I have been spending a considerable amount of time cleaning up my home for the spring. I am so happy to hear the birds chirping once again in my yard, as Pittsburgh offers long and cold winters. Now with windows open I can enjoy and smell that fresh spring air, well until everyone’s allergies kick in! What I don’t like finding are messes that have been untended to because we have been in a rush all year round since school began. Time was precious little as often we have so much less time during the year with all of the sports craziness school plays etc.. Now as I, “stop to smell the roses” I have been noticing a few things that need to be redone and cleaned up. I have been Adventure. Eat. DIY. Repeat. with the latex free gloves on, the dusting gadgets out, and this is my story of cleaning up the dirt : DIY Spring Cleaning House Plants. This is a very Earth-Friendly project that reuses items you have around your house to create a place to house plants, while cushioning and height to their appearance.
DIY Spring Cleaning House Plants
My basket that houses several plants in my kitchen really just needed spruced up. I could not believe that my vine had died. While we travel a lot, I forgot to ask my house sitter to actually water plant in this basket. I have personally been trying to nurse the plant back to health over the last six weeks and it has failed without a doubt. I removed the plant from the basket and found that the foil that was in there was flooded with water and it was really gross and disgusting not something I care to house. Of course as the sun shined in I also noted that other larger plants and plant leaves need dusted off, after all, they are living and breathing(lol) and their allergies must be bad from this accumulated dust:) These are places most of us don’t think to dust.
Recycle, Reuse, Reduce Waste!
The first thing that needed to happen was to remove the plant from the basket. I did this, and I also recycled the plastic container it was in. I cleaned the container as it fits perfectly in the basket, and I planned on placing an different plant in it. These containers are from the deli when I purchase olives, mushrooms, etc in bulk and I reuse them for so much.
It was now time to clean up each and everyone of the other plants that were in the basket and those that had not been in the basket but were transitioning to the basket. First I took each plant out and placed it in the sink I took it out of its holding cup. I washed the holding cup to remove any bacteria dirt or mold. I then put a fine mist on the sink head and I cleansed all of the plants to remove dust and to water well and then I allowed them to soak in a bowl with water so that the dirt would become very very moist. I then drained each plant, seeing that its soil was no longer weightless I felt good that the plant will be watered and remain moist and ready to transition.
I allowed each plants’ leaves to dry and then I transfer each planter into a container that would hold the water from the drip through. I then placed each container into the basket they were situated on top of the bubble wrap I did and added some of the homemade shred around each of the planters to give them each a bit of space and to keep them situated tight in their position.
I keep Bubble Wrap from packages that come in and then reuse it in projects like this. The cushion the bubble wrap provides would just hold the items in the basket up a little bit higher and evenly. It simply adorns the bottom of the basket. You can see the bubble wrap I used is in the basket in this picture. The next thing I did was go and get my recycled shred that I use whenever I shred up my bills and I placed that in the basket to go around the planters that I put in the basket. This is a great way to reuse the shred.
I added this little snow globe in, I could not get the stain off it, but it is from my grandmother and I refuse to get rid of it! The decor makes me smile! Again you can see the shred, and the recycled plastic container holding the plant.
This is what the basket looks all fresh, the plants are fresh and happy. I no longer have water flowing around the bottom of my basket in the foil. I added a colorful pick to add to the nature look and I am able to easikly able to turn it to let all plants get sunned. Now as I look around the house I have a bunch of other task to complete for spring cleaning and this is how I am Adventure. Eat. DIY. Repeat.! Follow along as you will find other inspirational DIY projects that are easy to do and make a great difference with very little effort spent. Spring cleaning is fun. DIY Spring Cleaning House Plants.