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Decor For the Home Home How To Spring

Use These 6 Affordable Tips to Spruce Up Your Living Room This Spring

If you’re like me, you often get the urge to rearrange and redecorate your living room. However, it’s not possible to always spend a ton of money to make huge changes. If your home is looking a little drab and in major need of a refurb this year, it can be a great idea to find affordable ways to spruce up your living room.

Your living room is the gathering place in your family home and likely where you spend the most time, so making some much-needed upgrades is necessary sometimes. Luckily, there are ways you can spruce up your living room without breaking the bank. Here are some of the best ways to freshen up the room without spending too much money.

***This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.***

Tips to Spruce Up Your Living Room

Rearrange Your Room

When planning a decorating project, the first thing you will likely do is head to a furniture store. However, there might not be any need to buy new items because your current furniture can make a room feel refreshed when moved. Take a look around your house.

There might be chairs, cushions, blankets, artwork, and plants that you can bring into the living room to brighten it up. Think of how you can move furniture around in the room to change your viewpoint.

It can create a whole new look without spending a penny. But, if rearranging your furniture doesn’t work, try looking for new pieces at local furniture stores. If you’re in Sydney, you can find affordable couches to finish off your newly redecorated living room look. But do your research and find couches for sale sydney if you want to save money without sacrificing style.

Paint a Feature Wall

If you don’t have a lot of money to spend on your project paint one wall. A feature wall is a common way of adding some fun to a room, and it can change the whole design. Choose a bright color and paint a wall you will often face, and enjoy the new lease of life it brings.

You can also choose a wallpaper for your feature wall. There are many styles and designs to choose from, so you can create whatever aesthetic you want.

Install New Windows 

One of the features in a living room that can often get overlooked is the windows. They don’t take up space in the room, so you may not notice your windows until they get dirty. However, consider installing new windows from Wilmington Window this year to help you breathe new life back into your living room. There will be a cost here, but once you have installed new windows, you won’t have to change them again. 

Once the windows are in, consider getting some new roller blinds that will not overtake the window space and make it look cramped. Opening up your living room this way is a great way to let natural light in, as well as make it look fresh.

Update Your Soft Furnishings

The concept of minimalist design might not be for everyone. But, there are many merits to having a home painted in neutral colors. If you have a neutral living room, it is easy to change your design without painting the walls. All you need to do is update your soft furnishings, including blankets and cushions. As soon as you add new cushions to the sofa, you’ll create a color scheme. The beauty is that you can change it throughout the year to suit the season.

Add Artwork to Spruce Up Your Living Room

One of the best ways to upgrade a room without spending too much money is to hang art on the wall. If you have plain walls in the living room, colorful art can change the dynamic in no time. Whether you decide to go for a stunning landscape photograph, a trio of watercolor paintings, or your favorite movie posters – this change will breathe life and personality into your living room. Choose a fun piece or multiple pieces, and rotate them now and again to refresh the space.

Add Some Greenery

Sometimes all a room needs is a touch of green. If your home is decorated in a plain color scheme, the addition of green and red can be amazing. Adding a connection to nature is good to bring some vibrance into the room and help your stress levels. Plants such as begonias, aloe veras, and herbs can add color and depth to the living room design without costing much money.

Recap: Spruce Up Your Living Room

 Use some of these simple tips and tricks to help you to spruce up your living room this year.

Categories
Big Kid Big kid fun Family Activities Free Activities Infant/Toddler Learning Kindergarten Age Outside Fun Parenting Spring

5 Exciting Spring Activities to Enjoy with the Kids

As the sun begins to shine and the temperature gets a little warmer, there are many activities you can start doing with your kids. While winter weather can make it tricky to get out and about, springtime opens up a wide range of possibilities. To begin planning your spring activities schedule, take a look at these five spring activities to enjoy with your kids.

