Home decor and style influencer Janea Brown shares tips for making the most of each day.

With warmer weather approaching, it’s the perfect time to give your surroundings a boost. There are countless ways to brighten your space and lift your mood, starting with your choice of greenery.

“The best tip someone passed on to me is to water your plant babies less,” said Brown, who gets most of her inspiration from Pinterest, Nancy Meyer movies, and designers Amber Lewis and Athena Calderone. “Many times, indoor plants die from being overwatered. Giving your plants too much water can cause root rot and send your leafy friend to plant heaven. The key is to stop pouring once you begin seeing/hearing water seeping from the bottom. However, this is only possible if your plant is in a pot with proper drainage.”

Planning for spring

Sprucing up your home is a great way to channel positive energy at the changing of the seasons. Whether you’re in new digs or simply freshening things up a bit, have fun and get creative.

“We recently moved, and I’m most looking forward to capitalizing on all the closet space we now have,” said Brown. “After living in Brooklyn for years, having closet space is like hitting the jackpot.” 

The increased square footage has offered more opportunities to get creative. “I’m also super jazzed about finally being able to style one of those tall faux olive trees in our space. We’ve never had the space, but I’ve been saving up, and the time is now,” Brown said. “Also, faux plants deserve love, too.” 

Combatting the COVID blues

Brown acknowledged that pursuing a positive mindset has been extremely difficult this past year. 

“I definitely struggled as well, but first I’d let myself sit in that struggle,” she said. “Then once I was ready to pivot and seek more positivity, stepping away from social media was a must. From there, I would turn to loved ones. Spending time video chatting and catching up on the phone did wonders for my mind and spirit.”

According to Brown, letting your hair down can help fight depression.

“Dancing around the house to oldies or trying a fun new recipe helped, too. All of which gave my mind a break from what seemed overwhelming.”