I’ve been commissioned by Fishpools to share my tips on preparing your home for the summer months.
Fishpools are based in Hertfordshire and were founded in 1899 by Ernest Fishpool. They specialise in contemporary furniture and have an expert interior design service. I love working with and supporting family-owned businesses.
Spring has rolled around pretty quickly this year and I don’t doubt that summer will be here before we know it. With the arrival of each new season I love to rotate my home decor. Doing this helps to give each room a new look and keeps things fresh.
Today I’m sharing my tips on how you can welcome summer into your home. This includes everything from packing away your autumnal home decor to cleaning and organisation for the arrival of summer.
It’s important to remember that you don’t need to spend a lot of money to refresh your home each season. If you have some good storage systems in place then you can easily access your favourite pieces from each season and take them out each year. Alternatively you can donate unwanted items to friends, family and local charities before treating yourself to some new home decor.
Getting Your Home Ready For Summer
Throws and cushions
Pack away autumnal throws and cushions. Then replace them with something lighter and much more colourful. We live in England so even when summer hits we still get chilly evenings which call for throws.
I’m on the look out for orange, yellow and blue colour combos this year.
Pro Tip: Try using vacuum pack bags to save on storage space.
Store away winter clothes
Sort through your clothes, shoes and boots. Put together a bag for charity and eBay and then neatly box away everything else. This will free up space for your summer wardrobe.
Pro Tip: Be sure to clearly label any boxes and bags so they’re easy to find next season.
Spruce up the garden
If you have the time and inclination then tackle the garden yourself. If your time would be best spent elsewhere then I recommend getting a gardener in to help out. We’ll be having someone helping us to get the garden to a manageable state towards the end of spring.
Spending time on the garden will ensure the space is ready to be enjoyed in the summer. Think breakfast in the morning sun, hosting a barbecue for friends and G&T’s in the evening.
Tackle the weeds
Remove the weeds from your garden and driveway. This is a boring job but one which will make the garden look much smarter and easier to manage.
Garden furniture
The key to a relaxing garden is comfortable garden furniture. If you don’t have somewhere comfortable to sit and relax then you’re more likely to stay indoors and miss out on the good weather.
Fishpools have some lovely outdoor furniture options. A garden table set is perfect for anyone who enjoys to eat outdoors and entertain friends.
Pro Tip: Furniture covers are handy to invest in to protect your garden furniture.
Bathroom mats
New bathroom mats are a fun and easy way of brightening up your bathroom. They aren’t something that we often think of replacing but with the amount they’re used and washed it’s good to have back ups. There are also lots of fun designs around, just look at this rainbow one.
Pack away winter bedding
As much as I love a classic white bedding set I still have cute seasonal themed sets. When the seasons change it’s good to store these away for the following year. I’d also include heavy duvets and throws along with this.
Pro Tip: If you have an ottoman bed you can use it to store away clothes and bedding you’re not currently using but still want easy access to.
Window cleaning
Book your local window cleaner in to give your windows a spruce up. You never realise just how much they need a clean ’til it’s done. It’s also a good idea to be in the habit of brushing away dust and dirt from the corners of each window you can reach. This helps to prevent build-up and bugs hanging out there.
Clean and organise your kitchen
It’s good to have a deep clean of the kitchen every now and then. It’s amazing how quickly dust and dirt can build up over the months.
I like to take everything out of the cupboards and give them a thorough clean. You can then assess any unused food you have as well as getting rid of anything that’s out of date. I also like to use this as a chance to move my gin and cocktail glasses to an easy to reach space – they get much more use during the summer months.
Botanicals
Bring the outdoors in. This is something I like to do throughout the year. Spring and early summer means lots of easy access to daffodils. They’re cheap and cheerful and add a fun burst of colour to your home.
Don’t dismiss artificial flowers and plants. They’re perfect for those of us who don’t have the time to tend to lots of home plants. I have an artificial Japanese Fruticosa Tree which often moves position in my home to give the room a different look.
Move furniture
This is something we do pretty regularly in our house. It’s a quick, easy and free way to give a room a whole new look. It also gives you the chance to get rid of dust build up under heavier items of furniture.