10 Easy Ways to Bring Spring Into Your Home (No Major Shopping Required!)
You don’t need a shopping spree to make your home feel like spring. In fact, some of my favorite spring refresh ideas cost absolutely nothing.
This year, I forced bulbs indoors again, swapped out my kitchen gallery wall with free vintage botanical prints, and made a few other simple changes that instantly brightened our home.
Spring isn’t about perfection or a complete overhaul; it’s about those small shifts that make you want to open the windows, pour a cup of coffee, and linger a little longer in your favorite room. Here are 10 easy ways you can do the same, whether you have an afternoon or just ten minutes.
Hi, I’m Jennifer. To me, home is an ongoing practice in intentional living. Through the rhythms of the New England year, I look for ways to make our spaces not only beautiful, but truly nurturing. I’m so glad you’re here to explore it with me.
Easy Ways to Make Your Home Feel Like Spring
Spring doesn’t have to mean a complete home makeover or a big shopping trip. It’s about those small, intentional changes that shift the energy in your space—a bowl of forced bulbs on the table, fresh herbs on the windowsill, lighter throws on the couch.
Pick one or two ideas that feel doable and start there. Your home will feel lighter, and so will you.
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1. Force Spring Bulbs Indoors
One of my favorite ways to bring spring inside early is forcing bulbs. There’s something magical about watching those green shoots emerge and eventually bloom, especially when there’s still snow on the ground outside.
Two ways to do this:
The DIY Route: You can force your own bulbs in water or soil.
The Instant Gratification Route:
Most grocery stores and Trader Joe’s (my favorite spot!) always have pots of spring bulbs this time of year. For less money than a bouquet, you can grab a pot of flowering bulbs that will last for a couple of weeks.
Daffodils bring that happy pop of yellow that feels like pure sunshine after a long winter indoors. And hyacinths? The scent alone is worth it: sweet, floral, and unmistakably spring.
2. Refresh Your Walls with Botanical Prints
One of the easiest (and most budget-smart!) ways to make your home feel like spring? Switch out the artwork in your existing frames.
This year, I sourced a collection of vintage botanical bird prints for my kitchen gallery wall, and the transformation was instant. Suddenly, the whole room feels lighter and more seasonal, without spending a dime on new frames or major decor.
I have a set of 9 frames in a gallery wall over my dining table that I switch out seasonally. It’s one of my favorite decorating tricks because:
- The frames stay the same (no new purchases needed)
- I can completely change the vibe of the room in about 15 minutes
- Printing your own artwork costs pennies compared to buying new decor
Here’s the thing: You don’t need to be a graphic designer or spend hours hunting for art. I’ve done the work for you!
My vintage botanical bird prints are exclusively for my email community. Subscribe here, and I’ll send them straight to your inbox, ready to print and frame. Plus, you’ll get access to my entire printable art library so you can switch out your artwork whenever the mood strikes.
Whether it’s spring botanicals, fall foliage, or winter evergreens, having a collection of seasonal prints means you can refresh your walls year-round without spending money on new frames or store-bought art.
Quick tip: Print on cardstock or matte photo paper for the best quality. Most print shops (or even your home printer!) can handle 8×10 or 5×7 sizes beautifully.
3. Pull Out Your Spring Books, Seed Catalogs & Garden Magazines
One of my favorite ways to shake the winter blues? Pulling out my gardening books, seed catalogs, and wreath-making inspiration books and just… browsing. There’s something about flipping through pages of flowers and garden plans that makes spring feel closer, even when there’s still snow on the ground.
I stack them on my coffee table, display them on a shelf, or on a side table where I can reach for them easily. Sometimes I’m planning my actual garden. Sometimes I’m just daydreaming. Either way, it shifts my mindset from “we’re stuck in winter” to “spring is coming, and I have plans.”
Check out my favorite gardening books!
4. Create a Quick Spring Vignette
You don’t need to redecorate your entire home to make it feel like spring. Sometimes, styling one small area is all it takes to shift the whole vibe.
I created a simple spring vignette on my coffee table using a woven round tray as the base. Then I layered in:
- A couple of vintage-looking gold bunnies (because nothing says spring like a sweet little rabbit!)
- Old books wrapped with jute twine for texture and height
- A small vase of dried flowers saved from the garden
- A plant for a pop of fresh green
The key to a good vignette: Vary the heights, mix textures (natural elements + vintage finds + something living), and keep it edited. You want it to feel curated, not cluttered.
