5 Tips for Spring Cleaning and Decluttering

Home office spring cleaning includes replacing winter decor with spring decor. In the home office it can mean adding spring themed wall art such as the wall art in this home office. It can also mean replacing dark coloured winter throw pillows with pastel green ones such as pictured on this office chair.

The birds are serenading you, and the snow is melting. But your house still feels as if it is stuck with the winter blues. Spring cleaning is a tradition that allows you to freshen up your home and get a head start on the spring season. You may feel it is a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be difficult.
Here are spring cleaning tips to get you started.

Tip #1. Spring Cleaning and Decluttering: Organize and Clear the Clutter

A big part of spring cleaning is getting rid of clutter. One of the steps to carry out is to decide which areas of your home need to be decluttered. In this article, I decided to pick the home office as the room to be decluttered. I picked it since many of you may be still working from home. Now that you narrowed it down to one room you can begin picking out problem areas in that room. Identify these problem areas, analyze reasons for the clutter, determine solutions, and implement them. Sorting your belongings into four categories—trash, giveaway, store, or put away—can also be effective as you go through the spring-cleaning process. Move the clutter out as soon as possible – whether it’s bringing a donation box to a charity or planning a yard sale.

Now that you removed the clutter, you can do a more thorough cleaning in your home office. For example, if you remove clutter from the top of furniture, it is also easier to thoroughly clean it during your spring clean. You can do a more thorough spring clean now and do a better weekly clean throughout the year. The challenge is to keep the furniture, such as tabletops, decluttered all year round!

Tip #2. Organizing Tip: How to Organize Your Home Office Paper Clutter

One problem area in your home office may be your desk. I know it is mine. You may use your home office as a place to pay bills or to prepare presentations for work. It is one of the easiest rooms to load with clutter. Bills end up here, papers are strewn about, and that big desk makes the perfect tabletop for piling catalogs and books. Take baby steps to organize this room and begin with a shakedown of the things you don’t need anymore.

Tip #3. Home Office Storage Ideas

The faux wood filing cabinet is an example of a home office storage idea. It helps to store important papers that clutters up the home office desk for example.
Filing cabinet vignette designed by Lynteriors

First, corral the clutter as much as possible. Set up an effective file storage system. This includes knowing documents to keep and which ones you can throw out (or shred). A filing cabinet, like the one pictured above, helps to store important papers.

Tip #4. How to Do Spring Cleaning

This tip can be applied to all tabletops in all your rooms. Since this article focuses on the home office, it will focus on tabletop tips for that specific room. So after you have removed the clutter off your home office desk, filing cabinet, or shelf, then remove any tabletop decor. Next, dust the furniture with a clean cloth. Wipe anything else on the desk with a damp cloth to remove any dirt or other items stuck to it. If your tabletops are wooden, then follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Follow their instructions about how to clean the wood furniture.

Tip #5. Establish New Cleaning and Decluttering Habits

Don’t try to do all of your spring cleaning in one day. Instead, tackle items such as spring cleaning your home office desk for just 15 minutes each day. On the first day, remove your desk clutter. Another day dust and then do a more thorough desktop clean. Continue throughout the year to declutter your office desk every day or weekly. That will help get you in the habit of tidying up daily or weekly. Dust and clean your tabletop weekly. If you establish these house cleaning habits, it can make the next spring cleaning easier too. Now that you decluttered and did a thorough spring clean you may want to learn how to decorate your home office desk. Click the following link to receive home office desk decorating ideas and more. https://lynteriors.wordpress.com/2021/02/08/my-redecorated-home-office-reveal-tips-for-bookcase-decorating-included/

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I, Lynn Asbury, am the founder of Lynteriors which provides interior decorating services in the York Region, in Aurora, Ontario, and in the surrounding area.

Need Help Picking Appropriately Sized Furniture?

The Empty Nesters and Their Decorating Story

You may be wondering how to pick furniture that will fit your space. Many people wonder how to do this too. Or you may be wondering if you should remove furniture from your rooms. This blog is about a homeowner who struggled with this too. I found out that a Newmarket homeowner who was an empty nester wanted to buy furniture for her lovely renovated dining room and attached family room. The homeowner shared some of her dreams for the dining room with me. She also shared what she wanted in her family room too. We collaborated to ensure that her dream rooms were created. As you will see in the blog and the testimonial that follows, I did work with her ideas. I will work with your decorating dreams too. So your dream rooms become reality as well.

Dining room furniture and accessories procured by Lynteriors for the Newmarket customers. They were empty nesters.
Dining room furniture Procured by Lynteriors for Newmarket Empty Nesters

Proper Furniture Placement and Spacing Planning

Amount of Space Between a Wall and Table

One of the first aspects of interior design to consider when you are decorating your space is space planning. Space planning is necessary: especially if your space is small. The size of the furniture and the amount of furniture that you are going to add to your room requires careful thought. For example, there were too many pieces of furniture in my customer’s dining room. They included a dining hutch and a small sideboard. Since the design of the glass on the dining hutch echoed the glass design on her kitchen cabinets, she wanted to keep the hutch.

