Our thoughts may turn to planting grass and flowers. Soon, thoughts of planting vegetables and tending to fruit trees may happen as well.
Spring is a great time – physically as we experience the obvious weather changes that are occurring around us but also in our attitudes. We tend to adopt a more enthusiastic and optimistic outlook about our surroundings and life in general.
Another thing that happens this time of year is we want a fresh appearance to our homes. One way we do that is by organizing items in our homes, closets, garages, attics, and basements that have gotten a little out of hand. This freshness of the season energizes us to make the effort to clean up and get better organized.
Another, longer-lasting, and in many ways more apparent undertaking, is painting our homes – inside or out – or both. Paint has a magical quality that can help us transform any space or object into something new – even when the item being painted is not changed other than in the way it looks and makes us feel.
It’s amazing that something as simple as a new coat of paint can make old things new – in appearance and in our attitude about them. This is why paint is such a great aging in place tool. Without spending that much money or doing anything significant to our homes other than add some color, we can transform our homes and give them new life.
We might be adding a dramatic new look to the exterior or to a space inside the home, or it could be the same color reapplied to give it a fresher, updated look. Maybe it’s a different color accent or trim that makes the difference – or the finish (sheen or matte) used.
Paint has a type of permanence because it does last for many years, but it can be changed or refreshed as often as desired to change our mood and attitude or to brighten a space or complement a color choice in our furnishings or flooring.
It doesn’t matter how many times a wall, ceiling, or piece of furniture has been painted before, new paint makes the object or space come alive. All of the stains, old memories, and color associated with a different furnishing plan can be covered with fresh paint. Sometimes, it’s emotionally hard to paint over or erase those old memories, but the room or furniture will take on a new, clean look and help us to look at it differently – not forgetting about the pleasant memories we have but adding new life to our surroundings.