Shopping for Spring: How to Spruce Up Your Home
Shopping for spring usually seems like a fun time, but things have changed now that COVID-19 has swept the globe. As we struggle to shop solely online from the comfort of our homes, it can be harder than ever to transform your home into the spring paradise you wish it could be.
But home maintenance is a necessity, especially with rainy spring weather on the way. Additionally, the quarantine isn’t expected to go on forever: if you’re not investing in your home, there’s no way that you will be ready to welcome friends and family to your upcoming events. Luckily, shipping services have stepped up their game to help accommodate the rise in online purchases at this time. This includes cutting costs for expedited shipping, sanitizing products, and working with local companies to help reduce travel time.
Don’t let COVID-19 put a damper on the home repairs you actually have to perform. From home maintenance to new home decor, here’s how to spruce up your home for spring while shopping online.
Start with the necessities
It might be tempting to feast your eyes on all the new spring dresses and tablecloths, but some tasks are more important than others. If your home is not yet prepared for the often harsh — but beautiful — spring weather, it’s time to make the proper accommodations.
If your roof is failing, now is the best time to get it repaired. April showers might bring May flowers but it looks like the entirety of the North Eastern U.S. is in for a wet spring. If your roof isn’t up to par, you might suffer from mold growth, structural issues, and water damage. Whether you’re looking for metal roof repair or a classic asphalt shingle replacement, shop online for these items first.
Luckily, many home improvement stores are still open. After all, you have to rely on a professional if a window breaks or your roof caves in. Even though we’re all sheltering in place, it makes sense that home repair businesses are still operating. You can’t shelter in place if your current shelter isn’t safe.
From there, you should focus on the other necessities in your home. Update your insulation, examine your siding, and be sure to inspect your home for any signs of pests. Now is the time that wasps start swarming and termites begin to invade your home. It might be worth it to call an exterminator if you’re not acquainted with the signs of pests around your home.
You should also start thinking about cooling your home. Sure, most of us still have our heating systems working to beat the shiver of spring but warm weather is fast approaching. Now is the ideal time to invest in any AC repair projects that you have been putting off. You should contact a professional service to clean and oil your HVAC system to ensure you’re not just spreading allergens around your home. If maintenance technicians aren’t available, there are plenty of online tutorials you can follow to make simple adjustments. Just don’t try to rewire any part of your AC unit, otherwise, you might be in more trouble than you bargained for.
Don’t wait to invest in AC repair until you’re sweating in the middle of the summer. Just knowing that your HVAC system is running properly will take a huge weight off your shoulders as we transition into the spring and summer months.
Taking care of the necessities should be a top priority as you shop for ways on how to spruce up your home. But what else can you do to welcome spring?
Prep the outside
After months of cold, abrasive weather, we finally get to welcome spring with open arms. Unfortunately, our lawns and home exteriors might not be ready to welcome spring just yet. Thanks to harsh winter weather, more than a little cleanup has to ensue before we purchase the other “wants” on our list.
The first step is raking your lawn and identifying points on your yard that need repairs or fixes. By raking up each section of your lawn, you will be able to assess every area on your property. Here, a bush needs trimming. There, you need to invest in terracotta replacement tiles for your walkways. Make a big list after you start basic spring cleaning projects like this one.
Lawn care is one of the simplest — but most important — aspects of prepping your home for spring. Now is the time to plant any spring flowers you want to see bloom and engage in any tree or shrub trimming before the branches get out-of-hand. Luckily, it’s easy to buy seeds and planters online! It isn’t always easy to perform the necessary lawn care on your own, but you can look online for tips and contact your local lawn care specialists for more information when you need to. Order some simple gardening tools online, including a trowel, a shovel, a new rake, and, of course, plenty of gardening bags to use for compost.
Unfortunately, some of your home projects might have to wait for a professional to stop by. Luckily, many arborists are easily accessible online. If you’re worried that your tree will be blown down by intense spring winds, contact your arborist to assess your tree’s health. In some cases, trees wracked by disease or fungi will need to be removed for the safety of the property. Some invasive bug species can ruin your tree from the inside, making it difficult to even notice a problem until the tree is too late to be saved. It can be hard to see a good tree go, but your home and your guests will be safer with it removed.
