For those of you who follow me on Instagram, you would have noticed that The Stellenbosch Mom has slowly been moving away from the usual child-friendly spaces and places, focussing more on our personal lifestyle and renovation-inspired content.
Over the past 18 months, we’ve all experienced a tremendous amount of change, facing challenges that have forced us to adapt, be more flexible or change direction entirely. The same way life as we know it has changed, my blog needed to transform as well. Besides the knock that 2020/2021 has dealt us all, we have evolved greatly as a family over the past five years and I am excited to take you with us on a new journey.
I’m working on an entirely revamped site, as well as a lot of new projects that are based on design and lifestyle content. So, here goes, let’s jump straight into some home décor tips for the new season.
But first, some exciting news: we’re expecting our third child! This time, I’ve really made a conscious effort to slow down a lot more and simply enjoy life as a family of four. We’re spending a lot of time in our garden at our homestead in Stellenbosch. After we finished our renovation project in Hermanus (which you would’ve seen on Instagram) and handed it over to its new owner, we’ve taken our foot off the throttle, as a lot of our time was spent on getting it as close to what we had envisioned. Now, as I’m entering the nesting phase of my pregnancy, it felt natural to get our Stellenbosch home ready for our little one who is arriving soon!
To me, the change towards spring and the warmer months is an extra special season that really feels like a fresh start. At the moment, my aim is to make the most of the enjoyment and experience of being at home, and create a beautiful, safe space for us all. Here are 5 easy steps to get your home spring/summer-ready..
No.1
The Clear Out
It’s time to get rid of the clutter! All outdated items, clothes that no longer fit – take them out. With the sharing economy at an all-time high (sharing economy platforms connect providers and users of second-hand/pre-loved goods) you can sell your higher priced items or donate them to charities or local shelters.
I know, it seems like such a good idea at the time, but just when you’re covered up to your elbows in piles of out-of-date items and clothes and you’re past the point of no return, it suddenly isn’t so exciting anymore. But, keep going and don’t give up, it is so worth it when it’s all done.
No.2
The Deep Clean
Now that the big clear out is done, let’s get a deep clean done. I’ve used Boland Cleaning Services for this, as they do it all: floor to ceiling cleaning, including windows, carpets, upholstery and even mattresses. You can even add your car seats to the deal and give them some TLC, too. They also have a 15% discount for the month of October only. No more excuses, right?
No.3
Refresh Your Home
Here’s a confession: I love a good home fragrance…
You might think it’s unnecessary, but you would be amazed at how switching to fresh linen and spring fragrances could influence a sense of “freshness” in the home.
I love Jo Malone’s Peony & Blush suede fragrance, but a local favourite of mine is from Babylonstoren, with their seasonally perfect product offerings. They are currently celebrating all things floral with a variety of petal and blossom-inspired fine living items. Take your pick from their delicious range, including their macadamia blossom room spray and their waterblommetjie candles.
No. 4
Floral Up
I adore flowers – and the joy they bring never fades. Foraging around the house is my number one choice otherwise Flowers in the Foyer has been my go-to when it comes to the most natural looking and gorgeous arrangements for our home. I love the quality of their products (and they are wonderful people to work with). My inspiration for this floral up was taken from Damien Hirst’s latest series, Cherry Blossom. The ever lovely Hermien sourced the blossoms and helped create this magnificent spring look for us.
If you’re not into fresh flowers because of its longevity, consider something different. I recently visited Babylonstoren and I purchased their floral cupboard freshener for all our rooms. I got some of the lavender bath oil for the bathrooms too and I think this was my favourite purchase. We have lavender bushes all around our house and I wanted to bring some of that gorgeousness inside.
No.5
The Garden Brush Up
Follow the @TheStellenboschMom on Instagram to catch a glimpse of me harvesting all sorts of goodness from my edible kitchen garden. Keeping it growing and planting seasonal plants is much harder than I imagined, especially through winter, but it is so worth it.
Pruning and turning over the soil in the beds is just some of the things we did to get our garden ready for spring/summer, but what a wonderful excuse it was to be outside every day!
Now that our home and the garden has been neatened up, we are ready for slow summer days with loved ones around a braai, and some elegant Mourvèdre Rosé 2021 on ice.
What are your seasonal home essentials? Share your tips and tricks in the comments below!
