Snow, tree branches without leaves, frost on the windows, cool winds… that’s the typical image of February. Because of the not-so-appealing outdoors, most people love to crawl into their warm houses and cozy up in blankets. This is a great opportunity to use the abundance of indoor time we have in February and give our homes a nice little refreshing treatment before spring comes knocking on our door. The freshening up can range from cleaning and de-cluttering to making some entirely different interior design calls. So, if you are up for banishing winter out of your home, here are a few tips that will summon spring much faster.
Start with a clean slate
Forget about spring cleaning, February cleaning is much more motivating. Besides, there is no use to change up the décor if your home is cluttered and in desperate need of deep cleaning. So, roll up your sleeves and start by getting rid of the things that are cluttering your space. Those would be the items you never and almost never use and which don’t contribute to the décor in any way. Now that you’ve got them out of the way, you can grab a broom, a vacuum cleaner, a mop and a squeegee and start cleaning. Don’t forget to clean some less obvious places, such as top shelves and lighting fixtures.
Light it up
What we miss the most in dreary winter weather is natural light. A lack of light can affect your mood and even cause depression and trouble with focus. Solve this problem by removing mesh screens from your windows. If that is not enough, seek help from artificial light. The light bulbs that will work in most rooms are ones that mimic the temperature of the daylight. If the room is too cool, you can also opt for warm whites. Keep in mind that this is a good time to start using LED lights, for energy efficiency.
Make your furniture more vivid
Furniture in moody colors can affect the ambience of the entire space and prolong the winter inside your home indefinitely. On the other hand, getting a pair of light-colored sofas might be a wise choice, as they can brighten up the entire living room. If you can’t afford to buy a new sofa, consider re-upholstering or using slip-covers. If even that is not an option for you, you can try to fake the vivid appearance with bright and patterned throw pillows and blankets.
Re-arrange
There is another thing you can do with your furniture to make your room look new – re-arrange it. Even a slightest change in the furniture arrangement can mean a lot for the fresh look of your home. When redesigning the space, try to use the principles of Feng Shui. Don’t do anything that would disrupt the natural flow of the home or ruin your efforts to de-clutter.
Infuse spring-loving prints
Who doesn’t miss the colorful sight of spring flowers during the moody February? Well, guess what, you can have that in your very own home… Bring in some floral patterns through wallpaper, throw pillows, and accessories like serving trays, tablecloths, vases, etc. Besides the floral, you can use other spring-related motifs, such as blooming trees and greenery.
Brighten the day with drapery
Saturated hues and dark patterns on your curtains will make any space feel darker, which is the last thing you want during winter. Instead of them, you should install light-colored curtains to brighten the space up. If you take this time to place the curtains at the far edges of the window, you will prevent them from blocking the natural light from getting in.
Let your floors shine
Wall-to-wall carpets and oversized area rugs are there just to remind you that winter isn’t over. Get rid of them and let your floors shine. This way, the streams of natural light will reflect on the floors and onto the walls. Choose smaller patterned area rugs that will further cheer up the room.
Finish up with greenery
Nothing says “Spring is here” like a bunch of bright green houseplants. If you choose winter blooming plants, you will have flowers and enchanting scents while all the plants outside are still bare and everything is grim. Some of the best choices for February are Ragwort and Primula.
Use these tips to prevent dark and cold February days from getting you down. Your house can truly be a warm oasis in spite of the weather outside. If you don’t believe us, try these hacks an
