21 Free Ways to Show Your Home Some Love This Spring
'Tis the season to freshen up your home and set a new mood without spending a cent. Here are 21 low-effort, high-impact ideas for spring
Laura Gaskill
12 September 2016
Houzz Contributor. I cover decorating ideas, Houzz tours & the monthly home maintenance checklist. My favorite pieces to write center around the emotional aspects of home and savoring life's simple pleasures. Get my bi-weekly email: https://www.lauragaskill.com/thesimplelist/
Houzz Contributor. I cover decorating ideas, Houzz tours & the monthly home maintenance... More
When spring hits, some people dive right into the garden. But considering this is Houzz, I suspect I am not alone in feeling the urge to redecorate as soon as the days get warmer. To break the shopping habit (and spare my bank account), I have gathered these 21 ways to change, tweak and adjust a home without spending a cent. Please add your own in the comments section below.
1. Light your candles
Candles create a lovely ambience like nothing else. Light them whenever you want a little mood boost – try putting one in the entryway, on the coffee table and on the mantel, and a few tea lights on the dining table.
2. Arrange your coffee table nicely
A stack of books, a tray or basket, and a vase of flowers are all you need to make your coffee table look chic and pulled together.
Candles create a lovely ambience like nothing else. Light them whenever you want a little mood boost – try putting one in the entryway, on the coffee table and on the mantel, and a few tea lights on the dining table.
2. Arrange your coffee table nicely
A stack of books, a tray or basket, and a vase of flowers are all you need to make your coffee table look chic and pulled together.
3. Take scissors outside and cut something to put in water
Don’t let the lack of a flower garden stop you – get creative! Even weeds or a bit of green foliage from the tip of a backyard tree branch can be beautiful.
4. Use up leftover paint on small projects
A bit of paint left in the can is all you need to paint a mirror frame or group of accessories. Try painting just the legs of a table or chairs, the edges of picture frames, the interior of a tray or the bottom of a vase.
Here are 25 awe-inspiring painting projects you can try out with only 1 can of paint
Don’t let the lack of a flower garden stop you – get creative! Even weeds or a bit of green foliage from the tip of a backyard tree branch can be beautiful.
4. Use up leftover paint on small projects
A bit of paint left in the can is all you need to paint a mirror frame or group of accessories. Try painting just the legs of a table or chairs, the edges of picture frames, the interior of a tray or the bottom of a vase.
Here are 25 awe-inspiring painting projects you can try out with only 1 can of paint
5. Use your best
Don’t wait for a special occasion to bring out the good china or fancy glasses. Elevate your daily routine by using your best. What’s the point of having it, if it just sits in a cupboard most of the year?
Don’t wait for a special occasion to bring out the good china or fancy glasses. Elevate your daily routine by using your best. What’s the point of having it, if it just sits in a cupboard most of the year?
6. Swap photos in frames
An easy way to give your room a fresh look is simply by trading out the photos or artwork in the frames on the wall. Use old black and white family photos, pics from a recent trip or something completely different, like art postcards.
An easy way to give your room a fresh look is simply by trading out the photos or artwork in the frames on the wall. Use old black and white family photos, pics from a recent trip or something completely different, like art postcards.
7. Give something away
Sometimes making space is the best way to appreciate your home. Pick 10 items that you no longer like and give them away to refresh your room.
Sometimes making space is the best way to appreciate your home. Pick 10 items that you no longer like and give them away to refresh your room.
8. Set a timer and speed clean
A clean house feels fresh, welcoming and well-loved. Set the timer for 10, 15 or 20 minutes, and go to town. If you’re really on a roll when the bell dings, set it again!
Be inspired by the ultimate procrastinator’s guide to cleaning
A clean house feels fresh, welcoming and well-loved. Set the timer for 10, 15 or 20 minutes, and go to town. If you’re really on a roll when the bell dings, set it again!
Be inspired by the ultimate procrastinator’s guide to cleaning
9. Move your furniture around
Move your bookcases into the dining room (or your dining table into the living room) for a cosy library vibe. For a smaller change, try switching chairs, side tables or lamps between rooms for a new look.
Move your bookcases into the dining room (or your dining table into the living room) for a cosy library vibe. For a smaller change, try switching chairs, side tables or lamps between rooms for a new look.
10. Put photos in an album – or leave them out
Looking at old photos is fun, but it’s easy to forget they are there when they’re hidden away in a box. Try setting out a random assortment of photos in a bowl, on a tray or even in a cake mould as shown here. Or spend a bit more time slipping photos into an album and leave it sitting out where you can enjoy it.
11. Use kitchen containers as fancy organisers
Cake plates and tins, teacups and teapots, dessert plates and serving trays can make creative containers for spiffing up your dressing table, containing flowers or organising your office supplies.
Looking at old photos is fun, but it’s easy to forget they are there when they’re hidden away in a box. Try setting out a random assortment of photos in a bowl, on a tray or even in a cake mould as shown here. Or spend a bit more time slipping photos into an album and leave it sitting out where you can enjoy it.
11. Use kitchen containers as fancy organisers
Cake plates and tins, teacups and teapots, dessert plates and serving trays can make creative containers for spiffing up your dressing table, containing flowers or organising your office supplies.
12. Rearrange your benchtop
Benchtops get cluttered up so easily; thankfully, it doesn’t take long to get things looking nice again. Start by clearing everything off your benchtop, and replace only the items you use daily. To take it a step further, choose a few pretty items to display, like a serving tray propped against the wall and a cream pitcher filled with flowers.
