by Effie Moore Salem

Created on: October 26, 2008   Last Updated: April 15, 2009

Now that spring is finally here your home needs a makover from cozy and warm to cool and breezy. It has been a long winter and the snow has been deep and the days, although shorter has seemingly been longer. Night fall, on some days is welcomed. At least it's a chance for candle light dinners and warm comfy fireside chats.

Then up sprouts that brave little crocus that's peeping out the snow along the sidewalk. You notice it on your way back in from the mailbox. It's February and this first green of the early spring perennials heralds in spring. Each year it takes you off guard and you remember it anew; Crocus' are so dainty and so unobtrusive you forget about them in the fullness of the summer season. Their only purpose, it seems, is that of a mood lifter when your cabin fever is at its peak.

And then it happens. Your mood changes and you make ready for dreaming about spring. The seed catalog in your mailbox was the catalyst in this particular spring epic. Call it whatever you will but suddenly you are in the mood for a home and a garden makeover. Dowdy is on its way out.

Short on cash, you dream on anyway. You will use your laid off from work time spring come into your home. What you do with of necessity be done without much money involvement and with a little imagination and ingenuity there's plenty to be done. You clear outside debris first and freshen up your yard for the emerging new life spring is bringing.

That finished, you hastily wash your kitchen walls and paint the old drab white cabinets a muted yellow. You cover the glass doors of the archaic cabinets with a blended yellow, mint green and white cotton fabric. This will hide your chipped dinner ware. You bought extra fabric so you could make matching placemats for the plain no-nonsense-wooden table. You throw out all four of the worn and dirty chair cushions.

A thorough cleaning and waxing of your somewhat rugged wooden floors and after cleaning the windows and dusting wooden shutters your kitchen is ready for spring. You will have to wait a few weeks for the forsythia to bloom and you can hardly wait to bring some inside to place in an urn beside the kitchen door.

The part finished, you tackle the living room. The spring cleaning is about finished and now what to do about the dull and dark coach. It is sturdy and comfortable but it says winter and snuggle under thoughts when you want it to say, welcome to some sunshine. You spend a little money for a slip covering that will last several summers. It is muted mint green, and yellow plaid with a touch of red for a little extra drama.

You drape a large tasseled shawl over one arm chair an old half worn out colorful crazy quilt on the other. You have a vacant corner and you stack some cheerful cheap pillows on the floor. You call it quits. Almost. Then you happen to remember the sisal rug rolled up in the attic, It's old but never been used. It adds a perfect note to this very special room. Since you have wooden floors and several throw rugs scattered, you've never cared for the rug before. Now it seems perfect. Your shuttered windows say no nonsense to upkeep and hello to the squirrels that will adorn the tree outside.

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