Freshen up for spring

These sharp shooti' spray bottles are must-haves in any housecleaning arsenal. Perfect for your home-made cleaning concoctions, mix up two teaspoons of tea tree oil with two cups of water to make mould and mildew history. Fire away with this awesome antifungal agent and don't worry about rinsing – the strong scent of the oil will dissipate in a day or so. Vildbar spray bottles, assorted colours, $1.50 each, IKEA, 866-866-4532 or ikea.ca for stores and to order.

Has your car been muscled out of the garage by a growing collection of clutter? Strong enough to support up to 100 kilograms, and resistant to damp, IKEA's heavy-duty Broder storage system optimizes organization – even outdoors. Starting from $11 per post, IKEA, 866-866-4532 or ikea.ca for stores and to order.

Give soft furnishings a spring update with crisply-striped slipcovers inspired by retro Swedish style. For a perfect fit, try Bemz – the company that manufactures washable slipcovers specifically for IKEA's most popular armchairs and sofas. 100 per cent cotton Prisma stripe in Moss Green for IKEA's Jennylund armchair, Metropolis Collection, $99.20, Bemz, bemz.com to order.

Banish a bland wall in a matter of minutes with Blik's peel-and-stick decals. It's a no-commitment colour fix that you can rearrange or remove at any time. Blik Bamboo wall graphics, $43 per pack of 22 decals, The Home Depot, 800-628-0525 or homedepot.ca for stores and to order.

Informal table settings are on the menu for spring's more relaxed approach to entertaining. Lose heavy tablecloths for casual placemats, and experiment with colour by mixing-and-matching dishware in pretty patterns. Harlequin Collection (from top) Butterfly, Polka Dot, Deco and Ribbon & Rose pattern teacups and saucers, $90 per box set of one teacup and saucer, Waterford Wedgwood, 800-668-7585 for retailers; waterfordwedgwood.com.

Image courtesy of Garnet Hill