‘Spring is the time for plans & projects’ – Leo Tolstoy.

When this caught my eye the other day it made me think that it’s time to start thinking about Spring cleaning.

There’s no better time for this than around the Equinox when new energy is emerging, days are getting lighter and longer and there’s anticipation in the air.

It’s nearly time to throw open the windows & embrace the birds chirping, the smells of newly mown lawn and fresh Spring air.

Spring is a wonderful time to get rid of things that have been accumulating over the winter. This time of year makes us naturally want to declutter, make plans and implement new projects for the approaching warmer weather. If you feel that your home is not a nurturing and nourishing refuge, then here are a few helpful guidelines.

Let’s find out what your dream home would look like.

Close your eyes for a few moments and visualise the home you would love to have. Let your imagination roam. Is it a warm and cosy stone house in the countryside with a roaring open fire. Maybe you’re looking out to sea from your pine deck with soft white drapes hanging in your minimalistic zen-like home.

Be open to whatever image comes to mind.

Walk through all the rooms, seeing what’s on the walls, colours, furniture and how the rooms feel. Are they light and airy, high ceilings or low, what are the sounds in your ideal home and how does it smell?

How do you feel as you walk around your dream home?

In a notebook describe your fantasy home. Try to go into as much detail as possible. Remember this is not reality, so don’t worry about your budget, just indulge your dreams.

When you have finished, look at what you have written. What are the most important features that you have written down? Is it an open fireplace, a minimalistic feel of the rooms, a certain colour in the main bedroom, the pictures on the wall, the smell?

Put them down in order of importance. Are any of these ideas achievable now & how can you adapt them to where you live?

List these words in order of importance to you: comfortable, practical, stylish, original, spacious, tranquil, social, safe, relaxing, fun. The first four you choose will be how best to start creating a home you love to be in.

Now that you have an idea of how you want your home to look and feel, you can now take a small step in achieving your goal.

I know this might seem very daunting but it has to be one step at a time, one room at a time.

First decide on which room you feel most called to change, and start creating your haven.

In a notebook make two columns.

In column A, list all the things that you love or like in the room. This could be the sofa, the paintings, a cushion, a rug, a lamp or certain ornaments. These you will be keeping in your life.

In column B, list all the things you want to change, including your or your family’s habits and behaviour. Examples could be the piles of magazines, newspapers and post on the corner table, clothes piled high waiting to be ironed, unpleasant kitchen smells.

Next, from column B highlight what is realistically achievable now.

Try to stick to the simple things, like getting rid of what is not serving you anymore, those things that don’t make you happy any longer. Take every item and ask yourself, do you make me happy or are you past the sell-by date in my life?

For the remaining items in column B, set as goals to be achieved in the future. There is nothing more off-putting than lists that are unachievable, so put a realistic date to them.

If you find yourself making excuses as to why you can’t get on with creating your haven then let’s have a look at some things that could be holding you back:

• still unclear about what your ideal home looks like: have a scan through home magazines, watch decorating TV programs and visit home stores; cut out things that you are attracted to & keep them as you begin to create your very own mood board.
• money issues: thinking your changes are too expensive? Have a look in charity shops or online forums for things that will make you happy and give your home a lift; these things can do wonders and cost very little. Create a budget for the bigger changes you want to make and start saving.
• too much stuff: embark on a ruthless throwing out session. Ask a friend to help you with this. Be inspired by Marie Kondo’s The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up and What Your Clutter Is Trying To Tell You by Kerri Richardson. Embark on a deep room clean. And, by changing the furniture around you can create a new look.
• comparing yourself to other people: we can admire a friend’s home and wish we could have it, but would it honestly suit you and your family? Trying to adopt someone else’s home style can be unrealistic and doesn’t reflect you, so let your home be an expression of you.
• poor time management: life can be hectic and sorting out our home often is the last thing we feel we have time for. Try creating a routine of a few minutes a day to keep your home how you want it to be.

Enjoy creating your very own haven that makes you feel good to be in.