Summer Reset: Gentle Ways to Refresh Your Home Without Spending a Dime

At the height of the summer when you’re stuck inside when the days are too hot or when you’ve been rushing from potluck, to cookout, to pool party, these are some great ways to freshen up your home without breaking the bank.

Here’s how I’m refreshing our home this month—completely free:

1. Open every window, even just for five minutes. The house being shut up with the air circulating, the air can feel a little stale. In the early morning when the house is quiet and the air outside is still somewhat cool, you can open the windows of the common areas for a few minutes. Maybe while you do you morning routine, or make your coffee. The fresh air and the sounds of nature are always grounding and a great way for me to start the day regulated, calm, and energized.
2. Rearrange a small space. Doing a quick go through of spaces that often get neglected are ways to create small victories in your space. going through that basket of body care products that you put ones you get as presents and tell yourself you’ll try out something new next time. Re-organizing cleaning products under the sink, matching all the socks that have been thrown haphazardly into the sock drawer. Small tasks that make things a little less cluttered and hectic.
3. Wipe doorframes and light switches. It sounds so small, but I always appreciate how much cleaner everything looks from such a simple action. If any of you are like me and has a partner with a dirty job, this gets done more like once a month than once a season, but even with sticky little fingers those spaces can get dirty faster than we expect.
4. Add citrus peels to vinegar. Let it sit for a few days, and suddenly you’ve got a summer-scented cleaner for pennies. Citrus is usually one of those things that I buy a lot of when they’re in peak season. We love ice cold fresh lemonade in our house, and I’m always left with the peels and this became a great way to feel less wasteful. You can do just the one type or you can mix it up! If you’ve got herbs in your garden making herb infused vinegars are a great way to add freshness and the outdoors to your cleaning routine as well
5. Bring nature in. If you have plants like I do, then there is always some extra around, especially if you have pollinator plants or flowers. Sometimes the simplest things can be the most beautiful. Chamomile, chive flowers, lavender, extra greenery from trimming back herbs or vegetables. A simple floral and greenery arrangement always brightens the space and smells wonderful.

This season, I’m not trying to reinvent my house. I’m just trying to live in it like it matters. And it does.