Have you ever walked into a home in the middle of the summer and the decor felt heavy, dark and like it must be November 10th, and freezing outside?
That home was completely out of touch with the season.
I used to think that having a seasonal home meant spending money in the seasonal decor section of my favorite store where there’s an abundance of cute signs and banners announcing the arrival of every season. I love it all, but I usually don’t want to have to mess with it because it means filling my surfaces with lots of extra stuff.
I have enough stuff on my surfaces–thank you very much.
Here’s how to create a seasonal home without relying on bins of store-bought “seasonal decor” that you have to find room for on your limited surface spaces.
1. Incorporate Greens
I’m not talking about the kind you eat, but the kind of greens you see.
Visual greens–plants, flowers and yard cuttings are a gift to your eyes, bringing life into your home, instantly adding the freshness of the season. I love the $4 bouquets from the grocery store but my very favorite way to add greens is to just go outside and cut a few branches from a leafy tree. And it’s free!
2. Switch out your daily cleaners seasonally
Yes, you can use the same exact hand soap, dish soap and so on every day of the year forever but, you’re missing an opportunity to enjoy a seasonal change. You really can go ‘nose-blind’ to a scent so why not spend the same amount of money (or less!) and switch out your daily soaps and such with something different for every season?
You’re using it daily anyway, why not make it special?
Y’all, I even found a Seasonal Hack for this one!
If you’re ready for your home to smell tidy and fresh, like magic unicorns cleaned all day, then you’ll love Grove Collaborative–I’ve been using them for three years.
Grove offers a huge selection of high-quality natural cleaning products, and you’ll never run out of products again thanks to their monthly shipment schedule (totally optional and super flexible – I order about every 6 weeks if I’m out of stuff).
And right now, Grove is running a limited New Customer Deal with your first $20 purchase that’s too good to ignore:
Once you click over to Grove, your cart will auto-fill with some popular products as a suggestion. You can delete everything (but don’t delete your free stuff) and add different things to your cart, or keep everything as is. As long as you don’t delete your freebies and purchase $20 worth of additional products, you’re good.
3. Treat yourself to Fresh crisp dish towels and throws in colors that reflect the season
For years I just used whatever dish towels and throws that somehow ended up in my possession.
Then I purchased a few kitchen towels and throws in colors and designs I actually liked. In the warmer months, I switch out heavy, textured throws for lightweight, summery blankets. I make it a point to rotate out the ratty dish towels (my husband keeps our old dish towels in his shop to clean up messes) and replace them with pretty towels in colors that feel like the season. Fun perk–if you order that Grove kit, you can reach your $20 threshold by adding some fresh dishtowels to your order!
Four times a year, I take inventory and see what needs replacing. Bonus points because you get something both 100% useful and 100% beautiful. This is the secret to sneaking the season into your home without filling it with excess stuff. ???
4. Burn some Candles or diffuse some essential oils
I love to have some kind of scent going practically every day. Each season I stick to a few select scents and then I transition to new scents as the seasons change. Soy candles and essential oils are my favorite ways to usher in the scent of a new season. I’m currently loving the Vanilla + Sandalwood candle also from Grove.
5. Hush the Surfaces
I do a quick room reset at the beginning of each season.
That just means that I take about 15 minutes, clear off all the surfaces, get a steamy hot rag and wipe down all those surfaces, and then get super picky and protective about only putting things on my surfaces that must go back either because I use them daily, or because they add beauty.
If it doesn’t add beauty or isn’t useful, it’s out of here.
PS, Don’t forget to grab your New Customer Cleaning Kit (Full size Mrs. Meyer’s Dish Soap, Hand Soap, Hand Lotion, Two Scrubber Sponges and FREE shipping)– you can even order a dish towel (Grove is always adding fresh, seasonal colors) candle or essential oil to spend that first $20 and then you’ll be able to freshen up your home and cover all these tips!
PLUS, if you spend over $39 you’ll get a bonus….
Your future self with thank you!
*Please note that Grove currently does not ship to Canada, Hawaii, or Alaska
