At last, Spring is officially upon us! The grass really is greener and the flowers are in bloom. It is also the season for decluttering and redecorating following the dark winter months. How are you celebrating the change in season? Do tell us in the comments box below.
‘Pink-spiration’
Farrow & Ball launched nine new ranges this year and my favourite is Peignoir. It carries an elegance usually associated with stately period homes. This pink colour with a hint of grey has a romantic feel that is inspired by the chiffon gowns in which ladies traditionally brushed their hair in boudoirs. Depending on how much femininity you want in your home, Peignoir can be used just about everywhere- I’m not so sure about the kitchen though as I can’t help but feel an evoking of the scent of an eau de toilette just by looking at it! Choose room accessories like vases, cushions & bowls in this lovely hue if you’re simply sprucing up and not going for a complete redecoration. Peignoir is an ideal colour to add to your space if you have also been bitten by the grey bug in the last couple of years as it makes a great accompaniment to grey.
Bring in Happiness
My favourite flower is Gypsophila. I love the itsy bitsy clusters of flowers on thin green stems, it gives me a nostalgic feeling of childhood. This flower lasts for ages too and is very affordable. Use in copious amounts on its own or choose some bright tropical flowers to give it a pop of colour. Select flowers while they are still in bud or just starting to open; they shouldn’t all be completely closed and neither should they all be almost open. Flowers are an excellent way to bring the outdoors inside. Working 8 hours a day away from home plus commuting time means you spend less waking hours in your home than you would love to. Make every one of those moments count. Experiment with different species until you find one that triggers joy and brightens your home.
Freshen with Fragrance
Spring will not be complete without spritzing your home with the scents of outdoor freshness. A popular wellness tip is to start your day by drinking a glass of lemon-infused water to add a boost to your health and your mood. I use half a lemon and boil the used lemon for 30 mins as I get ready for the day, this also freshens my home. If that’s too long a step for your busy mornings, Nemo have a great range of diffusers called Feel Refreshed Reed Diffusers. I recommend Sicilian lemon and Basil. Their products are 75% certified organic too.
No more Decluttering
You may have heard of the Japanese tidying up sensation by Marie Kondo, KonMari. You may even be a die-hard fan. Two words, it works. Really. In a nutshell, get rid of anything that does not bring you joy. In my case- I’m ashamed to say- this extended to broken pens. I always felt that since the pens still worked I’ll keep them despite being cracked at the top- I don’t know what my sons do to the pens in our house- but as I decluttered, I discovered how irritating I found them to be. The KonMari method of tidying up trains you to keep your home in a permanently decluttered and joy-filled state. Many of us were raised to live with things that are don’t spark joy so as to avoid wastage. Now I’m not suggesting that we embark on a journey and start to fling out perfectly good items that are not brightly coloured, rather as adults it means we can purposefully surround ourselves with beauty. That chair in a dated pattern you can no longer stand? Get it reupholstered. Enrol on a short course on upholstery which will get your creative juices flowing, expose your soul to a new & enjoyable experience while gifting you with new dining or accent chairs! Your IKEA cabinet that looks, well, IKEA-ish? Google ‘lkea hacks’ and you will discover an abundance of creative ideas to upcycle. Marie Kondo says “We should be choosing what we want to keep, not what we want to get rid of.”
New Experiences
Image via austinags.org
At the start of the year I made a vow to feed my soul more than ever, most of our lives focus on the physical, or what the physical can perceive. From fashion and beauty to wellness and health we tend to treat the soul only occasionally. How about making the soul a priority? Ways in which you can do so is incorporating new experiences into your life. Wine tastings, kayaking, pottery making, taking a history class are just some of what I have on my list.
Why not take some time to write a list of possible activities that nurture your soul?