Using a tray as your base is one of my favorite styling tricks. It creates boundaries and makes everything feel intentional. Plus, you can move the whole arrangement easily when you need to use the table.
Quick styling tip: Use odd numbers (3 or 5 items work better than 2 or 4), and don’t be afraid to edit. If it feels too busy, take something away. The negative space is just as important as what you include.
Cost: I already owned everything in this vignette. The bunnies were craft store makeovers, the books came from my own shelf, the dried flowers were from my garden, and the plant was one I already had. Free spring refresh? Yes, please.
5. Create a Simple Spring Centerpiece
One of my favorite ways to bring spring to the table? A centerpiece made with potted flowers instead of cut blooms. It lasts longer, costs less than a bouquet, and you can plant everything outside when you’re done with it.
I made this arrangement using pots of pink primrose, a white pansy, and flowering hyacinth bulbs-all from the grocery store and Trader Joe’s. Total cost? About the same as a single bouquet, but it lasted for weeks.
Here’s how I put it together:
I used a white ceramic footed pedestal bowl (any deep bowl works—you just need it deep enough to fit the pots of flowers). I started with a layer of small pebbles in the bottom for drainage, then popped the primrose and pansy from their containers and arranged them in the bowl. The flowering hyacinth bulbs came in little glass vases from Trader Joe’s for around $3.50 each-I just tucked them right in.
Then I filled around the flowers with potting mix and covered the dirt with damp preserved moss (this helps retain moisture, so you don’t have to water as frequently). To finish it off, I wrapped a piece of grapevine garland around the rim and added a few pussy willow branches for height.
Why I love this method:
- It’s budget-smart (similar price to a bouquet but lasts way longer)
- Everything can be planted outside later
- Super forgiving-just arrange until it looks good to you
- Works for any season (swap flowers for fall mums, winter evergreens, etc.)
6. Make or Refresh a Wreath
If there’s one thing that instantly signals a new season at my house, it’s changing out my wreath. I’m a little obsessed with wreath-making (okay, a lot obsessed—I have over 50 wreath tutorials on my blog!), and there’s something so satisfying about creating one from scratch or giving an old favorite a spring refresh.
You have two options here:
Make a New Wreath: Grab a grapevine or wire wreath form and add fresh spring elements: faux flowers, greenery, a pretty ribbon, maybe some dried florals from last year’s garden. It’s therapeutic, creative, and you end up with something completely custom for your front door.
Refresh What You Already Have: Don’t want to start from scratch? Just swap out the ribbon on an existing wreath or tuck in a few spring picks (faux tulips, daffodils, or pussy willows work beautifully). Five minutes and suddenly it looks brand new!
Making wreaths is honestly one of my favorite ways to shake off the winter blues. There’s something about working with flowers and greenery, even faux ones, that just makes spring feel closer.
Need a tutorial? I’ve made wreaths for every season and skill level:
- Forsythia Wreath (beginner level)
- Fresh & Feathery Wreath
- Live Bulb Spring Wreath (advanced)
Trust me, once you make your first wreath, you’ll be hooked. (Just ask my closet full of wreath supplies!)
7. Thrift for Spring Decor
One of my absolute favorite ways to refresh my home for spring? A quick trip to the thrift store. You’d be amazed at what you can find for just a few dollars, and the hunt itself is half the fun.
What I look for in spring:
- White or cream dishes: Lighter colors instantly feel more seasonal than the dark, heavy pieces I use in fall and winter
- Baskets: Perfect for corralling clutter, holding plants, or displaying on shelves
- Vintage planters and bowls: Great for forcing bulbs, potted herbs, or spring centerpieces
- Lightweight linens: Spring-weight table runners, napkins, or tea towels in soft colors
- Glass vases and bottles: For fresh-cut flowers (or forced branches once the snow melts!)
For Spring, my dining table is set with a combination of creams & green tones. The napkins, green dishes, and ceramic vase were all thrifted.
The key to spring thrifting is looking for lightness and airiness. I gravitate toward whites, soft pastels, natural materials like wicker and wood, and anything that feels fresh rather than heavy.
Budget tip: You can completely transform a room’s vibe for under $20 if you know what to look for. A few white dishes on open shelving, a basket or two styled on a coffee table, and a thrifted vase with grocery store flowers? Instant spring.
