Spring Decor & Organizing

Hey Readers!

It's been a while, but I have so many ideas to share with you!

I love this time of year when we come out of our caves and can enjoy fresh air and a sense of renewal. Along with this feeling, for most of us, comes the urge to redecorate  with fun colors and organize every inch of our homes.

This Spring, I'm so excited for what's trending! It's all about light and airy spaces with natural accents with lots of floral:

All of these spaces have one thing in common - white or light bases with the interest all in the accessories. I preach this all the time, so if you've been a reader for a while, cue the eye-roll. Always keep your expensive pieces as neutral as possible, and layer in color with inexpensive items like pillows, floral, glass, curtains and art.

Now floral can be tricky. I have a black thumb and cannot keep anything alive in my house, so I watch for sales and buy really well-made fake flowers and arrange them myself. This is WAY easier than it looks and you can use your own creativity to make whatever you want. One quick tip when arranging your flowers, save the leaves from the stems. You can use them to put underneath your flowers to hide the stems and give an interesting texture to the bottom of your vase.

Along with floral, fruit is also on trend, especially pineapple.

You can really get a fun and whimsical look by layering in fruit like the accessories above or in a print on your curtains, pillow or tea towel. You could even bring this element to your space by literally putting a citrus tree in the corner:

Just remember - do what makes you feel happy and refreshed and you can't really go wrong.

Organization

When tackling your organization goals, just remember to ask yourself the tough questions:

1. Have you used it in the last year?
2. Are you holding on to this item for sentimental reasons?
3. Would I benefit from letting this item go/Could someone else benefit by me donating this item?
4. Do I have room for it?

I have asked myself that several times as I clean out my closet, and know first-hand how tough those questions can be. If you find yourself unable to get rid of a T-shirt for example because of sentimental reasons, consider cutting the logo out of the shirt, and once you have a bunch of them, make yourself a quilt. That way, you have more space in your drawers, and you still have something to remember why you liked the shirt in the first place. There's a great here that has a great list of questions to ask yourself when cleaning out your closet.

Seasonal items can be tough to organize. a great idea is to purchase colored bins that are indicative of that holiday. My Halloween decor is in orange bins with black lids and my Christmas decorations are in green and red bins. This will help you get to them quicker and rotate them out accordingly. To save some space in your holiday bins, make pillow envelopes/shams for each holiday. They store flat, you don't have to get rid of your everyday pillows, and covering pillows can make a huge difference in the room when decorating for any holiday.

Another room I find difficult to organize is the kitchen. This is especially difficult if you like kitchen gadgets like me. We can't all have Julia Child's kitchen, but there are a few simple tricks to having a functional and pretty kitchen.

Here's what I did in my kitchen: I purged everything I knew I wouldn't use. Then, I boxed up my multiples. (Measuring cups, set of mixing bowls, etc.) After that, I made sure everything had a place. This keeps me organized and cuts down on my dishes. Use the space above your cabinets, if you are fortunate enough to have some, and also use the top of your fridge. Get a beautiful fabric basket and keep your measuring utensils, tupperware, or whatever you use regularly in them for easy access. Also, box up the items you only use once a year - the turkey roaster, turkey baster, Christmas dishes or serving utensils, any other holiday decor. You will function better in an organized kitchen.

I hope some of these ideas inspired your Spring Cleaning/Organizing! Are there areas in your home that you need help with? Message me on Facebook or email mocklidesigns@gmail.com.