10 Simple Ways to Welcome Spring Into Your Home (Without a Major Shopping Trip!)
You don’t have to go on a shopping spree to give your home a springtime atmosphere. As a matter of fact, some of my favorite seasonal refreshes cost absolutely nothing.
This year, I once again forced bulbs indoors, replaced my kitchen gallery wall with complimentary vintage botanical prints, and made several other easy adjustments that immediately filled our home with brightness.
Spring isn’t about achieving perfection or completely transforming your home; it’s about the little changes that make you want to throw open the windows, brew a cup of coffee, and stay a bit longer in the room you love most. Here are 10 simple ideas you can try too, whether you have an entire afternoon or only ten minutes.
Hi, I’m Jennifer. For me, home is a continual expression of intentional living. As the New England seasons unfold, I search for ways to make our rooms not just lovely, but genuinely comforting and restorative. I’m delighted that you’re here to discover it alongside me.
Simple Ways to Give Your Home a Springtime Feel
Spring doesn’t require a total home renovation or an extensive shopping excursion. It’s all about thoughtful, modest updates that alter the mood of your surroundings—a dish of forced bulbs on the table, newly picked herbs on the windowsill, and lighter blankets draped over the sofa.
Choose one or two suggestions that seem manageable and begin with those. Your home will seem more airy, and you’ll feel the same way.
1. Bring Spring Bulbs to Life Indoors
One of the loveliest ways to introduce spring indoors ahead of schedule is by forcing bulbs. Watching those tender green shoots appear and finally blossom feels almost magical, particularly when snow is still covering the ground outdoors.
Here are two options:
The DIY Approach: You can grow your own forced bulbs in either water or soil.
The Instant Results Approach:
Most supermarkets and Trader Joe’s (my preferred place!) carry pots of spring bulbs during this season. For less than the cost of a bouquet, you can pick up a flowering bulb arrangement that should remain beautiful for several weeks.
Daffodils add a cheerful burst of yellow that resembles pure sunshine after a long season spent indoors. And hyacinths? Their fragrance alone makes them worthwhile: sweet, delicate, and unmistakably reminiscent of spring.
2. Give Your Walls a Botanical Refresh
One of the simplest (and most wallet-friendly!) ways to bring a springtime feeling into your home? Replace the artwork inside your current frames.
This year, I gathered a group of vintage botanical bird illustrations for my kitchen gallery wall, and the change was immediate. All at once, the room feels brighter and more seasonal, without paying for new frames or investing in significant decor.
I have nine frames arranged in a gallery wall above my dining table, and I rotate the artwork throughout the year. It’s one of my favorite decorating ideas because:
- The frames remain unchanged (so there’s no need to buy more)
- I can give the room an entirely different atmosphere in roughly 15 minutes
- Printing your own artwork costs just pennies compared with purchasing new decorations
Here’s the best part: You don’t have to be a graphic designer or spend endless hours searching for artwork. I’ve taken care of that for you!
My vintage botanical bird prints are available exclusively to my email community. Subscribe here, and I’ll deliver them directly to your inbox, ready for printing and framing. You’ll also receive access to my complete printable art library, letting you change your artwork whenever inspiration strikes.
Whether you choose spring botanicals, autumn leaves, or winter evergreens, keeping a selection of seasonal prints allows you to update your walls all year without buying new frames or mass-produced artwork.
Quick suggestion: Use cardstock or matte photo paper to achieve the finest results. Most print shops (and even your home printer!) can produce 8×10 or 5×7 prints beautifully.
3. Bring Out Your Spring Books, Seed Catalogs & Gardening Magazines
One of my favorite ways to beat the winter blues? Bringing out my gardening books, seed catalogs, and wreath-making idea books, then simply… looking through them. There’s something about turning pages filled with flowers and garden layouts that makes spring seem nearer, even while snow remains on the ground.
I arrange them on my coffee table, place them on a shelf, or keep them on a nearby side table for easy access. At times, I’m planning my real garden; other times, I’m simply imagining. Either way, they move my thoughts from “we’re stuck in winter” to “spring is on its way, and I have plans.”
Explore my favorite gardening books!
4. Put Together a Simple Spring Vignette
You don’t have to redecorate the whole house to create a springlike atmosphere. In many cases, arranging a single small space can change the feeling of the entire room.
