Spring represents new beginnings and as the season blossoms, it’s important to prepare the body, mind and spirit to remove the waste it has accumulated during the Winter months. You may have noticed cravings for lighter, greener foods, a sudden urge to re-organize your refrigerator or unexplained motivation to purge your closets. I’ve enlisted some expert guest bloggers to help me explore all of the various ways to spring clean.
We’ll start with Betsy Helmuth of Affordable Interior design who offers tips on spring-ifying your space.
And by the way, she does some informative and hilarious classes on styling your home/apartment on a budget. I’ve been her student and walked away with pages of tips and fresh recommendations. A must go!
Guest Post by Besty Helmuth of Affordable Interior Design
Each year I await spring anxiously: flower blossoms, days at the park, no more coats!! However, the season doesn’t feel as exciting until my home is spic n’ span. Here’s how I prep for spring:
Step 1. Save Your Sponge
If you are using a sponge during your spring scrubbing, you may not actually be making your space cleaner. Ensure that sponge isn’t spreading scum by wetting it, and then zapping it for one minute in the microwave. Voila! Allow to cool, and you are good to go.
Step 2. Bring the Outdoors In
Turn your home into an inviting garden. Go to Ikea (my favorite place to buy plants) and stock up on affordable Easter lilies, money plants, and more. Having pockets of green in your space can help those rainy April days feel more cheerful!
Step 3. Let There Be More Light
I can’t get enough sunshine. But I can’t always be outside–I’ve gotta design sometime. Allow even more sun to pour in by hanging a mirror across from your window. It will reflect the daylight and your outdoor view.
Step 4. Bring the Beach to Your Bookcase
Changing out all the accents in your home can be daunting and expensive. So stick to just restyling your bookcase. Weed out some of the books and replace the open patches with bleached coral, a vase of shells, or a photo of you seaside!
About Betsy Helmuth
Betsy Helmuth owns and operates Affordable Interior Design. She has worked on projects for HGTV, DIY Network, and The Food Network.
Betsy studied visual art and theatre at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota. After graduation, she moved to New York City and was commissioned to paint custom pieces and murals.
She discovered that the spaces for which she created paintings needed more than great art; they needed a focused design concept.
She sought formal interior design training, and her portfolio won her an internship at Thom Filicia, Inc., the designer from QUEER EYE FOR THE STRAIGHT GUY. During the nine-month apprenticeship, she learned the fundamentals and business of design.
She left TFI to open Affordable Interior Design, a firm that gives clients of all income levels a beautiful space that reflects who they are.
In addition to her firm, she writes a daily blog (www.affordableinteriordesign.blogspot.com) and articles for Design Options which forecasts color trends in home décor.
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