After the cold, wet Cape winter, spring lifts the spirits and gladdens the heart.
Sunny days and warm weather make spring the perfect time to open windows and doors to freshen up your home. Here are 13 easy ways to embrace spring.
1. Let in air (but not pollen)
Fresh air dries out musty interiors that typically fester over the winter.
By opening windows and doors, you can let the air in and give family members prone to allergies a break. Make sure it’s NOT when the pollen count in Cape Town is high.
2. Bring in fresh blooms
Nothing says spring like fresh flowers. Splash out on a few scented blooms from a local vendor to add colour and fragrance to your home.
Buy flowers that are responsibly sourced. Early-blooming Cape flowers that refresh and revive stuffy spaces include:
- freesias
- anemones
- ranunculus
- High Gold pin-cushion proteas.
Spring is the perfect time to get out the trowel and wide-brimmed sun hat, and tackle what needs to be done in the garden.
3. Rearrange furniture and banish the blues
Rearranging the furniture can give you and your home a fresh, new vibe. The positive impact of moving items around is so intense it can help people suffering from seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
Furniture layouts can change seasonally for practical reasons. Sofas that are clustered around the fireplace in winter can be moved out to create more space in summer.
When repositioning furniture, get into the nooks and crannies with the vacuum cleaner or mop to remove undetected mould.
4. Insert pops of bright spring colours
Don’t allow the décor to be drab and boring. Add pops of colour throughout your home.
Throw brightly coloured cushions on couches and chairs; add decorative displays to tables and countertops.
If your budget allows, adorn the walls with artworks by contemporary local artists like Paul Senyol, Mareli Esterhuizen, Lara Meintjies and Karen Stewart.
With very little effort, you’ll have a home full of brightness and cheer.
5. Declutter and discard
What’s spring if it isn’t about cleaning, decluttering and throwing out? It’s a time of renewal and that means going through cupboards and drawers to weed out what you don’t use and don’t want.
The garage, pantry and attic are often dumping grounds. Donate unwanted items to charities and charity shops. Broken items and junk can be dropped off at the city’s recycling and waste facilities or collected by private recycling companies like:
6. Clear and clean the fridge
When spring arrives, give the fridge a full clean. Empty all the shelves and discard expired items. Wipe the shelves and door with a mild bleach solution.
Defrost the freezer at the same time. This will give you space to freeze foods that spoil.
7. Stock up on fresh farm-to-fork produce
Springtime means an abundance of fresh produce. Cape Town has several farmers’ markets selling fresh, organic fruit and vegetables, cheeses and homemade breads.
Start with the Oranjezicht City Farm Market, Inseason Mobile Market or Neighbourgoods Market.
8. Perk up the patio or spray the stoep
Over the winter, patios and stoeps aren’t used much. They get full of leaves, mud and other detritus.
When the days get warmer, it’s time to prep the patio.
Give the furniture and cushions a wash and leave them in the sun to dry. If you have a pressure hose, use it to lift the dirt and moss on brick or tile paving.
9. Get ready for peak braai season
Come spring, the braai area is back in action.
Give it a good clean and stock up on wood to be ready for the first braai of the season.
10. Stow winter clothes and linen
Spring isn’t quite time for T-shirts and shorts, but heavier winter clothing, linen and blankets can be stashed away.
Always have coats and blankets professionally cleaned first. While you’re going through the linen, swap the heavy winter duvet for a light summer one.
11. Lighten up the curtains
Heavy drapes can keep out the Cape winter’s icy draughts but it’s time to lighten up when spring arrives.
Linen, cotton or polyester curtains make a space lighter and cooler.
Consider swapping heavy drapes for lightweight curtains or blinds. Have drapes cleaned by a professional cleaning service before packing them away.
12. Add fragrant spring scents
Use scented candles and reed diffusers to add spring to the air. Choose fragrances with flowery or citrusy notes to stimulate the senses and refresh the home.
Alternatively, try floral fragrances like gardenia, lavender and cherry blossoms. If you fancy a subtle aroma, consider bergamot or vanilla.
13. Clean the carpets & shake the rugs
In the Cape spring, it’s standard practice to deep clean fitted carpets to remove muddy footprints, eliminate mould spores and destroy fleas before they multiply in the warm weather.
Hot-water extraction cleaning is the best method for one reason – it’s effective.
Loose rugs require a thorough beating to remove walked-in dirt and dust. Smaller rugs can be cleaned in a washing machine.
When rugs are made from silk, wool or delicate materials, or are large, have them professionally cleaned.
Chelsea Cleaning’s spring cleaning services in Cape Town
If you’d like a deep spring clean in Cape Town, we can help.
Chelsea Cleaning offers professional carpet, curtain, rug, upholstery and mattress cleaning services to homes in and around Cape Town, the Cape Winelands and the West Coast.
