Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press• April 7, 2012

Since this is a close to spring as we get in Southwest Florida, most of us are looking for ways to give our homes a little freshening up! Some decluttering.  And maybe a couple of home projects that we have been thinking about since the holidays. Something about spring, wherever we live, always gives us a nudge to shake things up a little. And even if budgets are tight, you can still do a little decorating to make an impact.

Add spring color with vintage glass pickling jars from Pottery Barn.10 tips for putting a little spring into your home:

• Say goodbye to clutter.  Spring is the perfect time to get rid of anything that you don’t love.  Go room by room and drawer by drawer.  Closet by closet.  I find that tackling one room at a time works best. Don’t aim for perfection.  Just try to make a dent. And don’t forget to dump all of the piles of magazines that you have not read in the past two years.  Too many collectibles?  Put some away and rotate them back in the fall.

• Don’t try to redo the entire house but pick one room and give it a makeover.  Maybe the family room or the bedroom.  Make changes that you have been thinking about.  Spend some time and plan it out like a decorator.  Find photos in magazines or on the internet.  Make a vision board.  Establish a budget.  Set some priorities.  Have fun.

• Add some color for the biggest change.  Try some pops of that Tangerine Tango that you have heard so much about.  Pantone’s Color of the Year is cheerful and bright.  Try new throw pillows, a throw, picture frames. It goes with almost anything when used as an accent and is a very happy color!

• Give the kitchen a facelift. Not a remodel but some small changes that will make you love your kitchen again. Take all appliances off the counters (you will have room in your cabinets or pantry that you have decluttered).  Okay, leave the coffee maker.  But seriously, remove everything else.  Now you have room for a vase of beautiful spring flowers.  Now…replace the drawer pulls and any other outdated hardware. Then add a fresh coat of paint.