You should also consider the quality of your garage or shed. These parts of your home are not as well-insulated as the rest of your property. As such, they’re at a greater risk for damage from the cold. Since most garages are also used for storage, you might be at risk for pests and other small animals looking for your dog food, birdseed, and any other edibles that may be present in your garage. Be sure to search for the proper garage door sales to better insulate your home and stop any annoying pests from making their home in your garage or shed.
It’s imperative to perform a quality inspection. Traverse your property and note any signs of damage. If your shed is situated nearby your privacy fencing, your shed might be in better condition than if it were stationed in the middle of your yard where the elements can reach it. While most people only think of privacy fencing as a great security measure, these helpful home features are great for blocking wind and keeping the items in your lawn a little safer. Of course, you’ll want to walk the line of your fence to note any repairs for this home feature as well.
The outside of your home is just as important to maintain as the inside. Even though this isn’t the most fun way to learn how to spruce up your home, these tips are vital for improving your home’s longevity and keeping your family safe and healthy.
On to the fun stuff
Now that you know about the helpful home maintenance tips you need to make this spring, you can start asking yourself how to spruce up your home on the inside for spring, too. After all, you will want to craft a welcoming space for your guests once the shelter in place orders begin to lift across the country. After months of waiting, you’re finally able to sit down for the movie night you have been craving.
Spring is known for warm, inviting colors. Think Easter, but a little less pastel. When you begin decorating your home for spring, consider investing in warm greens, pale yellows, and shades of blue. This color scheme should be readily apparent on your walls, then accented by similar colors on the floor. For example, investing in a new springy painting is a great addition, but it will look even better if the colors on your new throw rug match. Because these two colors are present across the space, it will really bring the room together. Keep in mind, however, learning how to spruce up your home for spring will look different from person to person. Don’t invest in pastels if you hate the color: warm tones work just as well and you can extend this theme into summer if you’re not big on changing your home’s color story too frequently.
Unfortunately, you won’t be able to see these spring colors pop without the proper home lighting. Days are getting longer, but rainy spring weather might still make your home a little darker than you’d like. As you spend all this effort on how to spruce up your home, you and your guests deserve to see your hard work pay off! Now is the perfect opportunity to invest in unique forms of lighting to keep the party going, rain or shine.
The best part? You can integrate your home’s color story into these features, too. Try investing in a new lighting fixture with a light green or yellow shade for a fun pop of color. You can also invest in one of those hybrid bookcase lamps and adorn the shelves with decor that offers the same theme as the rest of your home. If you want to go in a more whimsical direction, there’s nothing wrong with investing in string lights or statement pieces to breathe new life into your space.
Many people tend to forget about the lighting in their home, but it’s a great tool for setting the ambiance and encouraging the proper eye care. Trying to perform tasks in low lighting can strain your eyes and lead to headaches. Instead of trying to read a book in the evening’s dying light, be sure to flick on one of your new light fixtures to prevent straining your eyes.
When it’s finally time to invite your guests back into your home, you can also whoo them with rainbow glassware to welcome the season. There are plenty of options to consider online: pale pinks, deep greens, and crisp purples. These are just some of the fun colors you can find when you’re picking out glassware online. This is, perhaps, one of the most minimal tasks you can perform as you learn how to spruce up your home for spring. Simply pull these items out at your next gathering for a fanciful affair or arrange them on a bookcase or open-faced cabinet where they can catch the light. You can get creative and arrange them by height or hue for a fun, artful display. Who says function doesn’t have to meet decor?
How to spruce up your home for spring
Spring demands that we take a little time to invest in our home. That includes making the necessary repairs, finding the right deals online, and finding colors and themes that speak to us. How to spruce up your home will look different from person to person, but these helpful tips will ensure just about anyone can get their home ready for the warmer seasons to come.
