Now that most of us have been at home for several weeks, it wouldn’t be at all surprising if the walls feel like they’re closing in. No matter how much we love our homes, forced familiarity can start to take the shine off our former enthusiasm. And although some of us will be taking the opportunity for some good old DIY, there are others (me included I have to say) who can’t muster the energy at all. But there are some little things that we can do to brighten up our interiors, that are not taxing at all and won’t cost a penny.

De-Clutter and Tidy Up
It might be obvious but a tidy up will immediately lighten the mood. Especially at this time, when more family members are around all of the time, and it’s often easier to just ignore the mess. But don’t just tidy up, de-clutter too. Get rid of old magazines, wash and put away heavy winter throws, empty cupboards and throw away out of date food, defrost the freezer, and take this opportunity to put away the clothes you are not going to wear this summer. You’ll feel so much better opening the wardrobe and finding your lighter clothes hanging clean and fresh and ready to wear. Or to be able to open your freezer and be able to find what you’re looking for!

A Good Old Spring Clean
I can’t be the only one who finds cleaning cathartic. Whenever I start to feel dissatisfied with the way my home is looking, outcomes the duster. A good spring clean always makes me appreciate it all over again. I’d never presume to tell anyone how to clean their home but for me, I always start at the top and work down. Dusting, vacuuming and cleaning bathrooms as I go. I have three floors and three bathrooms, so it’s no small job. But now you have de-cluttered it will be so much easier! Spring cleaning in our house means dusting the skirting boards, under the furniture, the top of picture frames, and getting the glass cleaner out to give the mirrors an extra shine.

Let The Light In
And now that you’ve de-cluttered and cleaned you can move onto the windows to really let the light in. No more dust motes to hang in the air. For a while anyway. Clean the blinds or wash the curtains and move things away from the window that may be obstructing the light. Staying at home means we are not exposed to as much daylight as normal, but maximising the areas of your home where the daylight does flood in means you can still enjoy many of its benefits. It’s a huge mood booster too.

Add Some Greenery
Treat yourself to a new houseplant or two, a bunch of flowers from the supermarket, or if you don’t want to splash any cash, forage for some greenery while you’re out on your morning walk. It’s amazing how good a few branches can look when displayed in a pretty vase. There’s an abundance of fresh green foliage out there at the minute and the cow parsley is just coming into season which is my absolute favourite.

Move Things Around or Re-Arrange a Shelf or Two
It’s true that our possessions become invisible to us if they always sit in the same place. Move things around. Shop your own home for things that you have put away or forgotten about, and rearrange a shelf or two. Once you start it will become addictive and you’ll start doing it more often. Remember to arrange small frames at the back of shelves, use books on their side to create height for small ornaments and arrange things in threes. You’ll become an expert before you know it.