Liven up Your Apartment for Spring

If you’re like most people, this time of year has you twitching for spring to come. Winter is still here, but with spurts of warm sunny days, who can help but feel the anticipation of fresh green leaves and baby blades of grass coming up? If you just can’t wait for those baby greens to come up, check out the following ways to liven up your apartment and bring springtime indoors to your home.

Don’t Wait for Nature

Why wait for nature to green up the world when you can green up your space right now? Visit your local garden center for some fresh houseplants or start growing an indoor herb garden for fresh cooking. Convinced you have a “black thumb’? Ask the employees for recommendations on easy to care for plants and herbs such as bamboo or chives. If you’re completely afraid of live plants, there is nothing wrong with artificial plants in your space. They are easy to care for, attractive and add instant green to your apartment.

Change the Lighting

For many apartment residents, the shorter days of winter bring less sunlight inside, but that doesn’t mean you have to sit in a gloomy room. One way to combat the winter darkness is to install daylight compact florescent light bulbs – you will be amazed at the difference your space feels with daylight bulbs. Tip: some apartment landlords are kind enough to supply you with fresh light bulbs, so check if this is an option before you spend your hard earned money.

Another way to change the lighting in your apartment is to change your curtains to a fresh spring color. Pull back your stock apartment curtains and put up some sheer panels in your favorite spring shade. The light that comes through the sheers will fill your space with fresh spring hues, sending the winter gloom out the window.

Brighten up Your Decor

Maybe your lease doesn’t allow you to mess with the curtains, but they can’t tell you how to decorate. Look around your space – is it filled with dark reds, browns, grays, or other dark colors? You don’t have to replace all your furniture or accessories, but you can add throw pillows, area rugs, and decorative pieces in brighter colors to liven up your space. A thrifty way to change your throw pillows is to buy or make pillow covers. Simply throw them on in spring to freshen up, and take them off in fall when you’re ready to cozy up again.

Change Your Walls

Most landlords do not allow their tenants to paint and the ones who do typically have a preapproved color palette to choose from which is often limited in colors. For those of you who are allowed to paint, check your lease before you do because most likely you will have to repaint when you move out and that is a major added stress when moving. Without donning your mess clothes and getting paint everywhere, you can still liven up your walls spring fever style with fresh decorative items. To give you a kick-start here are some suggestions: think ocean, bird or landscape pictures; nature and animal wall decals; or candle sconces and mirrors.

No Money, No Problem

Many renters are on tight budgets and may avoid livening up the old apartment due to a lack of spare cash. However, there are ways to add some fresh décor without blowing your rent money. After all, who says that spring décor has to be new? Thrift stores or flea markets often have unique items for excellent prices and are one of the first places to shop when on a budget.

If you’re on a really tight budget and even the thrift store is out, look around and see what items you already have that would be fun projects to liven up. Make some curtains out of old top sheets, ask a green thumb friend if they have some plant cuttings they can help you get going, or paint an old end table a bright spring color.

Renter DIY tip: this may sound bazaar, but most local landfills have hundreds of gallons of throw away paint you can pick up for free (don’t worry, it’s not buried with old bananas), so if you have an old end table and no money, give them a call!

Get Fresh

So, it’s true, spring cleaning is a timeless way to liven up your apartment and it’s virtually free! With winter comes more time spent indoors which means more indoor messes like muddy boots and piles of stuff to sort through.

Liven up your apartment for spring by sorting and selling or donating old items you no longer use. Clean those spaces you’ve neglected all winter like under the fridge and the back of your closet. Sort, organize, and scrub you apartment until you’re happy with it, then go grab some air fresheners, incense, or candles in fresh spring scents so your place will look and smell as if spring was already here.