Happy March friends! I am so excited to be out of February and into March. You too? The month of love always seems to be be a bit of a struggle but since we flipped the page and are now into March- I am welcoming the new month with a whole lot of excitement about some things we have been working on that I will be sharing in the next couple of weeks. Starting with the 1st one this week- so stay tuned.
Romanticizing March
Our first post about romanticizing winter was a big hit with so many of you who are not big fans of winter- I am right there with ya. The good news- shifting to March, it is all about spring just around the corner and that makes me just a little bit giddy. Today we are talking about simple, practical things you can do to romanticize March and get ready for the blooming season just ahead.
Easy ways to Romanticize March
Spring cleaning is a thing-and now is a perfect time to freshen up your home. Grab the duster. The extra scrub pads and wipe down things you may not always clean. Hello cobwebs in the beams- I am looking at you. Not only does it make your house feel happy- a clean house also makes for a happier environment for you.
Wander outside to see what is budding or blooming already. A sure thing to make you realize those warm spring days are closer than you think.
Plan your garden. Even if it is a bit early to plant all the flower beds in the garden- you can start planning. Grab a cup of tea and get on Pinterest or pick up a seed catalog and start dreaming up your spring garden goals and jot them down.
Plan a garden seating area. This one is a favorite. I love to plan where I can sit and enjoy morning coffee or dinners in the garden when weather permits. If you love that too but don’t have a dedicated area yet or just want to create one that is more aligned with you and your style- now is a perfect time to start planning what that looks like. Shop marketplace for a garden table and chairs or a fountain. Look for pavers or pea gravel for the path. Plan for what plants you want to add into the beds.
Plant spring bulbs. In pots or in the garden if the ground is warm enough.
Don’t skip the cozy details just yet. Light the candles. Sit by the fireplace or place your chair by the window in a sunny spot. Keep your throw close by and simmer potpourri on the stove. Even though the calendar says March- it is technically winter for a bit yet and the chill in the air is a thing.
Bring Natural Touches In your Home. Gather spring blossoming branches or daffodils that have popped up. Bring potted bulbs inside to enjoy on the windowsill. Pick up a couple pots of herbs at the market to have in the kitchen. We have hellebores in bloom in the garden currently, and they are a wonderful by themselves or as an addition to a super market arrangement. If you wander a bit, you might find something in bloom that you weren’t aware of and find it perfect for enjoying in your home.
Change up your bedding. One of my favorite things when cleaning is freshly washed bedding. Yes, it is a lot of work to wash all the layers and put them all back on the bed but it is such a good night sleep when climbing into bed and everything is so fresh. And another way to get that same kind of a feeling is to change your bedding completely. With a new month or a new season, why not mix up your design style with linens? Go from layers of rich colors for winter to bright and airy for spring. Bring in florals. Swap ruffled pillows for crispy tailored edges. The possibilities are endless.
That morning cuppa? Slow down and sip and simmer while focusing on gratitude. This is something I have been doing for a bit now and it truly is a game changer for starting the day. I pour my first cup of coffee and sip away while watching the sunrise or the flames of the fire in the fireplace and think about blessings. It doesn’t mean everything is wonderful or perfect of course, it is about choosing to look for and focus on the blessings in your life. A good starting point is to focus on being grateful for the day and morning- for your hot cup of coffee and warm fire. The beautiful colors of the sunrise. You and your family and your health and happiness. Your safe and cozy home. The spring blossoms and sunshine on a chilly day. etc.
Make a Fresh Spring Inspired Meal. Confession…I am not a hugely detailed kind of chef over here. I do like to bake but when it comes to dinners, if my husband is out of town, you will most often find me making something like avocado toast with veggies and eggs. My husband does most of the cooking and enjoys making a meal and feeding people and I am more about what is easy that gives me my macros and nutrients without a ton of work. I am okay with it- I enjoy the simpler things for meals. But a fresh spring salad, or fresh spring veggie sauté with low carb toast- yes, please.
Change your living room set up to harness more spring sunshine. Such a fun thing to do any time of the year- change your seating arrangement or set up. It can make your whole room feel fresh and new even if no furniture has actually changed. I moved a sofa to the window and added a chair and table to that spot to create a sitting area. Such a difference in how the room feels now and it literally took just a few minutes to do.
Remove the rugs. Okay, maybe a bit controversial, but I pretty much always have the throw rugs out of the rooms. I prefer the bare wood floors and they are easier to keep clean. But I do love a rug on occasion and a lot of people bring in a rug for cozy in winter. So, if you have rugs, roll them back up and enjoy the fresh feeling of bare floors for a clean slate.
Freshen up your front door. Add a wreath, a spray, a garland, potted plants- any way that you like.
Buy yourself flowers. Yep. Because, fresh flowers bring a whole lot of warmth and nurturing to the house and to you. Put them by your bed. In the dining room or living room. Anywhere that brings you joy. It doesn’t have to be an expensive bouquet- even just a single or couple of bunches of seasonal favorites can do wonders.
Focus on Goals or a new routine with baby steps. Don’t stress about deep cleaning every room in the house, getting all your steps in, eating all the nutrients perfectly every day, making sure your garden is alll done being planted, yard is ready for entertaining and you have allllll the things together right.now. It can feel overwhelming to tackle it all at one time. So give yourself some grace and take baby steps to achieve those things on your list. Every day, work on something simple that moves you in the direction of your goals. You have got this!
Thank you, Courtney, for this lovely post! I can tell you put a lot of thought into it. You mentioned low carb bread–can you tell me which one you prefer? I’m trying to find one that I like. Thank you!
Hi Barbara! One of them is a local California bakery but the other is called Julian Bakery Keto Thin. Try it toasted – it is crazy good and we like that it does not have a ton of ingredients.
Thank you; I think I can find Julian Bakery bread locally.
Inspiring post. I also love bare floors. only one scatter mat on each side of our bed. so esy to breeze through cleaning with one large dust mop. jackie from canada
Now I have a to do list. LOL