Making Space for What’s Next

Simple ways to refresh your home in February

It’s not time for spring cleaning yet, but February is always when I start to feel the itch to think ahead to spring. By now, most of our winter decorations have been tucked away, and every so often we’re gifted a hint of what’s coming next: sunshine streaming through the windows, a slightly warmer afternoon, and sunsets that linger just a bit longer.

This year, one of my goals is to be more homemade. For me, that means cooking more from scratch, growing more food and flowers in our garden, and making simple, natural cleaning solutions for our home.

Lately, I’ve been gathering easy, effective cleaning recipes that don’t feel overwhelming or overly complicated. Here are a few favorites I’ve found:

*If you have pets, be sure to research what is and isn’t safe for them. We avoid certain essential oils because we have cats.

Natural Cleaning Solutions

All-Purpose Cleaner

Ingredients:

1 cup white vinegar

2 cups water

10-15 drops essential oil of your choice

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients in a spray bottle.

Shake well to mix.

Spray on surfaces and wipe clean with a damp cloth.

Natural Glass Cleaner

Ingredients:

1 cup water

1/4 cup rubbing alcohol

10 drops essential oil of your choice

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients in a spray bottle.

Shake well to mix.

Spray on glass and wipe clean with a soft cloth.

Natural Bathroom Cleaner

Ingredients:

1 cup baking soda

1/2 cup white vinegar

10 drops essential oil of your choice 

Instructions:

Combine baking soda and vinegar in a bowl.

Let sit for 5 minutes, then stir to create a paste.

Apply paste to surfaces in the bathroom and let sit for 15 minutes.

Scrub with a brush and rinse clean.

Natural Floor Cleaner

Ingredients:

1 bucket of warm water

1/2 cup white vinegar

10 drops essential oil of your choice

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients in a bucket.

Mop your floors as usual.

Homemade Carpet Freshener 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Borax

• 1 cup baking soda

• 10 drops essential oil

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix well. Store in an air-tight container. When you’re ready to use, just sprinkle around the carpet and let sit for about half an hour. Vacuum up, and you’re good to go!

In addition to freshening the smell in a room, this combination of ingredients can disinfect, kill fleas and their eggs, and act as a rodent deterrent.

As Simple as Opening a Window

Another thing I love about February is the occasional false-spring day. While the month is still very much winter, there are those random warmer days that invite us to crack open the windows, sometimes for the first time in months.

“Some old-fashioned things like fresh air and sunshine are hard to beat.” — Laura Ingalls Wilder 

There are so many benefits to opening your windows, even in the middle of winter. You don’t need to do it for long; even five to ten minutes can make a noticeable difference in how your home feels. Letting crisp air move through the house has a way of lifting mental fog and gently energizing the day.

Replacing stale indoor air with fresh outdoor air helps lift lingering smells and heaviness, supports better sleep, steadier energy, and a gentle sense of clarity that carries through the day. It can also reduce excess humidity, leaving your home feeling lighter and more refreshed.

Just be sure the temperature is above 15 degrees so your HVAC system can recover quickly afterward.