Spring Activities For Families

1. Go on Nature Walks

Not only are nature walks a lot of fun, but they’re also suitable for kids of all ages and won’t cost you a thing. Before you set off, create a checklist of things for your kids to look out for. From different types of leaves to flowers and insects, you’ll never run out of things to search for.

Any environment can be suitable for a nature walk but, if you want to turn your walk into a whole day’s adventure, take a trip to local beauty spots, forests, or woodlands. 

2. Focus on Fitness

Encouraging your kids to be active is a great way to enhance their health and well-being. What’s more – burning off some energy can help them feel more relaxed at home, too!

Make fitness fun by incorporating age-appropriate equipment and toys, like Pony Cycle or a swingball set. When you’ve got the equipment at home, it’s easy to keep your kids entertained and active. 

There are also exercise videos for kids on YouTube for rainy days. My kids like to turn on fun kid songs that they can dance to, which is a fun way to get active, too.

3. Host a Treasure Hunt

Every kid enjoys hunting for treasure, so you can be sure that this will be hit. Hide prizes and clues around the yard and encourage your kids to find as much treasure as they can.

You can adjust the difficulty of the clues (and hiding spots!) depending on your kids’ ages but, if you have pets, make sure they don’t find the treasure first. If the weather lets you down, it’s easy to host a treasure hunt indoors too, so keep this in mind for rainy days. 

4. Make a Birdhouse

If you have an outdoor space, you can inspire your kids by helping them to make a birdhouse this spring. If you’re into crafts, then you might have what it takes to design and produce a birdhouse from scratch.

Alternatively, you can buy a pre-prepared kit and help your kids put it together and decorate it. Once it’s in place, you can have endless fun putting food out and watching the birds that come to visit. 

5. Create a Fairy Garden

Let your kids unleash their imagination and create their very own fairy garden. If you have a spare flowerpot or even a plastic container, you can help your kids fill it with soil and plant flowers and seeds. With a few sprinkles of glitter and some optional extras like rocks, paperchains, and ornaments, your kids can create the ultimate fairy garden. 

Spring Activities for Kids 2021

With so many great activities to enjoy, springtime can be an exciting time for kids and parents. By keeping things fresh and introducing new activities regularly, you can ensure that your kids will be entertained right through to the summer

What spring activities do you have planned for your kids? Leave a comment and let me know!

Categories
Adulting For the Home Home How To Spring

6 Effective Ways to Make Sure Your Home is Ready For Spring

With temperatures already getting warmer and the sunset coming later, it won’t be long until spring is upon us. Making the most of it means you should make sure your home is ready for spring. You don’t want to wait until the warmer weather is here to get started or you’ll miss out on some of the beautiful days.

***This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.***

How to Ensure Your Home is Ready For Spring

1. Redesign Your Yard and Garden

It’s tricky to keep your yard and garden well-maintained when it’s raining or there’s snow on the ground, so you’ll probably have a few outdoor tasks to complete before spring arrives. Once you’ve raked the leaves, weeded the flowerbeds, and pruned overhanging branches, why not take the opportunity to redesign?

Changing the layout, resealing paving, and adding some new features can breathe new life into your space. What’s more – revamping outdoor furniture, adding some patio heaters, or installing sunken seating will ensure you can make the most of your yard this spring.

2. Purify the Air 

Spring can be the most troublesome time of year for allergy-sufferers, so you’ll want to do everything you can to keep your home free from contaminants. Adding an air purifier or air scrubber to your home, or changing the filters on existing appliances can have a big impact on the quality of the air inside your home. By removing pollutants, you can minimize allergy symptoms and truly enjoy the fresh air. 

3. Tackle Pests

Pests can affect your property at any time of year, but a change of season can mean that different pests emerge. Fortunately, a local pest control company can provide all the help you need.

Instead of waiting for an infestation to occur, be proactive when it comes to pest control. A qualified exterminator will be able to tell you which areas of your home are most at risk, which means you can take preventative action to stop pests from taking up residence. 

