Courtesy of MarthaStewart.com
Now that spring is here, it’s about time to start implementing some of our New Year’s resolutions, which may include sprucing up the house, or what we often call (yes, the dreaded) spring cleaning. However, before you resign yourself to rolling up those sleeves and digging out the Comet, let’s take a moment to appreciate the ways we can celebrate spring for spring’s sake–without all the chemicals.
History has handed down several traditions for celebrating the vernal equinox, the official start of spring in the Western hemisphere, a day which normally falls around March 21. This particular day has different names in various cultures. We often call this day Easter, but in Iran for example, it’s called No Ruz, which is a time for mending, repairing and gathering flowers; and in Greece they celebrate Hilaria, a word which was originally used to denote any day or season of rejoicing.
At Stone Creek Custom Homes, we love to see our customers enjoy every opportunity to celebrate life, loved ones, and a beautiful home. What better time to appreciate life than spring? So no matter how you celebrate this upcoming holiday, here are some tips for bringing some fresh spring mojo into your home.
Tidying Up
A bit of (literal) wiping the slate clean goes a long way. Throw out the Valentine’s day trash, sweep up the porch, wipe off the countertops. Although spring cleaning can perhaps call to mind a military task force armed with Swiffers, we recommend making things easy for yourself. Make a list of tasks you haven’t had the time or energy to address – such as cleaning out the garage or organizing that box of family photos that’s been sitting in the corner of the living room for 6 months – and put it somewhere you can see each day, like on the door of the fridge. Commit to knocking out just one item on your list each week. Before you know it, you’ll have nothing left to do but sit on your patio sipping margaritas!
Fresh Foods
This may seem like common sense; eating well is for every day, but taking a moment to recharge and appreciate the new opportunities open to us in spring while munching on a healthy snack of nuts, seeds, and spring fruit (strawberries, honeydew, and mango to name a few), is good for the head space. Now that there are so many new farmers markets popping up, such as the brand new one at Trinity, it’s much easier to find fresh produce in SA.
Colorful Eggs
Taking some time with the kids in our lives (or the kid in you) to decorate eggs is a wonderful way to be reminded yourself of the newness and miracle of life. Boil some eggs from 10-12 minutes, or hit your local art store for wooden or plastic eggs, and gather markers, glitter, stickers, and just have fun. Get crazy and creative, but if you want a bit more sophistication this holiday, we recommend a gorgeous Martha Stewart marbled egg-decorating recipe:
The air is brimming with fresh starts and new beginnings: Carpe Diem, as the poets say! Call us at 210-494-5400 if your spring includes a new custom-built home. To join our newsletter, click here.
Happy Spring from Stone Creek Custom Homes!