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SIMPLE TOUCHES HELP BRIGHTEN YOUR HOME
By Archive
from Salem Monthly, Section News
Posted on Tue May 02, 2006 at 09:32:59 PM PDT

This year, forget about spring cleaning — go for spring decorating
Spring in Oregon means one thing: mud. By May, I fully expect little plant seedlings to sprout from the thick layer of mud that currently coats the contents of my house. The change from rain, rain, and more rain, to rain, sun, oh glorious sun, rain, lots more rain, sun, means that we brave souls who survived winter want to be outside. Unfortunately for us, what the outside really wants is to be inside.

You could attack the mud with a vengeance as you unleash your inner Heloise on your home. Naysayers might argue that the time for spring cleaning passed, oh about two months ago. Or you could simply give in to the mud. Use it to guide future decorating decisions, “Honey, does this paint color go with the mud?”

Right now, while everything is blooming, is the perfect opportunity to make color a permanent part of your home. May is the ideal time to paint a room since it’s neither too hot nor too damp, and longer daylight hours makes it easier to do a room in a day. Making your favorite spring colors like tulip pink, strawberry red, mango orange, and basil green a part of your home will extend the sunshine well into the next rainy season.
Now is also a great opportunity to lighten up the textures of your home. Light colored slipcovers can transform a formal room, as can packing away heavy throws and furry pillows. Take inspiration from all the garden supplies on sale now. Use a brightly colored watering can as a vase, string patio lights in your dining room, add patio furniture accents to your living room.

Now, with your home brighter, you can afford to tackle the mundane task of mud management. Try having mats on both sides of every exterior door. Place a stack of cheap hand towels in pretty baskets nearby for muddy paws. Slip-on shoes also keep mud contained. Don’t waste your precious cleaning time this month worrying about dirt or cleaning behind appliances like some spring cleaning guides urge. Instead, invest in the future.

Spring in Oregon is our reward for having made it through winter yet again. Use this time to re-charge and plan ways to make that reward year-round. Stock up on container plants. Make your living room a tropical oasis. Add color to your spaces. These are the kinds of projects with lasting impact and real value.

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