4. Update Window Dressings

Changing curtains and blinds is an easy way to update your décor with minimal effort. Switching to a lighter color is the perfect way to reflect the changing seasons and a lighter color scheme will be perfect for springtime.

However, you may want to ensure that blinds and curtains are fitted with blackout fabric by the time spring arrives. When the sun rises earlier, it can affect your sleep schedule, but blackout blinds and curtains will ensure you get the rest you need. 

5. Clear Gutters

Gutters fill up quickly during fall and winter, which increases the risk of leaks and damage. When leaves block the gutters, water can easily overflow and cause damage to your property. Taking the time to clean out the gutters, or hiring a gutter cleaning service, will ensure the outdoor drainage system is working perfectly. 

6. Create a Home Maintenance Schedule

Keeping your property in great condition is a year-round commitment, and there are lots of different jobs to consider. To make things easier, why not create your own custom home maintenance schedule? This will ensure you’ve got time to plan, protect your property, and make the most of every season.

Home is Ready For Spring

What are some of the ways you get your home ready for spring? Did I forget anything important?! Let me know in the comments! 🙂

Categories
Big Kid Big kid fun Family Activities Holiday Home How To Our Family Parenting Printables Teenager Toddler and Preschool Age Fun Toddler and Preschool Age Learning

30 Things to Do This Spring With Free Spring Bucketlist Printable

Spring is FINALLY here and while the temperatures in Michigan still keep slipping into the high 30’s, I think we will soon get some relief. Since next week is supposed to be significantly warmer, I knew I had to move quickly and take the list of things to do this spring out of my notebook and turn it into an actual printable.

I swear, in Michigan, we get 6 months of winter temperatures, 2 WEEKS of spring temperatures, and then the summer temperatures come in full force. It’s a little insane if you think about it.

We have already knocked out a few of the suggestions on the list, but I had only been keeping track in my notebook before creating the free printable. My kids were super excited to check things off the list when I printed it to hang up, though, so I’m glad I let them take over with the tracking!

Anyhow, without further ado, here is the list of 30 things to do this spring:

things to do this spring, spring bucket list, things to do with kids

Things to Do This Spring

1. Go on a nature scavenger hunt.

Sylas (4) LOVES scavenger hunts. Any type of activity where he has a to search, hunt, or follow a map is right up his ally. Since spring brings on a whole new range of textures, sights, and smells, I thought a nature scavenger would be best. This gives the littles a chance to explore the fresh earth and all that it has to offer.

A quick Pinterest post led me to the perfect nature scavenger hunt. I planned on creating one myself, but since this one was so perfect, I didn’t bother.

2. Fly a kite.

Spring is pretty breezy, which means it’s the perfect time to fly a kite. Find a spot that’s slightly higher than just a flat area of land, and the flight will soar so high.

We are lucky and have a park just minutes away from our house with a huge hill. My kids go to the top of the hill to fly their kites and from down below, it is pretty magical. When they do it, the kites rarely hit the ground, either, which is pretty awesome.

3. Play tag at the park.

It’s true that you can play tag at home without ever leaving the house, but it just isn’t as fun. By going to the park to play tag instead of doing it the usual way, you are allowing your children to play one of their favorite games in a totally new environment, and how cool will that be for them?!

4. Jump in puddles.

Make use of all the rain that spring brings with it, and have some fun jumping in those puddles. This is the perfect time to pull out the rainboots but, if you don’t have any or don’t feel like looking, just go barefoot!

5. Plant or tend a garden.

Believe it or not, kids LOVE to learn about the land we live on. This is the perfect way to allow them to learn, have fun, and do something productive. I have many flower gardens throughout our yard and half of them were planted by my kids over the last few years. It’s so much fun for the kids to see their hard work pay off when the plants grow into something beautiful.

You can plant flowers or vegetables. Kids tend to try new foods if they made them, so I’m thinking that if they were to plant and grow their own vegetables, they may be more likely to eat them? I’m not sure if that logic works but it’s worth a shot!