8. Bring in Fresh Greenery
There’s something about fresh branches that just screams spring, even when there’s still snow on the ground (like the three feet currently in my yard!).
Two ways to do this:
Cut Your Own Flowering Branches: Once things start to thaw, head outside with your pruners and cut branches from forsythia, pussy willow, cherry, or quince. Bring them inside, smash the ends with a hammer to help them absorb water, and place them in a vase of room-temperature water in a sunny spot. Change the water every few days, and within a week or two, you’ll have blooms!
One of my favorite reasons to force my own forsythia? It’s completely free. Just step outside, snip a few branches, and suddenly you have gorgeous yellow blooms filling your home.
Grab Branches from the Grocery Store: Not ready to brave the cold (or still buried in snow like me)? Check your grocery store! Trader Joe’s has pussy willow stems right now, and usually starts carrying flowering cherry branches soon. They’re affordable and already on their way to blooming.
Quick forcing tip: The warmer the room and the sunnier the spot, the faster your branches will bloom. I like to put mine somewhere I’ll see them every day—the kitchen counter or mantel so I can watch the magic happen.
9. Open the Windows (Yes, Really!)
This might be the simplest thing on this list, but it’s also one of the most effective.
On the first mild day, even if it’s just 50 ° and sunny-crack open a window or two. Let fresh air flow through your home for even just 10 or 15 minutes.
The difference is immediate. Your house smells fresher. The air feels lighter. You can hear birds instead of the hum of the furnace. It’s a sensory shift that no amount of decorating can replicate.
Here’s the thing: You don’t need to buy anything, move anything, or create anything. Just open a window. That’s it. And somehow, that simple act makes everything feel more like spring.
I actually can’t wait to do this!! It’s been such a cold winter here, and everything feels stale! As soon as it hits 50°, I’m throwing open a couple of windows.
10. Rearrange What You Already Have
Sometimes the best spring refresh doesn’t cost a penny-it just requires fresh eyes.
Move that plant to a sunnier spot now that the days are longer. Swap decor between rooms (that vase living in the guest room? Maybe it belongs on your kitchen table for spring). Pull out items you tucked away in the fall and give them a new home for the season.
Here’s a trick I use: Take a photo of a room on your phone. Suddenly, you’ll see it differently: notice what’s cluttered, what’s missing, what could be moved. It’s like getting a stranger’s perspective on your own space.
You don’t need new things. You just need to see what you already have with new eyes. Shop your own home first, rearrange, edit, and refresh. It’s free, it’s fun, and it’s amazing how different a room can feel when you simply move things around.
Spring is about renewal, not accumulation. Start with what you have, and go from there.
A Little Goes a Long Way
Spring doesn’t have to mean a complete home makeover or a big shopping trip. It’s about those small, intentional changes that shift the energy in your space: a pot of forced bulbs on the table, moving things around, a new wreath on the door, lighter prints on the walls.
Pick one or two ideas that feel doable and start there. Maybe you’ll swap out your artwork this weekend and force some bulbs next week. Maybe you’ll just open the windows and call it a win. There’s no right way to do this-only your way.
Your home will feel lighter, and so will you. And isn’t that what spring is really about?
What’s your favorite way to bring spring into your home? I’d love to hear in the comments!
See your projects featured! If you are inspired by this or any of my other DIY projects, I would love to see them and add you to the Reader’s Spotlight gallery. Send a photo to me at jennifer@cottageonbunkerhill.com
xo, Jennifer
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Jennifer, you always have wonderful tips. I agree with you, small, intentional changes are the best. Shop what you have on hand. Love the milk glass bowl that you create an beautiful arrangement. I dug up bulbs from the yard to use in the flower pots and urns for decorating. I will save the bulbs and replant them in the fall. I did splurge on some new stems and a few pillow covers. My other ones saw better days. Nothing expensive and used money from selling a few items from the house on Facebook Marketplace to purchase them.
Oh, I love ALL of that!
Hi Jenn
With the blizzard here on Cape Cod last week, I was enjoying my large collection of snowmen, wood, stuffed, glass….all kinds. Having said that, I love your suggestions for Spring!!! So my mind is filled with ideas but I have an appointment…..so I managed to pack up every single snowman and now have a clean slate to start bringing Spring back beginning tomorrow!!!! Thanks for the incentive!!!!😊