I put together an easy spring vignette on my coffee table, beginning with a woven round tray as the foundation. Next, I added:
- A pair of vintage-style gold bunnies (because a charming little rabbit is practically a spring essential!)
- Antique books tied with jute twine to add texture and dimension
- A petite vase filled with dried flowers kept from the garden
- A plant to introduce a touch of vibrant green
The secret to an attractive vignette: Vary the heights, combine textures (naturalelements + antique treasures + something alive), and keep the arrangement thoughtfully edited. You want it to look curated rather than crowded.
Starting with a tray is one of my favorite decorating techniques. It defines the space and gives the arrangement a purposeful look. It also makes it simple to move everything when you need the table for something else.
Quick decorating tip: Choose odd-numbered groupings (3 or 5 pieces usually look better than 2 or 4), and don’t hesitate to remove items. If the arrangement feels overwhelming, take one thing away. Empty space matters just as much as the pieces you display.
Cost: I had everything in this display already. The bunnies were refreshed with craft-store makeovers, the books came from my bookshelf, the dried flowers were gathered from my garden, and the plant was already on hand. A free spring update? Absolutely.
5. Design an Easy Spring Table Centerpiece
One of my favorite ways to add springtime charm to the table? A centerpiece created with potted flowers rather than cut blossoms. It stays beautiful longer, is more affordable than a bouquet, and you can move everything outdoors once you’re finished enjoying it.
For this display, I combined pink primrose, a white pansy, and blooming hyacinth bulbs—all purchased from the grocery store and Trader Joe’s. The total came to about the price of one bouquet, yet the arrangement remained fresh for weeks.
Here’s how I assembled it:
I chose a white ceramic pedestal bowl with feet, although any deep bowl will do—as long as there’s enough room for the flower pots. I began by adding a layer of small stones to the bottom for drainage, then removed the primrose and pansy from their containers and positioned them inside the bowl. The blooming hyacinth bulbs came in petite glass vases from Trader Joe’s for approximately $3.50 each, so I simply nestled them into the arrangement.
Next, I added potting soil around the flowers and topped the dirt with moist preserved moss, which helps hold in moisture and means you won’t need to water as often. To complete the look, I draped grapevine garland around the edge and placed a few pussy willow stems in the center for added height.
Why this approach is a favorite:
- It’s easy on the budget (about the same cost as a bouquet, but it lasts much longer)
- Every plant can be transferred outdoors afterward
- It’s wonderfully flexible—arrange the pieces until you’re happy with the result
- It suits every season (replace the flowers with fall mums, winter evergreens, and more)
6. Create or Update a Wreath
If there’s one detail that immediately makes my home feel ready for a new season, it’s replacing the wreath. I’m somewhat fixated on wreath-making (all right, very fixated—I have more than 50 wreath tutorials on my blog!), and I find it incredibly satisfying to build one from the beginning or give a beloved old wreath a spring makeover.
There are two ways to approach it:
Make a New Wreath: Pick up a grapevine or wire wreath form and decorate it with fresh spring accents: faux blooms, greenery, a lovely ribbon, and perhaps some dried flowers saved from last year’s garden. It’s calming, imaginative, and leaves you with a one-of-a-kind piece for your front door.
Refresh What You Already Have: Not interested in making one from the ground up? Replace the ribbon on a current wreath or add a few spring picks, such as faux tulips, daffodils, or pussy willows. In five minutes, it can look completely new!
Wreath-making is truly one of my favorite ways to leave the winter gloom behind. Working with flowers and greenery—even artificial varieties—has a way of making spring seem much nearer.
Looking for a tutorial? I’ve created wreaths for every season and experience level:
Believe me, after you create your first wreath, you’ll be completely captivated. (Just look at my closet overflowing with wreath-making supplies!)
7. Shop Secondhand for Spring Decor
One of my favorite ways to give my home a spring refresh? Making a quick visit to the thrift store. You’d be surprised by what you can discover for only a few dollars, and searching is half the enjoyment.
Spring items I search for:
- White or ivory dishes: Pale shades immediately look more seasonal than the deep, weighty pieces I bring out during fall and winter
- Baskets: Ideal for gathering clutter, displaying plants, or arranging on shelves
- Vintage planters and bowls: Wonderful for forcing bulbs, growing potted herbs, or creating spring displays
- Lightweight linens: Spring-friendly table runners, napkins, or tea towels in gentle shades
- Glass vases and bottles: Ideal for freshly cut flowers (or forced branches after the snow has melted!)
