Tip #65: Think seasonally.
I’ve already written about the usefulness of having at least a small bit of storage relegated to storing off-season clothes. Wrestling with an over-stuffed dresser drawer is nobody’s idea of fun and making room in the drawers that you use every day can do wonders for your well-being and your nerves.
But beyond just remembering to swap out my clothes with the seasons, lately I’ve been finding it useful to think about how other aspects of my home shift along with the weather.
With the radiator turned off, I have a whole new surface to prop books or cups of iced tea without fear of scorching. When the windows are open, there are an extra few inches of window sill space for balancing a house plant (or face brush). Needing to cool things off with a fan means moving a lamp to a different corner.
While I’m not one to go in for wholesale redecorating every few months, it’s refreshing to think about even small ways to change the way things look around here.
How do you change things in your home from season to season? Do you shift things around or swap things out? Different bedclothes? New plants? Swapped pillowcases? I’m curious!
PS. I’m seriously considering this trick for making this bathroom screen a little bit more…discrete.
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Ooh, those bathroom screens are pretty! I did something similar using cornstarch and lace that could work here (depending on how humid it gets)
– http://www.annabelvita.com/2013/04/18/lace-window-treatment-with-cornflour/
INCREDIBLE.
I make more room by getting rid of things I don't use anymore, even though I want to hold on to everything. I gave away several bags of clothes to the Salvation Army, and I donated some books to another charity. It gives me more room for the stuff I don't want to give up.
I agree, making little changes can make things feel new and fresh. Besides doing a clothing switch, I put away the extra blanket on the bed, and the throws in the living room. I used to switch some couch pillows, but I don't have a second set I love anymore.
As the weather warms up, the top of my woodstove becomes the spot where I put gorgeous bouquets of flowers all summer long!
perfect.
One of my favorite things to do is rearrange furniture. It's so easy to get stuck in a routine – even in your own home! Moving things around and seeing your own things in a new way is always refreshing 🙂
I agree Heather. I do that every few months as well. I don't think I every have anything in my apartment there permanently . I am constantly moving stuff around to see what works best. I feel it gives me new fresh energy when I move around the furniture 🙂
I switch the sheets from flannel to organic cotton.
Those screens you linked to are the prettiest! 🙂
I admire your mindfulness. Maybe guests won't notice itty bitty seasonal changes but you do, and in a home it's only the heart that matters! Now I'll be thinking of what I appreciate about humid 'ol May in my humble abode…
When the warm weather arrives, I put away the flannel sheets and almost all the knick knacks that have come out to warm the place up for the winter months. For extra screening on my bathroom window I use a spring rod inside the frame with whatever is appropriate for the season draped over it. To get the lace effect, it would be easy to put several strips of wide lace over the rod. Some sort of pretty beads or something could be tacked to the bottom edge if you need more weight to hold the bottom edge in place.
I do little and big things. When it is warm/summer time. I put out a bright yellow coverlet over my bed. Bright colorful sheets. (Normally I am black/white/gray). I change my towels to neon colors. Anything fun. I swap out my curtains for lighter versions. Pillows if I can find nice ones in the summer. Of course clothes. I agree with you I rearrange a bit to add a fan or other "summery" things . I love it. Makes me feel like I am redecorating the whole apartment without spending any money 🙂
I'n the spring I move alot of my plants out to the porch for some sun-love, and move the boot tray to the porch as well, to give the entrance into the kitchen more room. I also put away the big thick throw blankets, leaving jsut one or two for added color.
I also put away winter things but I noticed that I ''have'' so much stuff. So much, I gotta have 182 years just to use them all. My summer goal is finding out my essentials and keeping on a single rack.
I like to swap out my bedding for lighter fabrics, and swap my decorative pillow covers for lighter colors, I buy candles in summery tropical sents, and of couse the flower arrangements consist of whatever's seasonal.
Yes, sure. Bedding goes from deep wintry reds to white linen and a light white blanket. In my living area I change things round almost monthly with a bit of a theme – snow in January, Valentine in February, Easter March/April, fresh spring in May, and soon marine style for sailing in June… and so on. Not all out, but just a slight shift in colours, maybe different paper napkins and candles, postcards and pictures etc. Over the years I have accumulated a small collection and so only buy things that get used up – flowers, candles. We also cook seasonally, and I display the fruit and veg as we are using it all 🙂 I love to potter in my home, and changing things around makes getting cleaning and dusting done more interesting!
I put away winter clothes in storage under the bed and bring in tank tops, shorts, and skirts to my closet. I also open the windows and go on a plant-purchasing spree. It's fun!
Kind of a random/semi-embarrassing question, sparked by the comment about your face brush on the window sill. I've noticed in our apartment, anything on or directly underneath or near the windowsill gets covered in…dirt, I guess–or would the correct word by silt? I don't know, but it will be covered in a fine film of dirt by the end of the day. It drives me crazy because we don't have AC, and like to have fresh air coming in most of the time. We live in the middle of a city (Pasadena) in the L.A. area, so I don't know if it's somehow related to smog or what. I figured that in NYC you might have the same problem. Anything you do to curb the dirt, besides keeping the place closed up all the time?
I live in West Hollywood and I have the same problem. I could never figure out why there is always dust on the shelves even if I wipe it off everyday.
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