6. Have an ice cream bar.

On one of the warmer nights, set out the ingredients for an ice cream bar. This could include multiple flavors of ice cream, chocolate syrup, bananas, candy pieces, sprinkles, chocolate chips, cherries, whipped cream, and anything else that you enjoy on your ice cream. To make this one even more fun, you can take your kids to the store and let them choose their own toppings.

Ice cream bar

7. Go for a walk or hike.

This may be one of the easiest suggestions on the list, to be honest. This is because it’s free, easy, and there is no prep work involved. You can take a walk around your neighborhood, or you can venture out and find some good hiking trails in your area.

8. Have a game night.

My kids LOVE game night. We get out all the kid games and play them one after another until the kids get bored or I bribe them with a movie. Come on… as much as we love game night, you have to admit that we can only settle so many arguments before we’ve had enough.

Anyhow, we choose some yummy snacks (mostly store bought, but we also let the kids choose a few homemade options).

9. Feed the ducks.

This is something that I have never done before, which is pretty crazy if you think about it. I’m super excited to take my kids to do it. There is this super cute park in my city that is pretty popular for feeding ducks (and it has a super old train that kids love!), so I plan on going there.

Now that I think about it, though, I don’t even know what to feed ducks. Is it bread? I’ll have to google that in a minute.

10. Have a barbeque.

Make sure it’s kid friendly! Unless you don’t have kids, that is. Then make it 100% grown up friendly. Since I have kids, however, mine will have to be kid friendly.

That means hotdogs, hamburgers, and lots of kid friendly side dishes. I’ll probably do this one with a bunch of the other outside, at home ones while the food is cooking. No one says you can’t combine multiple ideas from the list at one time. 😉

11. Spend time star gazing.

Honestly, I feel like I don’t spend enough time simply enjoying the outdoors, especially at night time. Instead, I go inside the minute the sun is gone, preferring the bright warmth of my home.

This spring I plan on changing that and enjoying nature a little more. Disconnecting for a while and spending calming time with my kids while learning about our world sounds so peaceful. I also have a star gazing book I’ve been dying to put to use, so this will be the perfect time for that.

12. Blow bubbles.

Kids love, love, love to blow bubbles. All ages. Take some time to do this WITH them, and they’ll love it even more.

13. Draw with sidewalk chalk.

This is the perfect time to practice letters, numbers, sight words, name recognition, and art. The possibilities with sidewalk chalk are limitless. You can also pull out some classic sidewalk chalk games such as tic tac toe and hopscotch. Another fun idea is to draw lines on the ground and have your kids walk on them.

14. Have a picnic.

Kick off your shoes, settle back on a blanket, and unpack your picnic basket. Kids love to have picnics, and it is the perfect time to simply talk and unwind with your littles.

15. Read books outside.

So this probably won’t go as planned, but I envision all of us sitting calmly, relaxing while reading books outside. My kids will probably run around instead, but it gives me a good excuse to read outside and maybe, just maybe, my kids will join me for a little while.

things to do this spring, spring bucket list, things to do with kids

16. Play hide and seek outside.

Face it, everyone in your house knows all of the hiding places inside. It isn’t even fun anymore when you already know where to look. Take the game outside now that the weather is nice!! Set a few ground rules to ensure that everyone remembers to be safe, pair a grown up or big kid with the toddlers, and search for new hiding places!!

17. Watch the sunset.

Is there anything more relaxing and breathtaking than a sunset? End one of your perfect spring days this way, and invite your kids to enjoy it, too.

18. Have a movie night.

Make it complete with popcorn, movie theater candy, and a yummy drink. Let loose a little and let your kids have a fun night laughing at their favorite movie with you and their siblings. It’ll be a night they’ll remember for years to come.

