13 ideas to make your home feel good right now
Maybe we all need a spring reset?
Before we dive into this week’s newsletter, I wanted to share a little recap of the last month on Living Small:
I kicked off March with a newsletter about “climate coaches,” including several friends of the newsletter like Whitney Leigh Morris, Erin Boyle, and Bridget Shirvell.
Most read: I shared my favorite spring discoveries, including the books, furniture, and a microtrend that are on my radar right now.
My interview with Katie McCrory on house shame inspired the most thoughtful comments and reader emails.
Last week I finally(!) made my list of my favorite small space design books.
The most-clicked link this month was this recipe for easy weeknight peanut noodles with roasted broccoli, and the most-clicked small space was this layered New York City studio featured on Domino.com
March was a wild, rocky month in the world, no? I hope everyone is hanging in there okay. I know I’m feeling ready for a spring reset. The last few days, we’ve been having glorious weather here in New York City, and it makes everything feel just a little bit better. The sun staying out later and longer and warmer weather has me energized to do a little spring cleaning and tidying. For me, caring for my home is a form of self-soothing during these stressful times; it’s also a great way to reset for the new season.
In case you’re feeling some of this springtime energy, here are 13 ways to make your home feel good right now:
Clean for your future self
When I wrote about how much I hated coming home from vacations a while back, a reader suggested doing a deep cleaning before leaving, so I would come home to a fresh space. Cleaning house adds to the pre-trip to-do list, but I highly recommend it. Lots of schools are off next week, so consider this a nudge to clean before you leave town as a favor to your future self.
Add flowers and foliage
The quince branches we bought at a deli two weeks ago (above) have been bringing so much joy to our tiny apartment. My mom’s kitchen was enlivened by some pots of herbs when we visited last weekend. Whether it’s flowers or a house plant, living things make a home feel, well, alive. I encourage you to bring something living into your home.
Weed out old clothes
I just freed up a ton of space in my kiddo’s drawers identifying the clothes that he has outgrown over the last season. I’m making an effort to wear some spring clothes that didn’t get much wear last year to see if I’m ready to donate them. I find that actually wearing a garment (and leaving the house in it) gives you a ton of clarity on whether or not you should hang onto it.