26 / matters magazine / hearth & home 2019 E v e r y y e a r r i g h t a b o u t now I feel as though I were in the “almost there” season – practically desperate for spring but hopeful in knowing it’s just around the corner. While I wait for warmer temperatures, I like to freshen up my home, organize and declutter. Although we often associate sprucing up our homes with large and expensive projects, updates don’t have to come with a hefty price tag. With simple changes that you can do on your own, your home can feel like new. They’ll make a world of dif- ference. 1 Organize. Declutter. I find streamlining my home the simplest and most fulfilling project of all. Although you can do this for any room, last year I tackled my kitchen. My cabinets and drawers were overflowing with who knows what and I was feeling extremely uninspired in this space where I spend the major- ity of my time. The goal was to simplify one of the most easily cluttered and used areas of my home – ultimately creating a more peaceful, useful, minimal, and beautiful space. I started by doing some research. For ex- ample, stock canned goods two deep; any- thing beyond that and you’ll likely forget what’s there. And knowing that I do best when my sur- roundings are not just functional but also beautiful, I decanted and emptied ordinary kitchen ingredi- ents and snacks into simple glass jars and labeled each one. Then I created an open shelf pantry to display our dishes, serving ware, baking flours, and kids’ snacks. Now we can clearly see what we have and what we need. Beauty and function combined. Of course, open shelves aren’t necessary – just do the same in your cabinets. It will keep everything neat and pretty. Home Remedies Six takes on refreshing your space BY TANYA MEDA