The Winter Blues

We've made it to February and according to Punxsutawney Phil "an early spring is on the way!"  We all should feel a sense of relief, right?...  Well that doesn't last long when it is still grey and cold outside. Not to mention being in house lock down, due to sick kids! Ugh... Our surroundings can get a bit blah.

So what to do with those indoor/winter blues... Put 'em to work by bringing a little bit of Spring indoors.

     Bring in the light!!! 

     Sunlight provides us with Vitamin D, we've all heard how important that is to improve our moods. On a normal winter day (in New England at least) we are not going to lay out in our lawn chairs just to get our fill, so we suggest: 

     1. Keeping your shades up during the day to let more light in. 

     2. Changing the light bulbs in your house to "full spectrum" bulbs or the highest wattage bulb that will fit your fixture. Get rid of those dark corners with a minimum of three lamps placed throughout a room. The brighter your home the brighter your mood.

    Live with what you love now, not what you loved ten years ago! 

    Simply de-clutter. Try stripping your home of all your photos, nick-knacks and keep-sakes, give everything a good dusting, and rearrange. I guarantee you won't want to put everything back up and that is fine, it's really the whole point.  Also try different groupings of your nicks knacks, group things in odd numbers and play around with different heights. It will make your room feel refreshed and new!  

     Add some green!

     Get rid of dead or fake flowers and plants! Find your loneliest corner and add a touch of greenery, or nothing says spring like a bouquet of fresh cut flowers! Plants and flowers promote feelings of tranquility, life and relaxation by adding softness to a room.

    Add some color!! 

    Studies show that certain colors affect our mood in different ways. So add in a "pop" of color, like a yellow or orange, to boost excitement and enthusiasm. Disperse this pop of color at different heights throughout the room. you can do this by adding a new pillow to your couch, a new lampshade, candle and a fun vase!

    Change the little things…

·      Get a new winter welcome mat.

·      Add a bowl with fresh colorful fruit to your dinning room table.

·      Get a new shower curtain.

·      Add fresh spring candles.

·      Add a dab of a citrus scented natural oil to un-lite lightbulbs, when your lights are on their scent will fill your home.

"We are in the home stretch of winter", said the Groundhog!... No disrespect to the little fellow, but we hope our suggestions offer you a bit more encouragement and inspiration, to get you feeling closer to SPRING!