Summer is here, hooray! We have such a short season here in Rochester. Let’s give your home a light and summer fresh look. Maybe you will love it so much that you will continue the new look beyond summer and lighten your home all seasons. Perhaps you are considering a move. This is the right time to get motivated before you are spending your time shopping for back to school goodies.

Here are some simple yet effective ideas for you.

Let the sunshine in. Remove heavy and outdated window treatments. When you are ready to sell your home, most buyers desire natural light. Hang panels of linen or cotton twill. Use whites and off whites, try to match to your trim color. If you have some extra cash in your caboodle, plantation shutters are a classic choice. Made of wood or a composite material, they make controlling the room’s light so easy. Shutters can be made in different slat widths too. I always recommend a wider slat. They are an investment, but they will never go out of style. I would always suggest a professional installer. This is not a DIY job.

Paint is another quick fix to spruce up your home. If you are planning to put the house on the market this fall, now is the time to attack that job. Use fresh colors, soft grass greens, nautical blues, and many shades of white and cream. Popular now is a muted shade of taupe-ish grey.

Paint the common areas of your home the same color for a calming effect. A new paint job is the least expensive fix and it will have the most dramatic effect. Use blue or green painter’s tape for clean edges. I like an eggshell finish on walls. It’s very easy to clean. A satin finish on the trim gives a classic, clean appearance. Glaring, shiny, gloss white trim is definitely a 1985 look!

If your wallet isn’t cooperating with your dreams, there are still some things that you can do that have zero cost. It hurts me to say this… but rid your home of clutter. As a collector, it pains me to de-clutter. I just like stuff and every object has a meaning or a memory. But, I do arrange like things together and change the arrangements with the season. Clear the fridge of all papers and schedules. Use a corkboard, hang it in the pantry or laundry room. Keep counter surfaces clear too. Remove most everything except the coffee maker and your Kitchen Aid mixer.

Aaahhh, take a fresh breath. Work is done. You will feel so enlightened and free. Make yourself a frozen Margarita. You deserve it!