19. Make a spring craft.

I never need an excuse to make crafts, and if you give me an excuse, I may go a little bit crazy. Spring is the best time to do crafts because you can get a little bit messier than normal by moving craft time outside.

Paint a little more, use nature-inspired items on crafts, and maybe even incorporate some ice cubes or squirt guns. Luckily, Pinterest has TONS of options to choose from, and if you follow me on Pinterest I have a board already dedicated to it.

20. Play catch.

Baseball, football, whatever kind of ball you’ve got… just get outside and play catch. So many memories and bonding moments can happen during these seemingly little moments.

21. Paint rocks outside.

Go on an adventure and find your own rocks to paint! This will make them even more special. When you’re done you can save them or head out and hide them around town for others to find later.

22. Run barefoot in the grass.

My kids have already done this a million times this spring, so I think I can cross it off now.

23. Look for shapes in the clouds.

This is another time to lay back, unwind, and give your kids a chance to talk to you. Even better, it may just be a good time to laugh and be silly with them.

24. Shaving cream play outside.

Wear play clothes (or work clothes if you’re an adult), and get messy with shaving cream. I intend to work on letters, numbers, and sight words with my kids, but I know it’ll eventually turn into kids being covered in shaving cream. If it’s warm enough, you can just use a hose to clean off.

25. Have a bonfire.

In the spring, the evenings can be pretty chilly, so after the sun sets, light a fire and put on a hoodie to stay warm. Make it an even better night by roasting some marshmallows and making s’mores.

26. Go to yard sales.

Yard sale signs are the first indicator that spring is here. Stop by a few and let your kids grab a couple toys that may or may not break by the end of the day. You might get lucky and find some super cute home décor, a new patio set, or something even better.

27. Have a toy car carwash.

Get some hot wheels cars dirty and let your kids clean them with toothbrushes, soap, and water. If your kids are anything like my kids, they LOVE water play. Add in some cars and soap and it’s going to be the best day ever.

28. Watch a sports game.

This should be easy to do if you just hit up your local sports field on a Saturday morning. You’ll likely find soccer, baseball, tennis, or track this time of year.

If you have kids in spring sports, you’ve likely already watched a sports game or two this year. I’m in your boat, and I’ve written a post about how to survive spring sports season.

29. Go for a drive and find a new park.

I’m pretty sure that we’ve already played at every park near me, so this may take a trip to a nearby city. I love to explore and I know that my kids do, too, so I think it’ll be fun!! This may just have to be our picnic day.

30. Collect plants and other items to make into artwork.

You can make a collage, a picture frame, letters or a name, or anything else that you little artists come up with. Let them choose their own materials and follow their own ideas. It’ll be fun for everyone, and it is the perfect time to teach them (show them) about trial and error.

things to do this spring, spring bucket list, things to do with kids

Things to Do This Spring Bucket List – Free Printable

My kids always LOVE to check items off of a list. They likely get this trait from their list-loving mother, but I’d say she isn’t that bad. 😉

Since we all agree that lists are awesome, I tend to create bucket list printables for every occasion. To thank you for reading my blog, I’m giving the printables away for FREE. Feel free to download and print the spring bucket list printable so that you never forget the 30 things to do this spring, and please send it along to a friend who may like one, as well!!

Okay, I may have gone a bit crazy and created three different printables, but I couldn’t help myself. Choose whichever one you like best!!! The link for each one is below the corresponding picture, just click where it says “Spring bucket list”.

things to do this spring, spring bucket list, things to do with kids
1. Spring bucket list
things to do this spring, spring bucket list, things to do with kids
2. Spring bucket list
things to do this spring, spring bucket list, things to do with kids
3. Spring bucket list

Final Thoughts On Spring Bucket List – 30 Things to Do This Spring

Spring is finally here, and you have to get moving if you want to do all of the spring-inspired activities! Spring doesn’t last long, unfortunately.

What are some of your ideas for things to do this spring? I’d love to hear about them in the comments!