Putting Winter Away, Welcome Spring!

Welcome Spring!

Winter is over at last!

No matter where in Australia you are I am sure you are welcoming the change of seasons.

The promise of spring is warmth, sunshine, fresh air, flowers, birds, green grass and blue skies.

And after the last eight months, spring is very, very welcome.

I finished the spring cleaning last week and this week as I've walked through the house, I've had a smile on my face. I can't help it, everything is so spic'n'span and sparkly clean and organised and well just plain pretty.

Winter has been put away. The dreariness, tiredness, clutter of a winter on lockdown is gone.

In it's place, spring, with the promise of new hope and new life abounds.

How can you put winter away, and welcome spring, without spending any money?

Wash the windows, inside and out. There's that old saying that the windows are the eyes of the home. Make them sparkle.

Wash the flimsy curtains. Do them window by window, and get rid of the winter dust. While the curtain is washing, you can be washing the window! I use a scoop of laundry soaker to wash the curtains. As soon as the wash cycle has finished, take them out and rehang them straight away. It's OK to hang them wet, the weight will pull any creases out and being flimsies they'll dry in no time. And straight away the room will look and smell better.

Dust and wash the skirting boards. I use a soft broom or the upholstery brush on the vacuum to dust, and a damp microfibre cloth to wash.

Dust and polish timber furniture. If it's been a while, a good polish will make the timber shine and condition it at the same time.

Get out those doyleys and tablecloths and coasters and use them. Swap out the dusty ones for fresh linens. And get creative - just because a linen isn't a doyley doesn't mean it can't be used as one. I use tray cloths on our lamp tables to protect them, and small lace doyleys as coasters. Soak the dirty linens before sun-drying and putting them away.

Dust and wash the front door! External doors get so dusty. And sweep the front porch. If there's room, add a pot of petunias or violets or pansies - something bright and cheerful and welcoming. And shake that doormat!

Put away the heavy mugs, and bring out your fine china. No point having it if you don't use it, and fine china is light, just like spring.

Make a butter cake and sugar some violets to decorate the top.

Plant sweet peas near a window so you can see them and get the beautiful perfume.

Have a Devonshire tea. Make some lemonade scones, whip some cream, open a jar of jam and serve it all on your best china.

Make a birth bath and put it out for the birds.

Cut some lavender and hang it in bunches through the house to dry. The fragrance will be amazing and you'll end up with lots of beautiful lavender to use in winter.

Clean off the barbecue and start cooking outdoors.

Get out your essential oils and make some spring and summer scented soaps and lotions.

Use your essential oils to make room scents. In our main bathroom at the moment we have watermelon (Hannah's choice) and it really does smell nice. In our bathroom I have lemon scented reeds, and a little crystal dish of scented wax beads. The whole room smells fresh and spring-like. I'm using lemon oil in a switched up mini batch of Miracle Spray to clean at the moment. When that's used up, I'll make up another fragrance.

Change over vases and fill them with new flowers (some silk, some fresh, some dried - whatever you have).

Use what you have, rotate those special linens and good dishes. If you have something you love that makes you smile, bring it out and use it.

Putting winter away and welcoming spring doesn't need to cost a cent, use what you have to chase the winter dullness away and welcome spring freshness to your home.