For Spring, I decorate my dining table with a mix of cream and green shades. The napkins, green dishes, and ceramic vase were all found while thrifting.
The secret to spring thrifting is choosing pieces with lightness and airiness. I tend to select whites, delicate pastels, organic materials such as wicker and wood, and anything that feels bright instead of bulky.
Budget tip: With the right finds, you can give a room an entirely new feel for less than $20. Add a few white dishes to open shelves, arrange a basket or two on a coffee table, and fill a thrifted vase with grocery store flowers for instant spring style.
8. Add Fresh Greenery
Fresh branches have a way of announcing spring, even if snow is still covering the ground (like the three feet currently filling my yard!).
Here are two ways to bring them in:
Cut Your Own Blooming Branches: As soon as the thaw begins, go outdoors with your pruners and snip branches from forsythia, pussy willow, cherry, or quince. Bring them indoors, crush the ends with a hammer so they can take in water, and set them in a vase filled with room-temperature water in a sunny location. Refresh the water every few days, and in a week or two, flowers will appear!
One of the best things about forcing my own forsythia? It costs absolutely nothing. Simply step outside, cut a handful of branches, and before long, beautiful yellow blossoms will brighten your home.
Pick Up Branches at the Grocery Store: Not prepared to face the cold (or still surrounded by snow like I am)? Visit your local grocery store! Trader Joe’s currently has pussy willow stems, and it generally begins stocking flowering cherry branches soon. They’re reasonably priced and already close to opening.
Quick forcing tip: Your branches will open more quickly in a warmer room with plenty of sunlight. I prefer placing mine where I’ll notice them daily—the kitchen counter or mantel lets me enjoy the transformation.
9. Open the Windows (Yes, Really!)
This may be the easiestthing on this list, yet it’s also among the most effective.
When the first gentle day arrives, even if it’s only 50 ° and sunny-open a window or two. Allow fresh air to circulate through your home for just 10 or 15 minutes.
You’ll notice the change right away. Your home smells cleaner. The air seems brighter. Instead of hearing the furnace humming, you can listen to the birds. It’s a sensory transformation that no amount of decorating can reproduce.
Here’s the best part: There’s no need to purchase, rearrange, or make anything. Simply open a window. That’s all. Somehow, this small action makes everything feel more springlike.
I’m honestly so excited to do this!! It’s been an especially chilly winter here, and everything feels dull! Once it reaches 50°, I’m opening a few windows wide.
10. Rearrange What You Already Have
At times, the finest spring update costs nothing-it simply calls for a fresh perspective.
Shift that plant into a brighter location now that the days have stretched out. Exchange decorations between rooms (that vase sitting in the guest room? It might look perfect on your kitchen table this spring). Bring out pieces you stored during fall and find them a fresh place for the season.
Here’s a method I rely on: Photograph a room with your phone. All at once, you’ll view it in a new way: spot what feels crowded, what’s absent, and what might be relocated. It’s similar to seeing your home through a visitor’s eyes.
Buying new items isn’t necessary. You only need to look at what you own from a different angle. Browse your home first, rearrange, simplify, and renew. It costs nothing, it’s enjoyable, and it’s surprising how much a room changes when you merely shift a few things.
Spring represents renewal, not collecting more. Use what you have as your starting point, then continue from there.
Small Changes Make a Big Difference
Spring needn’t involve a full home transformation or an extensive shopping outing. Instead, it’s about thoughtful little adjustments that change the mood of your space: a container of blooming bulbs on the table, rearranged furnishings, a fresh wreath on the entrance, and brighter patterns on the walls.
Choose one or two suggestions that seem manageable and begin there. Perhaps you’ll replace your artwork this weekend and plant some bulbs next week. Or maybe you’ll simply open the windows and consider it a success. There’s no perfect approach-only what works for you.
Your home will seem brighter, and you may feel the same. Isn’t that truly the essence of spring?
What’s your favorite way to add a spring feeling to your home? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!
Have your projects showcased! If this project or any of my other DIY creations inspires you, I’d be delighted to see them and include you in the Reader’s Spotlight gallery. Email a photo to jennifer@cottageonbunkerhill.com
xo, Jennifer
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