Benchtops get cluttered up so easily; thankfully, it doesn’t take long to get things looking nice again. Start by clearing everything off your benchtop, and replace only the items you use daily. To take it a step further, choose a few pretty items to display, like a serving tray propped against the wall and a cream pitcher filled with flowers.
13. Try your rugs in different rooms
Why not bring your dining room rug into the kitchen or try your living room rug in the bedroom? You may like the results so much, you make it a permanent change – and if not, you can always put the rugs back.
Why not bring your dining room rug into the kitchen or try your living room rug in the bedroom? You may like the results so much, you make it a permanent change – and if not, you can always put the rugs back.
14. Invite friends over
Entertaining friends is a great way to make your home feel cosier. Don’t worry if things don’t look perfect; a welcoming spirit is far more important.
Entertaining friends is a great way to make your home feel cosier. Don’t worry if things don’t look perfect; a welcoming spirit is far more important.
15. Organise your books
Admit it: You’ve been tempted to sort your books by colour. Why not just give it a whirl? You don’t need to commit to doing an entire bookcase; just start with a few shelves and see how you like it.
Admit it: You’ve been tempted to sort your books by colour. Why not just give it a whirl? You don’t need to commit to doing an entire bookcase; just start with a few shelves and see how you like it.
16. Change the look of a chair or sofa with blankets
For a quick change, try tucking a pretty blanket or another textile tightly around a sofa cushion, or neatly fold a blanket and drape it across the seat and back of an armchair, as shown here.
For a quick change, try tucking a pretty blanket or another textile tightly around a sofa cushion, or neatly fold a blanket and drape it across the seat and back of an armchair, as shown here.
17. Repurpose old materials into new cushions
Old burlap sacks, sweaters, fabric left over from other projects, even old blue jeans –just about any material can be fashioned into a cushion cover. Have a lovely blanket or set of sheets that sadly got stained or has a tear? Salvage it by transforming it into something completely new.
Check out our guide to making your own cushion covers
Old burlap sacks, sweaters, fabric left over from other projects, even old blue jeans –just about any material can be fashioned into a cushion cover. Have a lovely blanket or set of sheets that sadly got stained or has a tear? Salvage it by transforming it into something completely new.
Check out our guide to making your own cushion covers
18. Sit down somewhere cosy and read
Your home is your haven, so be sure you are giving yourself enough time to simply relax and enjoy yourself at home. Tuck into a good book in a comfy chair beside the fire and ignore your phone for a while.
Your home is your haven, so be sure you are giving yourself enough time to simply relax and enjoy yourself at home. Tuck into a good book in a comfy chair beside the fire and ignore your phone for a while.
19. Try indoor furniture outdoors – or vice versa
A covered porch during nice weather offers plenty of protection for some types of indoor furniture. Anything made of metal, solid wood, wicker or rattan should hold up well, especially if the swap is only temporary. Likewise, nearly any type of outdoor furniture can change up an interior room.
A covered porch during nice weather offers plenty of protection for some types of indoor furniture. Anything made of metal, solid wood, wicker or rattan should hold up well, especially if the swap is only temporary. Likewise, nearly any type of outdoor furniture can change up an interior room.
20. Put your favorite music on
Music adds so much to the ambience of a home – just think of how some of the best boutiques use music to set the mood. Create your own personal soundtrack and turn it up.
Music adds so much to the ambience of a home – just think of how some of the best boutiques use music to set the mood. Create your own personal soundtrack and turn it up.
21. Do something nice for yourself
Brew yourself a cup of your favourite coffee and bring it back to bed with you on a Saturday morning. Or treat yourself to a long bath, or a glass of wine in the backyard. Enjoy your home!
TELL US
What is your favourite free home tweak? Tell us how you’re showing your home some love this spring in the comments section below.
MORE
Fun with Fabric: 15 Simple DIY Projects Worthy of Display
Our 10 Hottest Indoor Plants
A Dozen Novel Ways To Display Your Favourite Photos
Houzz Tour: A Victorian Sydney Terrace Gets an Eclectic Modern Update
Brew yourself a cup of your favourite coffee and bring it back to bed with you on a Saturday morning. Or treat yourself to a long bath, or a glass of wine in the backyard. Enjoy your home!
TELL US
What is your favourite free home tweak? Tell us how you’re showing your home some love this spring in the comments section below.
MORE
Fun with Fabric: 15 Simple DIY Projects Worthy of Display
Our 10 Hottest Indoor Plants
A Dozen Novel Ways To Display Your Favourite Photos
Houzz Tour: A Victorian Sydney Terrace Gets an Eclectic Modern Update
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I always have my coffee and breakfast in bed. Using my favorite antique china, silver and cloth napkins, I've been doing this for 40 years. I have an adjustable bed that makes it even better. When I was working my incredibly stressful job, I got up 45 minutes earlier to watch the news and relax with my breakfast in bed. It's a nice way to start an otherwise hectic day. My late husband told me his friends couldn't believe he was pampered like that. Their wives told me I made them look bad. He worked so hard and deserved it. On his days off, he would make the breakfast and served it. When my 4 children (4 in 5 years!) were still at home, they knew I needed that time to mentally prepare myself. My daughters do this in their homes now, as well as my daughters-in-law.