Spring is here in all its glory, showing us pops of color after a winter of gray, gray, and more gray. It’s time to throw open the windows, enjoy the fresh air, and make a few green changes around the house in time for the season. Best of all you can easily make some great green changes for free (or next to it!).
The following are a few simple (remember those baby steps!) ideas to try for the season. I am stealing these from some previous posts, so do click through on the pictures for more!
Spring Tree Project
Use your crafty skills, or your kids’, and create something happy, fun, colorful to bring spring into any room using found items. Bringing in nature with a mixture of paper and handcrafted bits make it simple and is bound to lift the mood even when spring showers are working to grow our flowers!
Planning Organic Gardens and Getting Kids Involved
Baby Hands Digging In Soil, Enjoying the Fruits of Her Garden Labor
Depending on your area’s weather and type of garden, you may have already started, but if not it is still a great time to get your kids – even the littlest – involved in planning one. Talk about perfect for the Spring season! Flowers are the first signs of color, new life, and new beginnings. Plant, plan, and most of all get dirty together in the rich soil of our earth.
Have you caught your first glimpse of a migrating butterfly yet?
Butterflies are such enchanting creatures and many a child has dreamed of cocoons, growing wings and learning to fly. Their rich colors amongst the deep green leaves or lovely pinks and yellows of Spring flowers turn this insect into magic. There are numerous stories that feature them and my favorite butterfly craft is sure to be a crowd-pleaser for the little ones.
Sun Warmed Clothes for Non-Toxic Laundry
There are a variety of ways to make your laundry room a non-toxic environment, but only one leaves your clothes with the scent only the sun can leave.
The weather is starting to turn. We had many days over Spring Break that were sunny and almost 70 degrees! That is time to start line-drying the laundry. One of the easiest changes to save energy and wear and tear on your clothes from the dryer. Plus, who can resist the warmth of the sun on a fresh load of laundry? If you have to do it anyway, go for the best!
An Eco-Friendly, Non-Toxic Home
Wish you could own a house as green as this?
While that may be a dream, there is one simple step to take this Spring to make your home less toxic and more eco-friendly without costing a dime: have everyone remove their shoes as soon as they enter the house. Amazing, but true. This small change can make a big impact on the toxins inside your home. Make it easy, make it a rule, just do it!
Make all my own cleaners? Yes it can be done, but even one simple change can make a difference!
Homemade cleaners have become the grail of green gurus. It really is amazing what a little baking soda and vinegar can accomplish, but it does take a little getting used to. One little thing may make a huge difference, especially as we start to see some sun streaking through those windows (just don’t worry about those just yet, they can wait): dusting gently with a damp cleaning cloth.
An enormous amount of serious yuckiness from toxins to pesticides resides in the dust sitting on every inch possible. It is important not to sweep it back into the air again and no harsh cleaners are needed, just a little water and reusable rag.
***
Tonight, the Green Sisterhood will be hosting this week’s #ecowed twitter party which will be all about Spring: decor, cleaning, etc. for the green and frugal. Join in at 7pm PST/10pm EST. Follow along with the #ecowed hashtag or check out the discussion through that hashtag in the morning! Hope to see you there!
Hi Brenna,
I’m so happy to have found your blog–it’s lovely! Always glad to find like-minded green moms out there in the blogosphere. I just subscribed and look forward to reading more from you!
Hi Joy, I am so happy you made your way here. Green mamas do need to stick together. :)
Excellent post Brenna,
Spring is the best time of year isn’t it?
It’s funny that ENGLAND pressured the US to change new years from april 1st to Jan 1st.
The start of the new year sure feels like right now doesn’t it?
I do love Spring, it does feel more like a renewal than the midst of winter.
I wish it was feeling more spring-like here. It’s still bitter cold. I can’t imagine planting yet, but I’m ready.I love your spring tree project!
Thanks, Lori. It holds a special place in my heart. Today feels like Spring here, but the rainy kind which is not my favorite. Hope yours warms up soon!
I could say these are the best ways to spend Spring and when gardening together with your children is priceless,it will help them develop a green thumb and a new appreciation for the world around them. You’re a great green mama, indeed.
Pingback: Spring, Hope, Nature - Almost All The Truth