Once the new year begins, it's always nice to give your home a deep clean and a decor refresh (especially once you take all the holiday decorations down and it looks a little sad and empty). We like to do a few January home refreshes every year to keep our home and our clients homes bright and fresh in the new year. Some of them are easy and inexpensive to do every year, and some can be done every few years when things like rugs and towels start to get a little worn out.
Here's our list of new year home refreshes for every home style and a range of budgets:
Toss any old, mostly-burned candles and replace them with new ones.
We made this mistake a few years ago - we had a few "regular" candles that were pretty much almost worn out, but we didn't want to waste them. We switched them out for our seasonal holiday candles, and in January when we pulled out the sad, almost completely burned out candle jars that we'd packed away in November... well, it was pretty depressing. Our new rule was to finish burning all the regular candles before the holiday season so we could start fresh in the new year.
Here are some of our favorite fresh scents for January:
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| Roote Baltic Candle: wintery, but not Christmasy |
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| Farm + Sea Cozy Harbor Candle: smells clean and coastal |
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| Milk Bottle Candles: Come in 12 scents, we like "Welcome Home" or "Clothesline Linen" for the new year |
Treat yourself to new towels if your old ones have seen better days.
If your bath towels have been looking a little sad and ratty, treat yourself to new ones for the new year. Experts usually recommend replacing towels every 2-3 years, or when you start seeing the threads fraying or pulling apart.
Pro tip: don't use fabric softener on your towels! It affects the absorbency. We all wash our towels a lot, and if you're adding fabric softener each time, it will continue to coat the fabric and make your towels less and less absorbent over time. Wash your towels separately from other linens and clothing and skip the fabric softener in the towel load to maintain their absorbency.
The towels we sell at Lavender Fields are high quality and should last longer than less expensive brands that you find at big box stores, if well cared-for over their lifespan.
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| Pine Cone Hill's Signature White Collection is a best-seller. |
On a budget? Just replace your washcloths instead.
Even our highest-quality washcloths start at just $10 each - you can replace those and get yourself a fresh stack of new washcloths for the new year for the price of one towel!
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| Pine Cone Hill's Adobe collection is ultra-absorbent. |
Check the hand soaps in your bathroom - do they need a refill or a replacement?
What's the hand soap situation in your bathrooms? A fresh new soap can brighten the mood during the cold, dreary winter months. If you're on a budget, we like to do a fancy soap in the powder room, even if you do a more utilitarian option in the other bathrooms in your home (even our fanciest soaps are under $15, so they won't break the bank).
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| We have plenty of beautiful artisanal bar soap options - don't forget the soap dish! |
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| This generously sized foaming hand soap will last you well into the summer. |
Add a lavender bouquet or lavender bunch to your home for a natural, fresh scent.
We have gorgeous dried lavender bouquets that will add an organically natural, fresh lavender scent to any space in your home. They're especially fragrant in small spaces like bathrooms, mud rooms, and entryways. You can get one for just $14.
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| Place it in a basket on a shelf and let it fill your room with its fragrance. |
Treat yourself to crisp new sheets or bedding.
New bedding can be as budget-conscious as you'd like - we carry a range of bedding lines for many customers and price points, including Sferra, Pine Cone Hill, Designer's Guild, Matteo, Pom Pom at Home, Taylor Linens, Traditions Linens, and Peacock Alley.
You also can start small - perhaps you'd like to start with brand new pillowcases, or you just need a new mattress topper.
Or, you can go all out and purchase an entire new bedding set.
Or, you can go all out and purchase an entire new bedding set.
Some of our customers treat themselves to a new throw blanket every January, and put last year's in a guest bedroom or the living room.
Throw pillows are another great way to jazz up your bedroom for the new year.
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| Peacock Alley's monogrammed bedding is a perennial favorite - and it'll last you years and years. |
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| A few pretty throw pillows are totally worth it. |
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| You can do a major splurge on a full set of Sferra's luxurious Italian bedding, or treat yourself to a gorgeous throw blanket. |
Nothing transforms a room like a new rug.
If you want to do a little redecorating on a larger scale, think about a new rug - we have countless rugs available in endless styles.
If you're on a budget, try a 2x3" rug in front of your kitchen sink or washing machine. Almost all of our Dash and Albert rugs come in this size. Many of our customers buy these inexpensive rugs to switch out for the seasons!
Pro tip: don't skip the rug pad. It prevents slipping and will save your floors and your new rug.
Try nontoxic cleaning supplies
We've searched far and wide to find nontoxic, pet-friendly, eco-friendly, vegan cleaning supplies that actually clean well and smell nice. Our collection of natural cleaning supplies will keep your home tidy and fresh smelling while avoiding harsh and dangerous chemicals that might trigger allergies or hurt your furry friends or little ones.
Looking for more ideas to refresh your home? Shop our entire collection online here!
