clothes and moved the bureau to my studio for storing my fabric. It only takes simple changes to make a space more peaceful to live in, like keeping my supplies organized with empty canning jars. They hold a lot and I love the aesthetic.
 

Spring cleaning is also a good time to get rid of things that you don't need or rarely use. It is all too easy to acquire more than you need and often this means finding more storage space or living with more clutter. I've become pretty relentless about letting go of clothes that I rarely wear and, aside from books, items that I don't really use. I try to remember that this is my living space, not storage space for things. Acquiring and holding on to things you don't need can be stifling and letting go of some of this makes room for more light and air and life.

While I pack up what I don't need and take it to Good Will, I also pay attention to what I keep in my living space. When I need a change, sometimes all it takes is putting up new inspiration on the walls. I love my clothespin system for hanging photos, art, poems and anything I want to see while I work at my desk or sewing machine. I can hang new photos and take down old ones without any extra holes in the wall and no need for tape. To make this, I simply screwed a few cup hooks into the wall and connected them with string.

These are just a few ideas for spring cleaning in your living space. On Wednesday I'll share some of the simple cleaning products I make to get rid of dust and dirt in my home.

What do you do to freshen up your living space?