Nothing is quite as refreshing as putting away the heavy winter decor and swapping it out for light, airy spring accessories and home accents. It’s a literal and metaphorical chance at a fresh start and the beginning of warmer, brighter and sunnier days ahead. Transitioning your home from winter to spring doesn’t require a complete overhaul, but simple adjustments can help you get into a sunnier state of mind.

Start with a clean slate

Before you make decorative updates, create a clean slate, so you have a fresh canvas to work with. Below are some go-to spring cleaning tasks to give your home an all-over sense of lightness.

Clean the exterior windows
Wash the interior window sills
Clean and flip the mattresses, and have your comforter or duvet professionally cleaned
Deep clean the refrigerator and freezer
Hire a professional carpet cleaner to deep clean the carpets, rugs and upholstery.
Conduct a thorough decluttering session to discard, donate or sell all household and personal items that aren’t in use (do this quarterly, so it’s not such a time-intensive exercise).
Powerwash exterior surfaces, including the patio/deck, siding, outdoor furniture, etc.
Assess the exterior furniture cushions to determine if they need to be reupholstered in an outdoor fabric.

Restyle the shelves

Removing all the items from your shelves to reassess what you have before restyling the shelves can help to refresh the entire room. Gathering all the items from shelves, mantels and tables can allow you to edit what you have, store heavier pieces for next winter and replace them with visually lighter items, such as glass, crystal, wicker, caning, or acrylic.

Decant liquids

Decanting your liquids, such as hand soap, dish soap, laundry detergent and cooking oils, can help the space feel less cluttered. Selecting uniform, clear glass containers with streamlined labels reduces the visual clutter that often comes with the original packaging.

Maximize natural light

If windows in your home are blocked by furniture or other decor pieces, rearrange the layout to allow the maximum amount of light to shine through. For example, relocate taller pieces such as bookshelves or other case goods, high back chairs, or replace long sofas with smaller accent chairs. If exterior shrubs or trees are blocking the view, have these trimmed back to allow more sunlight to shine in. Also, cleaning the inside and the outside of the windows will remove layers of dust, dirt and debris you didn't even realize were there, allowing more light to shine through.

Store seasonal textiles

Accent pillows and throws are one of the easiest ways to help a space feel seasonally refreshed. Displaying accent pillows and throws in light, breezy fabrics such as cotton or linen can help a room feel ready for the new season. Bright florals, a crisp stripe, or bright-colored block pattern prints are tried-and-true patterns for spring and summer.

Incorporate seasonal florals

A home isn’t fully ready for a new season without some seasonal natural elements. Filling vases with flowering branches and abundant greenery or selecting a generous amount of a single seasonal flower will create a relaxed yet luxurious seasonal feel.

Your home reflects you, so keeping your home seasonally relevant can help you mentally transition to a new season ahead.

Transitioning Your Home from Winter to Spring