I suggested moving the small red sideboard into the family room and using it as an end table. This way, existing furniture in the dining room could breathe. And the table and chairs she wanted to purchase could breathe too.

It was important for space-planning logistics too. There should be at least 3 feet between a table and the wall in the dining room so that the chair can slide out easily from under the dining table. A chair could not slide out easily with a sideboard in the space. This was important to consider because they wanted to add a chair here when guests came over. There is now room for a chair here. The above photo shows the dining room designed by Lynteriors. The design included the furniture, wall art, and table accessories.

Appropriate Size Furniture

We measured too to ensure the new dining chairs and table fit the space. The measurements and furniture plan helped confirm what size furniture would work in their room. A furniture plan can help you see that the furniture will fit your space too.

Home Design Help

You may need design help. For example, you may have decorating ideas. But you may need help making it work in your room. I can help you see what will work using drawings. I have training and expertise in interior decorating and in drafting design drawings. Interior design drawings are tools to show you what works in your space based on what you told me you want. For example, you may want to add a new chair to your living room. You may not know which size is best for the room size. A furniture plan will show you and the designer what size chair will work in your living room.

Drawings such as furniture plans and three-dimensional drawings can help you see what I suggest too. For example, I may come up with an idea for your space based on what you told me you want. The drawing shows you my design idea. Click the following link to see examples of these drawings. https://lynteriors.wordpress.com/full-service-interior-design-service/.

This page explains what my full-service interior design is all about. It also shows examples of drawings too. An example of a three-dimensional drawing is at the beginning of the page. And an example of a furniture plan is at the end of the page.

Family room with love seat procured by Lynteriors for the empty nesters. It also includes the sideboard that was formally in the dining room.
Family Room Furniture Procured by Lynteriors for Newmarket Empty Nesters

I did an interior design drawing for the family room. So I knew for sure the design I proposed for their family room would work. It showed that the love seat and red sideboard would work together side by side. I showed it to the customer, so they could see how everything would look together too. Above is the photo of the red sideboard and love seat together.

If you want to learn how to create a similar drawing for the furniture in your room, access your free guide by clicking the button below.

Yes! I want my free guide now!

The Testimonial from the Newmarket Client

Lynteriors received this Facebook review from Heather:

Lynn is fantastic at seeing how things will look in your room. She worked with my ideas that I had and was wonderful with her suggestions of furniture changes and lighting too. She took us shopping and was so helpful with the details. When our order arrived she came over to make sure everything was as expected.

Heather, Newmarket

Lynteriors can help you create your dream rooms too. If you want to find out more about how to work with me click the following link, https://lynteriors.wordpress.com/work-with-me/. You can find the original recommendation and review on my Facebook business page. Click the following link to see the original review.https://www.facebook.com/lynteriors

This is the photo of me, Lynn, the owner of Lynteriors. I provide interior decorating services in Aurora, Ontario, and the surrounding area.

I, Lynn Asbury, am the founder of Lynteriors which provides interior decorating services in Aurora, Ontario, and the surrounding area.

Home Staging and Bathroom Renovation Tips

HOMEBUYERS WANT A MOVE-IN READY HOUSE

A home staged bathroom with neutral coloured walls.
Staged Aurora, Ontario bathroom by Home on Stage

Undoubtedly, making repairs and renovations in your bathroom will increase the value of your house. Over time, the bathroom goes through wear and tear and may look old and dull. A bathroom renovation will not only improve your daily life but can also help increase your home’s value. I suggest renovating your bathroom a few years before you sell your home. This way, you get to enjoy it; plus, you will get an ROI when you sell it. A bathroom renovation provides some of the highest resale returns as a home improvement project. Bathroom remodels can increase the home value by 2 to 3%.

Most homeowners are maxing out their home purchasing budget. They are making an offer on the best home they can afford. As a result, they don’t have extra money to paint or retile the bathroom.

According to a recent Home survey conducted by Metropolitan Regional Information Systems Inc., 81 percent of respondents recognized updated kitchens and bathrooms as the most important feature when considering whether or not to purchase a home.

Home Staging and Updating Your Vanity

Updating your vanity is one of the bathroom improvement projects with the highest ROI, partly because that’s a major focal point for the room. A new or painted cabinet is a good idea. Pick a neutral paint colour such as white. If the vanity needs repair, repair it or replace it.


Also, update the countertop if it’s dated or damaged. Timeless choices like white are always wise, as bathroom trends come and go, and what’s in today may be completely out by the time you want to sell. White quartz or quartz with a marble look is a good idea as it will not pit like marble. Quartz shows better than laminate too. As a result, quartz will boost your resale value.

Home Staging by Repairing and Painting Walls

Most buyers want to see uniform, freshly-painted white or light gray walls. In a move-in ready home, the walls are even. So repair wall patches. If buyers notice a patch on the ceiling, they may think there is a ceiling leak.

Also, neutral color palettes —light gray or white — help buyers see the home as a blank canvas and boost the idea that the home is turnkey; that is, move-in ready and updated. They’ll be thrilled they don’t have to worry about finding a painter who has time in their schedule.

