Spring has sprung in the Wasser household. The weather seemed like it couldn’t quite make up its mind, but I couldn’t wait any longer to get some things done around the house.

We’ve got some budget unfriendly maintenance coming up – so I had to keep my spring decorating on the friendly side of cheap. But here are a few outdoor and small decor items that make a big difference in making your home feel happy about the weather.

Starting with the exterior. Mulch people, mulch! It makes a huge difference. Joel and I decided with other things we’re doing this year we weren’t going to try and replace the small ground cover we thought died off last fall – slugs were Joel’s greatest enemy. So we only got new mulch and spread it around the established plants. The difference it made!

Fun lawn ornaments at Target are hard to resist.

Lucky after all the rain last week we’ve noticed that most of our hostas are making a return, now if we can just get Dobby to stop “helping” while we’re weeding they might make it another year.

We have a great front porch, and during the fall I love to do a cute pumpkin/mum/hay bell  arrangement. But this spring I noticed I was definitely lacking some color to welcome guests into my home. I looked at Target, but couldn’t justify spending so much on one pillow or a set of cushions. Costco to the rescue. I was able to purchase these two cushions and two pillows for 60% less than Target.

Not a perfect fit, but they help hide the fact that the free swing we have is in desperate need of a new paint job, summer projects are piling up already!

Another great place to get a deal on outdoor pillows is Ross. As anyone who has ever walked in the store knows- Ross is a real hit-or-miss kind of place. But right now their garden and patio stuff is great and super reasonable. I picked up a pair of these pillows for only $6.99!

Like my mother, I can’t resist a pineapple. The colonial symbol for hospitality seems fitting for the other side of our porch.

Moving inside – Our front door leads directly into our living and dining space. So I’ve found having a blank dining room table makes my home look “unfinished”. But having place settings on the table isn’t practical for our lifestyle. We eat, study, play games and do projects at our  table. So a  runner and hand carved basket fit the bill for easy-to-move decor. It’s been filled with pinecones for fall and winter – but I wanted something fresh for spring. Target Threshold vase filler was the inexpensive winner this time. I recommend checking online Target deals and selecting the “pick up in store” option at checkout. They have special coupons that you can’t use in stores, but you get the instant gratification of not having to wait for your items! The runner is from TJ Maxx and they have great options for under $15. Just measure your table before you go!

I’m hoping in an upcoming weekend my mother in law can come down and help me redo my table and chairs (Jane – this is me asking if you’ll come help out!) I want to re stain the top and paint the chairs and table legs Farmhouse Paint – Weathered Stone, which is pictured inside the hutch in the photo below:

Excuse the iphone lighting.

My final suggestion for quick and cheap spring time accents is succulents! Joel is the one with the green thumb in our family – but even I can keep these alive. We have a working aloe plant above the sink in our kitchen – which we use for cuts, burns and bug bites (I’m prone to all three). I added another “jelly bean” succulent to the kitchen window as well as next to the snake plants in our living room. Snake plants are also great for plant killers and low light rooms.

Happy Spring y’all. Let me know some of your favorite refreshing decorating items!