Spring Cleaning

It is time for Spring cleaning...... It is the perfect time to open up all the windows and let some fresh air go through the home. To let the light in. 
It is also the perfect time to sort out all the piles of things being accumulated throughout the winter cocooning period. I never call myself a collector. Never did collect stamps, nor coins, nor ice hockey cards ( might just be a Swedish thing ) well, lets call them football players . And somehow "things" pile up.  Not really knowing how they got in there....

1. BOOKS - I love books and love to pile them up everywhere in the house. Somehow it creates comfort and I am always optimistic thinking I will have the time to read them all. Spring cleaning is a serious task so out they go.....Some of the Henning Mankell paperbacks has to go ! ( sorry Henning ) and some other books I probably won't read again. I place them in a giant Ikea bag and carry them to the secondhand book store. They might be to use for somebody else.

2. MAGAZINES - It might have to do with being a designer.... My studio is having to many magazines. I collect them in orderly piles, divided by name. There are Vouge Italia, French Vouge, Vouge America, Italian garden magazines, English garden magazines, Interior decoration, piles of Time magazines.......and so many more. My husband an I travel and our sport is to get them for the flight and carry them around ( heavy ba...rds ) to the destination and then from the destination and pile them up at home to then later be sorted out by category. And on sunny days, having breakfast outdoors I rip them apart and keep tear sheets in piles. Oh, my Buddha ! It is crazy and it has to stop. Perhaps the I pad is the answer. As of now I am logging the I pad and the computer ( just in case).  Spring cleaning is a nasty task !

3. HOUSE PLANTS - We all love greens and somehow it is important to surround oneself with them in the winter. Just to have the green colour to watch and the leaves to touch. It is also very meditating to pick off old dried leaves and water them. With other words , to care for.....

Now, April is here and there is too many of them. They have to be replanted and put into new cleaned pots. I am always sad to part with them. But they are a great gift to neighbours and friends.

4. SHOES - Not an easy subject. It is hard to saying goodbye to your loved ones. 

Anyway April is a good month to clean shoes, polish and store them for the next Autumn. And IF... you did not wear some of them last year you might not need them around for this summer. Think carefully ! And in the end of the day, it all depends on how much storage space you have.

5. CLOTHING - Hm ....Every season I swear by being more organized. It is very time consuming to go through the closet. But it is refreshing and it gives a feeling of lightness when it is done. I wash all my favorite sweaters, fold them and place them in a plastic bag with a Japanese anti mouth balls. Coats are going out to the cleaner. Pants need to be fitted and sorted out. All the great pants found for a good price that never fit and probably never will ....bye bye ! 

I have a long wardrobe and hang all the items by colour. Then think it might be better by category....and move them again. I have a funny habit. Every time I am traveling I stay up all night to pack and re-hang all the clothing. Kind of re-organizing again. Puh ! I wish there was classes to take. How to become a bohemian.

6. BAGS - Needs to be repaired and dusted. Some are stored in boxes, some are put away on big hooks. Any suitable way is perfect. 

6. REARRANGING - Furniture....There is nothing more satisfying than moving some furnitures around and re-decorate. New textiles can make a difference. Lots of fun !


I hope this gives you some inspiration to get started. If you work in my pace the autumn will be around and it is time to start all over again.

PS. I borrowed the great images from the web.


Enjoy !
G