To everything there is a time. And this time of year is particularly prone to seasonal maladies of one kind or another. When the calendar reaches February, we realize that the holidays are over and spring is still a dream or two away. Even with "daylight savings time" our daylight dwindles to precious few hours, and the nights seem to be very long. It’s the time of year when we all - at one time or another - get what I call the "mullygrubs." (My spell checker is going crazy, but it’s MY word and you know what I mean.)

No money to redecorate? No problem - we’ll just move a few things around - shake things up a bit. Take that travel brochure out of the drawer and put it on the coffee table. Pull out that box of vacation photos that you’ve been meaning to organize and go through them. Look at that - you’re smiling while you remember what fun you had at the beach, on the boat, at grandma’s sitting around that big picnic table. Why, the ground in that backyard is actually green.
Rearrange furniture. It’s therapeutic, really. Even if you just move a chair closer to the window where the light can stream in and "hit" the person sitting in that chair, it’s a therapeutic move. Put some books next to the chair. Stack them in the floor! It’s an instant design statement. Nothing makes a room feel more comfortable than books. Add a soft cushion to the chair, an afghan maybe and stand back and take a look at the vignette you just created. That chair never looked better.

If everything looks tired, it will probably make you feel tired. That’s a symptom of the winter blues. So shake things up by exchanging the accessories in one room for those in another. Move the picture that’s been hanging over your couch into the bedroom and fill the living room wall with one from the guest bedroom or the hallway. Be creative. Yes, it takes some energy, but like most things, once you begin (and that takes some courage) you’ll be zipping around in no time. It’s my bet that once you start, you will come up with some ideas of your own.
Whether you’re in the mood to paint, or just want to "plan" your spring painting chores, do it now. One trip to the home improvement store or the local paint and hardware can give you a plethora of paint color samples. Just holding them under the light will give you a "feeling" about the color. Take note of what that feeling is, and you will have some indication of how the "room will feel" bathed in that color.

invigorate. Prefer yellow? Sunny yellow is actually a color you know. It’s great in a kitchen; it’s great in a dining room. When someone is seated in a sunny yellow room or a red one, they have a nice glow about them. That’s contagious too.
If you’re still a bit blue, or you just prefer to think in terms of green and blue and cool colors like that, then at least think of warm, salty oceans and picturesque skies without a cloud in sight. Create a nice "aroma" in your house by either simmering potpourri, mulled cider in the crock-pot or a pot of freshly brewed coffee or tea. Aromatherapy really helps shake the blues.
