Make Your Home a Welcoming Oasis in One Day

Home feeling a little dull? You can clean and liven things up in a single day, and make your home into a welcoming, comfortable oasis. Whether you are coping with outdated decor, too much clutter or just need to liven things up, this list can help you pull things together quickly. You'll be guest ready in no time, and able to fully enjoy your home when you take the time to refresh things occasionally. 

Start with a quick cleanup: You don't need to clean everything, but removing items from counters, corralling clutter and vacuuming can go a long way towards making the space look fresh and clean. Give yourself and your helpers an hour to throw away trash, outdated items and to put things away and you'll have a great base to work from. 

Check the season: If you are still rocking 4th of July decor in November, your home will look a little dated. Remove items that are not in season and replace with ones that are -- if possible, decorate for the holiday or season that is on the way and you'll get the most impact from your time. 

Add flowers: Pick up a live plant or fresh flowers to display to instantly brighten and freshen up a room. 

Add scent: Your space impacts all of your senses, and if your home is feeling a little flat or musty, it could be because it has been closed up for too long. Open windows for an instant breeze of fresh air and refresh the indoor air quality. Consider adding scent with a candle, wax melts or diffuser to add more interest and make your space more inviting. 

Replace bulbs and filters: You may not reailze it, but even a single blown bulb makes your home look darker and uncared for. Track down any missing bulbs and replace them for maximum impact. If needed, choose a higher wattage bulb to brighten things up even more. This is also an ideal time to change your air filters -- your home will smell better and you'll have better air quality and heater performance, too. 

You can have a significant impact on the look and feel of your home in just a few hours -- and enjoy the results of your hard work for weeks to come. Set aside some time each season or before each holiday to refresh and restore your home; you'll love living in an attractive and comfortable space year round.