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Happy March! Soon we’ll be smelling colorful tulips and watching robins build nests. Doesn't that sound refreshing? One of the not-so-happy things to think about (depending on your personality) might be spring cleaning. I have mixed feelings about it—on one hand, it feels SO nice to have a fresh, clean home when you're done. On the other hand, it’s a LOT of work.

For the month of March in our You're Home with Jill blogs, I thought it would be helpful if we tackled one room at a time...cleaning and organizing as we go. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it a hundred times: be realistic with your cleaning. I don’t think there are many of us who have time (or energy!) to clean an entire house—inside and out—in one day or one weekend. I take 15 minute here and 15 minutes there. Maybe an hour here; an hour there. If you do what you can, when you can, the work will be done before you know it.

Let’s start with your closets, shall we? At one time, your closet contents were probably neat, organized, and smelling like clean, crisp cotton. And now? I'm gonna bet they're not so picture-perfect. I'll tackle the clutter in a minute. First, let's talk about the smell. My grandmother knew how to keep your closet smelling clean and I’ve found it’s still the most effective way to do it. Soap sachets!

I made these pretty sachets from some long scraps of fabric! And, I didn’t sew anything. I just pressed a small fold of fabric in on all four sides and then just hot glued the seams. Next, I folded the fabric in half and glued the sides, making a pouch. I put a bar of fragrant soap in one pouch and dried lavender sprigs in the other. I tied pretty bows around the tops of the bags.

Do you also have a drawer full of soap from past hotel stays? This is a perfect way to use them! Place a sachet on the top shelf of your closet and let the fragrance do its thing. If you can’t smell a difference in a few days, add a second bag. You can also use these in drawers, in toy bins, trunks, or your hubby’s stinky shoes.

You might also try some investing in some wicker baskets to hold those “extras” that seem to accumulate by the day. If they’re not in your budget, however, consider covering several boxes with scrapbook paper or fabric. And, try rolling towels and clothes to fit more on the same shelves. But, better yet, make time to go through your clothes and clean out what you don’t wear.

I feel liberated after I clean out my closet. As you start transitioning into those spring clothes, ask yourself as you pack away those sweaters and coats, if you really wore it. And, if so, how often. If you didn’t wear it more than once last season, or you know it fit 15 lbs ago, donate it. If you take the time to do this now, you won’t have to do it next winter and you’ll immediately know what you need to add to your lineup.

We’re headed to the kitchen next Tuesday! For all of you who came out to the flower show, THANK YOU! It was SO nice to meet you.

 From my home to yours,
—Jill

P.S. QVC is bringing some brand-new crafting supplies! Yay! Be sure to check out the selection on QVC.com. You might also find some DIY projects from yours truly.