How to Refresh Your Home After the Holidays

The holidays were filled with warm family gatherings, lots of slow mornings in front of the fireplace and the Christmas tree and baking. Oh, so much baking. But it wasn't long after the last present was opened that I was ready to refresh my home after the holidays. I love the glitter and the twinkle that the Christmas decorations bring, but I also love the calm and simplicity that happens with clean open spaces when the decor is packed up. Once I put away the holiday decorations things feel a little bare for a few days. This year I embraced it and I loved the time I took to reset my home after the holidays. Here are a few things that I did and ways that you can simply refresh your home after the holidays.

How to Refresh Your Home After the Holidays

Add some plants and fresh greenery

I live in a pretty green area year round so I might have a one up on you, but I took the chance to add a few sprigs of eucalyptus and a cut or two from my olive tree in my backyard to small vases. If everything around you is dead, head to the floral section at your local grocery store or Trader Joe's. You can usually find greenery for just a few dollars. 
I also like to pick up inexpensive potted plants at my local Home Depot or Lowe's. A few plants I would recommend that would help you feel refreshed are ferns, air plants, and succulents. They can handle the dreary days and just might make it until spring. I always look in the clearance section first because you never know what you are going to find for a buck or two.

Edit your accessories

I love clearing off the Christmas clutter and leaving a blank space. I usually take the whole month of January to just sit without putting back the tchotchkes and let the space speak to me. I usually start to pick up a throw or a few new pillows or maybe a vase for my mantle and I love finding those new items that make me feel refreshed. But give it some time. Refresh doesn't mean making any huge significant purchases. It means slowing down to enjoy what you have and being content in your space.
I bought this olive tree a few years ago from Amazon and I love it. It's 6 feet tall and looks really natural. I put it in a woven basket and I move it from room to room depending on where I feel like it needs something. 

Clean and organize

I always feel overwhelmed with stuff after the holidays so I like to do a quick purge. I take items I want to donate to my local Goodwill and I set aside items I know I can sell at my local consignment shop or list items on OfferUp of Craigslist. 

This is how we save thousands of dollars on clothes for our whole family each year. 
It's also a good time to do a deep clean. Here are some tips I use:

Don't miss this post: 10 Things Professionals Do Every Time They Clean a Home

Essential oils for the New Year

There are a lot of different ways to scent your home, but my favorite way is using a diffuser and some essential oils. I'm not sure I buy all the science about the oils interacting with my brain and nervous system to impact my mood and my health, I like that my house doesn't smell like dog and teenagers.  I have a diffuser {this one is my favorite} I use in my office every day and I love it. I just add a few drops of essential oils to it and fill it with water in the morning. I didn't really know how to get started with essential oils, but I found this new company called Simply Earth that I'm really into. 

As a new essential oil user, I didn't really know how to get started so I got the Essential Oil Recipe box. It came with a free big bonus box that you can get if you use RACHELFREE at checkout. It has everything you need to get started complete with recipes and this month you get a soap mold so you can make your own soap. Every month you get something different!

Simmer some smells

I've always loved putting some yummy natural ingredients on the stove to simmer for the day. This is a great natural air freshener recipe that I've used for years. You can find the recipe on the blog here.

I love this time of year because it feels like nothing but a blank slate in front of me. A clean house, some fresh greens, and some relaxing scents are all it takes to help your home feel refreshed so you can hunker down and feel content and cozy in your space. 
How do you like to refresh your home after the holidays?
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