HELLO SPRING !

After we muddled through what was a particularly bleak winter in some regions, finally being able to greet spring is a genuine pleasure. Here are ideas for welcoming spring into your home — from bringing nature to digging in the garden beds.

Give Your Living Space a Quick Color Makeover

Leave the warmer, deeper hues of winter behind and embrace a light, spring-inspired palette. Remove heavy window coverings in favor of matchstick blinds or lightweight curtains. Paint the walls (or just one wall) pale aqua, spring green, or crisp white and invest in a few new accessories in the same color family.

Let the Fresh Air In

After we’ve spent a winter hunkered down indoors with the heater on, the air inside our homes can get stale. On a nice early-spring morning, open up all of the windows in your house and let the fresh air flow in.

Plant Fresh Herbs

A few little pots of herbs in the kitchen window make a fragrant (and useful) display. If your sill isn’t wide enough, consider installing a simple rail with s-hooks, as shown here, to hold small pots.

Get Sparkling-Clean Windows

Cleaning the windows (both inside and out) is no small task, but your efforts will be rewarded with more light and clearer views.

Clear the Kitchen Counters

Having as much counter space clear as possible makes cooking easier and your kitchen look bigger. In the daily bustle, it’s natural to let items gather on the counter — but after a while, this accumulation of small appliances, bags of coffee and half-gone bananas can really get in the way. Take a moment to completely clear off the kitchen counters, wipe them down and replace only the items you truly need.

Make a Grab-and-Go Picnic Kit

Want to go on more impromptu picnics this spring? Make things easier on yourself by gathering the necessary nonperishable items (picnic blanket, utensils, napkins, bottle opener) in a large hamper or sturdy tote bag. Keep the picnic kit in the kitchen, so you can fill it with fresh foods before heading out the door.

Paint Something White

A new coat of white paint can revive almost anything, from lackluster kitchen cabinets to beat-up flea market chairs — and white goes with everything.

Roll Up the Rugs

If you use a lot of area rugs in your home, consider whether you might enjoy going without some of them for the spring and summer. Bare floors can be a treat to toes after the heavy socks and woolen carpets of winter.

Enjoy Blooming Bulbs

Tulips, daffodils, and other blooming bulbs are widely available (and affordable) as both cut flowers and potted plants at this time of year. To gather inspiration for planting bulbs for next year, take a neighborhood walk this spring and snap photos of gardens that stop you in your tracks — then note on your garden plan where you would like to plant bulbs

Take Breakfast Outdoors

Something as simple as having your coffee and fruit on the balcony or patio instead of in the kitchen can make a huge difference in the rest of your day. If the sun is shining, why not give it a try?

Prettify Your Porch or Patio

A pot of plants, a flower box, a hammock — no matter the size of your outdoor space, there are plenty of ways to make it more inviting.
If you have a tiny space, add a mirror.
If you have noisy neighbors, add a small fountain for white noise.
If your outdoor space lacks privacy, add an arbor over your sitting area, planted with climbing vines.