Blossoms appearing on trees and shrubs. Bulbs showing off their long-hidden beautiful faces. Rain showers creating reflective pools and puddles. Spring is here!

Spring cleaning rituals can be a time to make a few changes in home style and functioning. So, characteristic of the divergent thinker than I am, here’s a bit of this and that to place in your idea pantry.

PRODUCTS I LOVE
Meyer’s® Clean Day Counter Spray and Clean Day Surface Scrub. Why? The essential oils in these products provide natural antibacterial and antiseptic qualities to my cleaning. AND, they WORK and smell wonderful. The spray cleanser also softens baked-on foods which eases kitchen pot and pan cleaning. Not fretting about breathing or absorbing chemicals as I clean? That’s a great bonus. The vintage labels in contemporary colors are fun, too. Method® products are my second favorites.
Clorox® (my friends are thinking, “Cheryl said ‘Clorox?!!!’”) Glass Works or Natural Directions® Glass & Multi-surface Cleaner (available at Ray’s Food Place). Why? Virtually no streaks, even if I use paper towels. This is an affordable dishwasher rinse aid, too!
Woodpecker® Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner (available at No Frills Flooring on Rossanley Road). I buy the concentrate and re-mix – lasts forever. This cleans our bamboo floors just great and dries quickly.

TIPS FROM THE PROS
Window and plate mirror cleaning got a lot easier when I began using a squeegee! For large glass surfaces, I lightly mist the surface then draw the squeegee, wipe the blade and repeat until finished. Then, a quick polish with a lint-free rag or paper towel. P.S. I use short and long blade squeegees.

OUTDOORS
Gutter cleaning – best left to a pro, unless you’re very agile and want to use a leaf blower from atop the roof and clean up the mess in the yard! Some people use a garden hose to direct water into the gutter and force the leaves out.
Concrete, deck and fence cleaning – Simple Green® Concrete & Driveway Cleaner and Deck & Fence Cleaner (Ace Hardware and Bi-Mart). Biodegradable, non-toxic (keep our creek water safe!) and good for use in pressure washing equipment.

REAL SIMPLE TOUCHES
Situation: you want temporary seasonal changes without investing in new goods. Affordable and pretty fabrics for Springtime decor can be found at Jeannette’s Fabrics (Central Point), Craft Warehouse, and Joann. A simple pillow cover can be made by wrapping and ruching (multi-layer soft folds) the pillow, tying off the ends with ribbon or cording and then trimming the ends with scissors or pinking shears.
Want a more tailored look? Drape the pillow with fabric, mark where you want edges, iron fabric into shape and then apply Vel-cro® tabs or strips to a pocket fold on the back. Add a contrasting or complementary band for added flair – simply fold the band to size, iron (or sew) the edges and then attach at the back. Fusible tape is also helpful with this project, easy to iron on.

TIME SAVERS
If you use plastic trash bags, place the box at the bottom of your container under the refuse bag. Then, when you remove the trash, the next bag is readily available.
Store cleaning products in each room – no more running through the house for the cleansers you need. So much easier to ‘clean on the run’ when you have five minutes to spare.
Don’t forget to wear your string of pearls and pumps, girlfriends! Play some Rat Pack, reggae or salsa tunes! Grab your partner and dance your way to a re-freshened home.

VISA GIFT CARDS
Send your tips to me at: cvtdesign@q.com. The top two ideas will each receive a $25 Visa gift card by mail.
Cheryl von Tress Design works with clients in Southern Oregon and Northern California, specializing in homes, offices, cafes & gardens. Cheryl can be reached at 541.899.2824 or www.cvtdesign.vpweb.com.