Home spring home
Every year our family takes the idea of spring cleaning very seriously. The change of season is the catalyst for a weekend of cleaning and new home decor. Lockdown at home meant the spring clean came early this year. One Story, Adairs, Storage Box and Briscoes at Albany Mega Centre all inspired a fresh start.
Every year in October we have a big house clean in preparation for the finer weather months ahead. A few weeks with all of us at home over August lockdown and the house starts to feel ‘very lived in’. This year the need for a spring clean has come early. We tell the kids over dinner on Friday night, much to their disapproval.
We kick Saturday off with a high level of enthusiasm. Sonya and I start in the lounge, kitchen and living rooms, wiping surfaces as we discuss the possibilities for these rooms. We agree on a new lamp, a rug and maybe some new art work. We continue cleaning in the laundry and bathrooms and then down in our bedroom.
The kids only need to focus on their own rooms but, as expected, cleaning is secondary to playing, listening to music and watching stuff on their phone. Jake just turned twelve and is in between kids and teenage toys. After about an hour he decides he’s done. And by done, he means he’s pushed everything under the bed so we can’t see it. We agree to get him some more storage (and the new action figure he wants) if he takes the time to dust and vacuum his room properly. He’s still of an age where bribes work!
Tina’s done a good job of her room, cleaning every surface and even throwing stuff away. We gave her our old-double bed last year including all our old duvets and sheets. She really could do with a new duvet set or two.
Sunday, late morning and we head off as a family to Albany Mega Centre. It’s nice to see the crowds back here and to see everyone wearing a mask.
First stop, Storage Box. There are so many options and Jake struggled to decide which one to go with. We settle on three big flat plastic tubs that could slide under the bed. One for Lego, one for action figures and one for everything else. Jake seems happy enough and pops off to The Warehouse to buy his action figure.
I take Sonya and Tina to Briscoes. Who knew there was so much choice in duvet covers and sheets? I didn’t, but apparently Sonya did. After making some suggestions that clearly weren’t resonating, I wander off looking for things to buy. Let’s say, not all my selections met with Sonya’s strict quality (and taste) standards.
Tina decided on a beautiful silk-looking duvet in a deep red colour and a more traditional looking one in a black, white and grey. She buys two sheet sets, both in white so they go with everything, and she finds a very luxurious looking throw in a mint green colour.
The kids head off to Burger King, leaving Sonya and I to the serious business of finding stuff for the living areas in three of our favourite stores: Adairs, One Story and Farmers Home. Is there a better way to spend a few hours on a Sunday?
We decide to check out all three stores first, without buying anything, then stop for lunch to discuss the options before deciding on the two or three ‘must have’ things. So much for the plan. We walk out of Farmers with a bowl, two cushions and a throw for the couch. We come out of One Story with a side table for the lounge and a little coffee table to go next to the arm chair in the living room. And at Adairs we buy a lamp, more cushions, a print for the hall, some candlesticks and a mirror. It's just as well we only spring clean once a year!
We find the kids and head home for an afternoon of setting up our new purchases. By Sunday evening, we’re feeling like we’ve achieved a lot. A bit of spring cleaning, some new homeware, and a lot of help from Albany Mega Centre, and suddenly life feels fresh and new again.