
When spring comes around, I literally sigh with relief. Canadian winters can seem (correction, ARE) very, very long, and when you go that long without any real amount of sunlight or fresh air, it can start to wear on you. Around the end of February/beginning of March, I cannot stop thinking about how much I’m ready for spring and the general happiness it brings with it. I live for the days that I can wake up and open up the windows and let some fresh air and sunlight in, or go outside without having to put on boots, coats, gloves, hats, scarves, and any other accessories that winter forces us to layer on our bodies each day.
While we still have a lot of snow on the ground and the sun decides to poke through only once or twice during the day, I’m already doing things around the house to lift my spirits and get myself ready for spring’s arrival. Here are ten fun ways to prepare for spring with your family!
1. Start growing your seedlings indoors - This is my number one favourite way to signal that spring is coming. Each year Tatum, David and I plan out what we’re going to grow in our container garden and we have a day where we all plant the seeds together. The entire process of growing seedlings and watching them turn into plants and eventually fruit, vegetables or herbs is one of the best ways to get your children involved in eating well, as well as helping them connect more to real food. If your child is old enough, you can also assign them the chore of watering/fertilizing the plant, and watch their pride as their plants flourish.
2. Get a head start on spring cleaning. - I LOVE opening the windows and giving my house a good clean when spring rolls around. Not only do I feel better about my home, but my mind feels a lot calmer and clearer when I know that I don’t have closets that are bursting with random items, or kitchen cupboards with unorganized pyrex bowls and lids strewn about. I assign myself a task to do each day by writing it on my calendar, and by the end of the month I have usually gotten around to every corner of the house. It doesn’t have to be done in a weekend! Having a clean, fresh house around spring is always a great pick-me-up after a long winter.
3. Pull out the warmer weather clothing! - By the end of March I am extremely tired of looking at bulky coats, hats, mittens, gloves, boots, and all of the other winter gear that we have been bundling up in for months on end. I like to organize my drawers and closets and our coat closet for spring and get all of our warmer weather wardrobe items ready to go. Get out yours and your little ones’ rain jackets, rain boots, umbrellas etc. and have them ready to go once you’re able to enjoy a warmer day.
4. Enjoy some sunshine with your kids. - Even though the weather may not be favorable, especially if you’re living where I’m living, it’s a great feeling to get outside for a few minutes each day to soak up some sunshine and some fresh air. Winter time can mean being cooped up indoors for days at a time, and you can begin to feel pretty stagnant and fatigued. Get outside, even for a few minutes, and take a brisk walk around the block, splash in a puddle (or a pile of snow if you still have them!), and enjoy some fresh air.
5. Do some spring crafts. - One of our favourite ways to cheer up our home for spring is doing some spring crafts together. Our kitchen window is our craft area where we display all of the crafts we’ve been doing, and I love the way it looks when it’s full of Tatum’s artwork and seasonal crafts we’ve been doing together. Last year I did a round-up of my favourite easy spring crafts to do with your little ones, and we’ll definitely be doing them again along with some new ones!
6. Clean your car inside & out. - I know after the winter time, our vehicle is looking pretty sad. The carpets are wet and dirty from snowy and mucky boots, I usually have napkins, papers and other random items stashed in various places, and the outside is less than sparkling. Giving our car a good clean inside and outside and freshening it up is a nice way to signal that spring is coming. If it’s an exceptionally warm day, you can get your family outside and wash the car together!
7. Decorate your front door/entryway with a cheery spring wreath. - For the past two weeks I’ve had my yellow spring wreath on my door in anticipation of warm weather and to perk up our entryway. I also pulled out our spring flower welcome mat and Tatum’s basket of outdoor toys that stays by the door. Doing little things like that gets me in a spring state of mind and can help freshen up your home after a long winter.
8. Give your make-up a warm-weather makeover. - In the winter I stick to heavier moisturizers, matte skin and darker shadow/lipsticks. I like freshening up my look in the spring time. Bright lip colours, dewy skin and bronzer (LOVE bronzer) are my go-tos for a fresh face in the spring and summer months. I’ll be doing a post soon about my favourite organic make-up picks, so keep an eye out for that!
9. Add some spring flowers or plants to your home. - Nothing can brighten my spirits more than colourful spring flowers or plants on my kitchen table. Putting a few vases of flowers or plants throughout the house can make a huge difference in how I feel and can cheer up a drab day.
10. Do some cooking/baking with seasonal fruits! - Spring marks a new round-up of in-season produce. Strawberries, rhubarb, cherries, peas, spinach and apricots are just a few of the delicious fruits and vegetables you can find at your grocery store that are in-season for spring. Bake a strawberry rhubarb pie, chop up a strawberry and spinach salad, or have baked apricots and yogurt for a healthy and sweet dessert. Incorporating what’s in season in my kitchen is a healthy, budget-friendly and fun way to celebrate the season.
What are your favourite ways to welcome spring into your home?
{Franki}
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