Inspired by one of my favorite blogs Brocante Home (who was in turn inspired by a feature in Harper’s Bazaar written by Diana Vreeland), Why Don’t You is a week’s worth of ideas for adding a little something special to your life. Simple ideas for lovely days!
Pick and choose what sparks your interest and fits into your schedule. Or use these simple ideas for special days as inspiration for coming up with your own ideas.
WHY DON’T YOU? – SIMPLE IDEAS FOR LOVELY DAYS
It’s time change this weekend!
I like to use this as a reminder to do some of those quarterly things that need to get done around the house. Put new batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, sure, but let’s take that a step further. Check the expiration dates on those. Maybe it’s time to buy new ones! Add new baking soda to the fridge to absorb odors.
Do you have a water dispenser on your refrigerator? Check it and see if it’s time to put in a new filter. There are lots of little tasks that need to be done from time to time. Check out this post on seasonal tasks for more ideas. And remember, they don’t all need to be done at once. Prioritize and tackle a couple each week.
Add pretty colored Washi tape to your various chargers.
This is a great way to always ensure that you can identify your chargers. Yours will stand out from the crowd, even in your own home.
Try a new recipe.
May I suggest this Greek dish, Pastitsio? It’s kind of a lasagna/mac and cheese type of dish with some Greek spice added to it. It’s different but not a huge change – like trying octopus stew or something!
Or head to wherever you’ve stored all those recipes you’ve been meaning to try – Pinterest, a recipe binder, whatever that may be – and choose one to FINALLY try. You might even see a few that you know you will actually never make. Clear those out while you’re at it!
Embrace the color coral.
Coral is one of the “in” colors for spring. If you know me, you’ll know I’m not a trendy person. Sure, sometimes a trend comes along and I like it so I jump on the bandwagon, but I’m not one for changing my wardrobe every few months as the trends change.
The thing is though, sometimes embracing a trend can refresh things. It can give you a little punch of color or excitement that just brightens things up and energizes you. So, why not think about how you could add a little coral to your life? You don’t have to repaint the walls in home or make any drastic changes!
Buy a coral colored brooch to add to an outfit. Get a couple of pillow covers with a touch of coral in them to add some spring to your decor. Try out a coral lipstick. Plant some coral colored flowers.
Freshen up your trash cans.
Yes, your trash cans. This is one of those tasks that is easy to overlook until it makes itself known – by stinking up the whole house! On a nice spring day, take all the trash cans outside (grab the outdoor ones while you’re at it). Use your hose and spray them out to get rid of any gunge that has gathered at the bottom of them.
If there are some particularly nasty bits stuck there, I like to fill the can about 1/3 full with water and add some dish soap. Just let that soak for a while while you do something else. Come back and spray them out and they should be sparkling clean!
Now, add a few tablespoons of baking soda to the bottom of each of the trash cans (indoor ones). Replace every month or two and this will help keep those odors at bay in between cleanings.
Start your day with a smile.
No, seriously. I know this sounds trite but it really works. Starting your day with a smile can often set the stage for the rest of the day. I rarely wake up in a cranky mood – yes even with the chronic pain – but it does happen from time to time.
When that happens, I make a conscious effort to put a smile on my face. Turn on some happy music. Read a bit of something that makes you happy – a letter from a loved one, a quote or poem that gives you perspective, or a chapter of a book or a verse in the Bible. If you have time, find an episode of an old or new sitcom that makes you laugh and watch even just half of it. Write in a gratitude journal.
You can even make yourself a happy place in your bedroom. On the back of my bedroom door, I have photos of my family, favorite quotes, pictures of places I’ve traveled to or want to travel to. Spending a few minutes focusing on it and reminding myself of what’s really important in life can often put that smile on my face.
Clear out the gutters on your house.
I realize that if you live in an area like mine, the snow might not be 100% over. So, you might be tempted to wait a month to get this done. But, I know from experience, that this could be a mistake.
Clearing out the gutters and drains now will ensure that you’re prepared for any spring downpours. I postponed this one year and ended up with flooding into my basement. Yes, you might have to clean them again but sometimes, this is enough and it’s worth it to avoid any costly water damage.
So my lovelies, what will you do this week to make your days a little bit more special? Find more Why Don’t You? posts here.
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