Do you make seasonal changes to your home? Making seasonal changes does not mean bringing up a tote from the basement of seasonal decor. It actually could mean the opposite, especially in the summer. Taking things away. For me it does. I put away all the heavy throw blankets and the fuzzy wool pillows (that I LOVE so much). Spring is still chilly for us in Connecticut, so the real changes come about June. I have heard of people removing rugs in the summer for a more drastic change. Besides putting away the heavy throws and wool pillows I move things around, just changing art from one nail hole to the next! I came up with Five MUST- DO’s to your Home for Summer! Things you can do for Summer in your home to enjoy it more!

I am joining Marty from a A Stroll Thru Life (she is SO sweet and a long-time blogger!) and about 30 other bloggers to share our homes for Summer! If you are coming from Heather, Setting For Four welcome to Nesting with Grace! Love the summer ideas and tips that Heather shared. Just little about me- We are a family of five and a piano who have been living in an 1200 square foot home in Connecticut for about 3 years now. The beach is a short a 1/2 a mile bike ride and NYC is a 90 minute train ride into Grand Central Station. We believe everyone can love their home no matter the size! And we just painted our front door pink, so now you won’t forget me!

Loving your home in the Summer is no exception! Why not make a few simple changes, not the full extent we put into it come Christmas time but a few SIMPLE mindful things. 

Five Must-do’s to your Home for Summer-

#1- Add Empty Pitchers and Glass Jars

Yes, that is right. Place an EMPTY pitcher on your dining table. It won’t stay empty for long. Let me encourage you for this beautiful, blooming summer season to add fresh clippings from your yard to that pitcher! That pitcher is a reminder to clip flowers or just branches from tree. As the branches or flowers die, clip some more! That’s all! Keep it simple. Maybe a spot for a candle or if you have a larger table add another potted succulent. LOW MAINTENANCE is a good summer motto! (BTW- Second hand stores are great places to find pitchers and glass jars). 

Add a couple small glass bottles to your shelves too! I found THIS one that says “Fresh Daily” and just clipped some branches for it.

And cute plant holders mixed ready and waiting for plants! THIS one with the little face is maybe my favorite thing in a long time! I just picked up that little flower from the grocery store.

#2- Create a Summer Bucket List

Summer Bucket List’s are not just if you have kids. I listen to The Happier Podcast and they were talking about summer going by so fast and feeling sad after for not taking advantage of the things they love about it. Like eating outside, evening walks, you name it! They suggested writing it down! And you have probably seen fancy Summer Bucket Lists all over Pinterest. I have seen someone order a large poster size of their list from Staples. Really it can be written on any piece of paper. But I suggest hanging I up, framing it, writing on a chalkboard or a Letterboard (like we did last year). Make it part of your Summer decor! It is a fun conversation piece when guests come over. Your guests might point out that you spelled “Coney Island” wrong. Or they will tell you a “Star Fish” is actually not the correct name, it is actually a Sea Star! Just giving a hypothetical. That didn’t happen to us. 

Our Summer Bucket List is right in our kitchen, place we will see it several times a day! 

I snapped these pictures as I was getting ready for our friends to come over for a BBQ. It felt like summer! Late nights with friends and no concern for getting kids to bed. Our back door is open when the kids are playing outside or we have friends over. So about from 5:00- 8:00. I got asked a lot about flies getting in the house. We don’t have a huge issue. We have THESE fly traps that we stuck to the windows hidden behind the roman shades. They have helped a lot! 

#3- Colorful Dishtowels or Pillows-

This is always a must-do for me! Something about bringing in one new dishtowel each season brightens up our entire kitchen and makes it feel different. When I bring in something new that means something goes. So I take out any ratty looking dishtowels and cut them up to use as a rag now. Win. Win.  Really try it! We don’t buy paper towels, so I feel like this off-sets that cost! I found our new colorful dishtowel HERE. You will see below my tip for changing up pillows.

I made my favorite go-to Broccoli Salad (healthy) when our friends came over, it’s Kevin’s favorite salad too. THESE Whale Salad Tongs are my favorite to use all summer! Also picked up THIS cement pot that I put my new Rosemary Topiary in (found that at Whole Foods).

#4- Summer Books as Coffee Table Decor

Summer books on your coffee table will increase your reading by 100%! Or it will at least with children. During the summer we go to the library a lot more frequently. So a stack of library books is typically on the coffee table in the summer. The other day I had my girls go through their bookcase and pick out any book they felt was “summery”! I loved their choices and immediately after Finn saw them and wanted to sit and read with me! We also pick out a book to read as a family. Typically it is just one I read with my girls. Last summer we read Serafina and The Twisted Staff (loved it). One year we read Harry Potter then watched the movie. Another year we read Heidi and watched the movie too! This year we are going to read Charlies Monument, a book my mom read to us kids when we were younger. 

#5- Treasure Bowl 

Add a bowl or a basket for summer treasures. This one bowl will help keep the treasures brought home to a limit. And it will encourage looking for that one awesome treasure to keep (at least for a month or two) as a Summer memory. We found a piece of driftwood from the beach and decided to just take that home for the day rather than 20 seashells. Obviously treasures are just not found at the beach. A heart shaped rock or leaves are treasures too.

And to follow- up with the tip to add summer pillows…I found those white kidney pillows at Home Goode (knock-off’s of THESE) and couldn’t pass them up. I love changing out my pillows for summer and adding in more white feels very refreshing! Also just moving pillows around from one room to another- if you have a family room and a living room trying changing up the sofa pillows for a new arrangement. 

I even did that with several pieces of art in our home. It is fun to give art a change to be front and center. 

Hopefully that gave you some ideas to add some Summer Fun to your home! As always you can Shop Our Home HERE. And make sure you head over to Cuckoo4Design next! Julia uses black and white in her home decor too, you need to see her painted steps! You can follow along with the Summer Tour ALL week. Below is the line-up. 

2018 Summer Home Tour

Monday – June 11

A Stroll Thru Life – Marty  Pink Peppermint Design – Tammy  Setting For Four – Heather

Nesting With Grace – Brooke Cuckoo4Design  – Julia Southern Hospitality  – Rhoda

Tuesday – June 12

ZDesign At Home  – Bree  Inspiration For Moms  – Laura Clean & Scentsible – Jenn

Simple Stylings  – Summer Life On Virginia Street – Sarah Remodelando La Casa – Cristina

Wednesday – June 13

Our Southern Home – Christy House By Hoff – April Our Fifth House – Carmel

Dimples & Tangles – Jennifer Decor To Adore  – Laura Follow The Yellow Brick Home – Amber

Thursday – June 14

Haneens Haven – Haneen Monica Wants It – Monica Duke Manor Farm – Laura

My Sweet Savannah – Melaine 11 Magnolia Lane – Christy Life Love Larson – Andrea

Fri –June 15

Decorating Delirium  – Jennifer Thistlewood Farm – Karianne Thrifty & Chic  – Alicia

Hymns & Verses – Doreen Starfish Cottage – Kristy Far Above Rubies – Anita

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