We’re not even halfway though January and already our thoughts are turning to holidays we have planned for 2019. January is a month that seems to drag on forever, and while your thoughts may go from the Easter holidays which could be your next big holiday, to a summer adventure you have planned, it can all seem quite a bit away.
Like us, you might need something to focus your mind on as you wait on your next holiday period arriving. Are you looking around your home and seeing areas that you wish you could update or change? The New Year brings with it 365 opportunities to give your home a new lease of life.
We recently looked at 4 bathroom upgrades for the New Year and steps to a comfortable home, but today we are going to share 5 things you should consider doing to your home to kickstart 2019.
With spring less than 2 months away, and the start of the gardening season, it might be time to start thinking about getting your home ready warmer weather, and also starting to give some thought to your garden. Although we’re still in January, you can still do what you can to make the interior of your home feel warm and ready for spring – even if outside doesn’t reflect it yet! Here are five things to get you started.
1. The Big Swap
For many people spring represents an opportunity to inject some colour into the home, whether this is in the form of paint, wallpaper or some new throws for your furniture. Well, now is the perfect time to think about this swap of colours in your home.
Bring in the warmer colours, bring in the orange and yellow rugs and throws that you had in storage. Add summer-inspired artwork and ornaments to your home. You won’t be able to put on the lighter curtains, but you can change the colour of the curtains into peaches and pastels to put a spring in your step.
2. Clean Up Time
If you want to get into the spring spirit, why not start the gloomy January days with a pre-spring clean? Out with the old, in with the new with HVAC repair, gutter cleaning and even getting your driveway pressure washed.
Sure, it may snow in a few weeks, and you may not be ready to swap to air conditioning quite yet, but the HVAC can always use a clean. Make the house feel fresh and wash away those Christmas cobwebs, and you’ll be feeling motivated for the spring period in no time.
3 Open The Windows
Yes, it may be getting chillier outside but consider opening your windows for 30 minutes every day. This can be a great way to air your home, particularly rooms like your bathroom or bedroom, with the crisp winter air sometimes bringing a nice freshness to your home. This will also get you into the habit of opening your windows on a regular basis as the warmer evenings begin to draw nearer.
4. Invoke Your Senses
You need to add some scent to your house. Lemon and rosemary heated in a frying pan can make your house smell like the good weather that you want outside. Think about the scents that remind you of spring, and cook up a wonderful aroma that puts a smile on your face.
Flowers, scented candles, air fresheners and pot pourri are all easy ways to add some freshness around your home. Indeed, candles and flowers can also be a great way to create a warm and cosy ambiance in your home as spring draws closer.
5. Upcycle
We’re big fans of upcycling and have given a new lease of life to several items of furniture in our new home. Take on an upcycling project to kickstart 2019 and inject your personality into an old piece of furniture that you have lying around. If you don’t have anything lying around, visit your local charity shop to see if there is anything there that you could upcycle. An old chair, chest or drawers or cabinet is a good place to start.
How do you Plan to Kickstart 2019?
What is in your plans for your home to kickstart 2019? Let us know in the comments section below.
Until next time, happy New Year.
Helen, Nial and Lewis
Welcome to Pikalily, an award-winning food, travel and lifestyle blog. We are Nial and Helen, a happily married couple from Northern Ireland, who share a passion for food and travel among many things. We became parents to our beautiful boy Lewis in 2017. Follow our adventures through the blog.
