Home & Garden: Preparing for the Season Ahead

Seasons come and go, and while we look forward to the changing of the seasons,which is one of the reasons we love Long Island, they always seem to creep up on us! Somehow, when the “warm and cozy” of our winter dwelling begins to look a little tired, we seem to forget that spring will be coming sooner than we think. In the olden days, the coming of spring brought with it the ritual of “spring cleaning.” It was the time when housewives threw open the windows, changed the slipcovers, beat the rugs, and cleaned their homes from top to bottom.

Today’s lifestyle often doesn’t leave the woman (or man) of the house much time to devote to preparing for the coming season. In my design world, spring is the best time to accomplish a renovating or decorating project so that homes are ready for summer enjoyment and entertaining. Common sense tells us that this cannot be achieved in the space of one short season, unless there’s been some homework done beforehand, often lots of homework. I call it making the plan and the plan. The first plan is intentional. Let’s say it’s a kitchen renovation, where research is required to interview and hire professionals and determine a timeline and budget, and along with that goes the floor plan, the key to its ultimate success. This way, the winter season becomes the “prep” time to hit the ground running in the spring.

So, while you are curled up on your sofa, in front of a cozy fire (or not), take an imaginary walk through your home as if you were a visitor, or heaven forbid, a designer! What do you see? A little clutter here and there, or a lot? A room in need of a paint job? Plants that have seen better days? Rooms that haven’t been really cleaned in a while? Perhaps a space whose furniture needs rearranging or replacing? Or…all of the above?

First, don’t panic. It’s still winter! Now’s the time to make the plan(s). Write down what will bring spring into your home and start with a plan to declutter so you can really get to a good cleaning. There are so many organizing plans out there, but to me, the “power of one” is the best, and now is the time to start. Pick one drawer, one closet, or one cabinet. Take everything out, determine what stays, goes, gets donated, or sold, and organize what’s left. Stand back and take in the good feeling of accomplishment. That one will lead to another and another. I’ve seen it happen time
and again.

Once you have decluttered and deep cleaned, and removed the dark and dreary of winter, you can think about bringing spring in, through lighter, brighter colors in walls and accessories, seasonal plants and refreshing scents, or by adding a new piece here and there.

So, what is the lesson learned? If you take stock of what you’d like spring to look like in your home and you create the plan now, you will be able to achieve your goals with less stress and better results. By the way, you don’t have to do this alone. Involve your family in the process. If you all take ownership of your home with shared responsibilities, maintenance will be so much easier. And…bring in the professionals whose expertise and advice can help you make good decisions in creating a realistic budget. Your own team can make the spring season a renewal and rebirth in your home. Do it now, and by the time spring comes, you will be ready.