The Aurora, Ontario bathroom in the photo above had an uneven ceiling area. The bathroom had patches on the wall above the vanity too. So the painter first repaired these areas. She then painted the room a warm white. The white paint instantly lightened and brightened the room too.

The tub, tub surround, and toilet in some homes may need to be repaired or renovated as well. Some grout around the tub surround had to be repaired in this bathroom by my contractor for example.

In conclusion, if you want to receive the top dollar for your home, then the bathroom needs to be updated, repaired, and if necessary renovated. The renovation may be as simple as painting the bathroom cabinet and walls. It could mean a complete renovation. Since I am a decorator too, I can help you renovate your bathroom. I can help you with other interior design needs too. Click the link to find out more about how Lynterior’s can help. https://lynteriors.wordpress.com/work-with-me/

I, Lynn Asbury, am the founder of Lynteriors which provides interior decorating services in Aurora, Ontario.

 

 

 

Need Help Revitalizing Your Empty Nest? Read On!

This is a photo of the refreshed living room owned by the Newmarket, Ontario empty nesters. The contemporary loveseat is upholstered with a neutral coloured fabric which make the loveseat perfect for home staging.
Love seat in refreshed living room

Empty Nest: 2 Ideas for a Room Refresh

Has your last child left home for university or college or to begin their career etc. ? You may find yourself with more funds to transform your rooms for your new lifestyle now that the children have left the nest. If so, perhaps you are wondering how to redo your living room or other rooms? Or your furniture looks tired, and you want to replace it with the furniture you truly love.

My Newmarket Ontario clients were essentially empty nesters. The children were either married or about to finish university. So they wanted to revitalize their open-concept living room and dining room. Most of their furniture was given to them by family. Other furniture pieces were bought when the children were younger. It was not what they preferred.

Now that the children were gone, they were ready to buy the higher quality furniture that they liked. For example, they wanted to replace their tired sofa with a love seat.
Also, they liked the idea of buying furniture with staging in mind too. Furthermore, receiving discounts is a great perk when you work with an interior decorator. They liked that idea too.

Idea #1: Choose Neutral Coloured Furniture Fabric

Together, we picked a contemporary love seat that refreshed the room. The light-coloured upholstery fabric lightened and brightened the room. It is the perfect style of furniture for staging too. Because it is contemporary and it has neutral coloured fabric.

Dining table and chairs in the refreshed dining room

Idea #2: Pick the Appopriate Furniture Style

The wife’s parents gave them their dining room table and chairs. The style was not to their liking, and they wanted it to coordinate with a farmhouse-style buffet they owned and loved. I helped them choose modern farmhouse-style dining room furniture that was to their liking. The furniture allowed them to entertain their friends and their growing family. The neutral coloured chair fabric was home staging worthy as well.

Now, they are enjoying their revitalized living room and dining room. Lynteriors helped them and Lynteriors can help you create your dream rooms too. Contact me at 416-721-6217 for a free discovery call. You can also go to https://lynteriors.wordpress.com/contact/ to find out other ways to contact me.

I, Lynn Asbury, am the founder of Lynteriors which provides interior decorating services in Aurora, Ontario.

2 Valentine Ideas for Your Living Room

Valentine’s day is around the corner! So I thought I would share some interior decorating tips for this special day.

When it comes to holidays, I try to buy versatile pieces. This means all of my Valentine’s day decor can be used for multiple seasons and multiple spaces. Or they can even be used year-round but, when curated together in a living room, they bring in a beautiful vibe for this special day.

I do pull out some of my decor pieces that can work for the fall, Christmas, and Valentine’s day as well. And I use seasonal decor pieces when I do photoshoots.

This living room love seat, I procured arrived in late November. So the homeowner had partially decorated the room for Christmas. I took advantage of this and tweaked the look. I added accessories with a Valentine’s feel too.

1. Valentine’s Day Wall Art Ideas

A red throw and red wall art are Christmas colors. Red is also the colour of love. Red is the traditional colour for Valentine’s day as well.

Wall art with red flowers is also a piece of decor that works. Flowers and red go hand in hand on Valentine’s day! These ideas can work for you too. For example, you can remove your wall art and replace it with a piece of art with a Valentine’s theme.

Sofa procured by Lynteriors, an Aurora, Ontario interior designer

2. Ideas for Valentine’s Day Table- top Accents

Empty Nesters and Valentines Day

The empty nesters of this Newmarket home wanted a new sofa or love seat. Since the children were grown up and gone, they wanted something just for them. I suggested a love seat. Love seats are perfect for two empty nesters and so romantic: Especially for Valentine’s day!

The two birds (2 love birds on either side of the “love” seat) add to the Valentine’s motif. The heart candle on the red console pictured above is another accessory that creates a Valentine’s theme. Red flowers in the vase would complete the look.


If you are empty nesters looking to revitalize your space in order to facilitate your new lifestyle, I can help. I have a package for that. Click the button below for more information

Work with Me
Founder of Lynteriors, an Aurora, Ontario interior designer

I, Lynn Asbury, am the founder of Lynteriors which provides interior decorating services in Aurora, Ontario. My passion is making spaces beautiful, comfortable, and suitable for your lifestyle.