March 23rd, 2018

Spring clean

Can you believe that it already springs? We can’t either! We’ve sprung forward and the days already feel much brighter and lighter. Why not translate that feeling in your home? By now we’re sure you’re already looking forward to some fun summer projects. Now is the perfect time to do some spring cleaning to make room for the new. Keep reading for our tips and tricks to purge, clean and refresh your home this weekend!

Purge

Everyone dreads going through all their stuff and doing a good purge, but it is 100% necessary. Are you really going to wear those jeans you bought 10 years ago? Your closet is a good place to start when you start your purge. We will echo what many organizational experts have said before us and this is to have a keep, donate and toss pile. For the items, you decide to keep organize them by season and stow away those that are currently out of season. The bags that you can vacuum the air out of like these Space Bags from Ziplock are fantastic to help you store clothing without taking up much room. How about that food processor you got for Christmas that you’ve only used once. It’s probably time for it to find a new home. Unused kitchen appliances and gadgets take up a lot of valuable real estate in your cupboards. If you haven’t used it for years, you should consider giving it away. One of your friends might love it!

Clean

Let’s face it, there’s a lot of things that need cleaning in your home, but there will always be a few that get overlooked or neglected. Your drapes and rugs are probably one of them. Yes, they are a bit of a pain to remove, but they also need some TLC. Wash or dry clean your drapes and shampoo or steam your rugs. You will be very surprised how dirty those get! Don’t forget to also clean your sofa upholstery. You’ve spent many days curled up there this past winter with your favorite cushions and throws, so it also needs a good clean! Make sure to use the appropriate cleaner for the upholstery on your sofa. Carefully read the labels so you don’t do any damage!

Refresh

Now that you’ve done some purging and cleaning, it’s time to give your home a good refresh. Those cushions, throws, and drapes you just cleaned? Why not swap them out for a few months for something different. Since they are not huge items (in price and size), you can easily update a few spaces in your home. Add a little bit of fun to your rooms by adding a splash of color or a new texture or pattern. Geometric patterns are back and pastel ice cream colors are also popping in. We like simple patterns like this Dash Black and White pillow from CB2 or how about a new throw like the Muuto ripple in a spring-inspired green available at Espace d.?  Need a few storage ideas? How about some modern baskets like the small grid from Ferm Living or the Muuto restore storage basket in multiple wool colors, great for newspapers and magazine, their concrete circular bowl can act as a catch-all on your coffee table? Feeling really ambitious might we suggest heading over to Ikea and start designing a custom PAX closet or storage system that will house all those shoes, dedicate exactly the right amount of space for hanging and folded clothes, and for us jewelry lovers you can add pull out accessories drawers for all your earrings, bracelets, necklaces, belts, scarves, watches……….. definitely on my to-do list this year!

What will you purge, clean and refresh this spring? Let us know with the hashtag #area3springcleaning