5 hours ago
3
And just like that, spring has arrived. After an exceptionally wet and dreary start to the year, tulips and crocuses are poking through the ground, blossom is everywhere and winter layers are being shed, all giving us reason to celebrate.
Spring officially begins on Friday 20 March, but on the Filter, we can’t wait that long. So, here are 63 of the best ways to get your mind, body and home ready for the new season’s arrival – and inject your days with a shot of positivity.
How are you embracing spring? Let us know by emailing us at [email protected]
How to celebrate the start of spring
Dress the table with daffs
Buy a bouquet of supermarket daffodils for your kitchen table. Is there a more mood-boosting way to spend £1?
Absorb early morning sunshine
Drink your morning coffee on your front step – or wherever you can get outside. Studies show early morning sunshine can help regulate your circadian rhythm. Upgrade your mug with a sunny espresso number.
Handmade demi mug
Get on your bike
If your bike has been languishing in the shed over winter, it’s time to dust off the cobwebs and give it a service. There are lots of community bike groups around the country that offer a free service or puncture repair, such as Dr Bike in London or Biko Bikes for students in Manchester.
Try a new trouser shape
Uniqlo’s unisex jersey barrel leg pant is universally flattering. Get a pair in off-white for a fresh spring look.
Jersey barrel leg trousers
Even if it’s just 10 minutes, look up at blossom in a city, or head out on a longer hike in the countryside. Research published in Nature found that people who spend at least two hours a week in nature are more likely to feel happier.
Get to work on your guns
Besides making daily life easier, being stronger has long-term benefits, such as boosting bone density and metabolic health. And feeling great in a T-shirt or sundress is a nice plus. Grab some weights and start to perfect your push-up.
5kg neoprene dumbbells
Buy a lightweight scarf
It will give your navy winter knitwear a spring twist. This bandana from Octobre Éditions is in the men’s department, but would suit anyone.
Bandana
Make supermarket herbs last
Instead of shelling out for fresh herbs, take a tip from designer @goodboneslondon and nurture a shop-bought basil plant. Her learnings: water it in the saucer, not directly in the plant, and trim, don’t pluck. One supermarket pot of basil is actually up to 15 seedlings, crammed together to look lush. If you separate and repot them, you have a little herb nursery that you can nurture until it’s time to plant some in the garden in late May, early June.
Pucker up
A pretty lipstick can boost your mood. For the cool French girl look, try Violette_Fr. Don’t bother with lip liner, though: the current look is slightly undone (read, slapped on).
Hydrating matt lipstick
For more, read Sali Hughes on French-style beauty
Tame your beard
Facial hair on the wild side? Horace has a delicious-smelling (and wonderfully conditioning) beard oil. And if you’re looking for a trim, we recently rated Remington Barba as the best budget beard trimmer.
Horace lemon and mint beard oil
Remington Barba beard trimmer
For more, read our guide to the best beard trimmers
Head out for a run
Take advantage of lighter mornings to get out for a run. You will need a jacket for chilly or drizzly starts, so invest in a good-quality shell one and layer up underneath. Decathlon has good value running jackets with hoods for women and men.
Women’s windproof running jacket
Men’s windproof running jacket
Cap off your look
Wave goodbye to the beanie and treat yourself to a new baseball cap. Cool Berlin-based brand Merz b Schwanen does good hats. Try it backwards a la JFK Jr.
Cotton twill cap
Clean your windows to let that sunshine in
Grab yesterday’s print copy of the Guardian, mix equal parts of white vinegar and water in a spray bottle, and polish winter’s dirt away.
Have a clearout
Pro organiser Jenn Jordan advises tackling one category of clutter at a time (the drinks cabinet, say, or the food container drawer). And tackle your wardrobe – without sending anything to landfill. Wash, debobble and pack away the wintriest of woolies into vacuum bags to prevent moths (such as these good ones from Lakeland) – but keep some knits back; it can still be chilly out.
Vacuum clothes storage bag
Switch out your winter perfume
A fresh floral or citrus scent is perfect for spring. Ffern’s Spring 26 scent is inspired by Knepp Wilding in West Sussex – one of England’s pioneering rewilding landscapes – with an evocative blend of petitgrain, timut pepper, broom, tuberose, valerian and elemi. Or try Marks & Spencer’s Sea Salt & Neroli eau de toilette, which has been compared to Jo Malone’s Wood Sage & Sea Salt. Men, try the crisp Blue Sage by Korres.
Spring 26
Blue Sage eau de toilette
Search the RHS’s It’s Your Neighbourhood groups, or ask around locally.
Brighten up your digits
Freshly painted nails always lift the spirits. Book a mani (try a Bio Sculpture salon); try stick-ons by Glaize; or paint them yourself: Pink Sand from vegan brand Manucurist is the perfect spring beige.
Vegan nail polish
Give non-alcoholic craft beer a try
Impossibrew’s Cask Reserve Amber contains magnesium to help, rather than hinder, your sleep.
Impossibrew Cask Reserve Amber, 20 440ml cans
For more, read our guide to the best low- and no-alcohol drinks
Walk among the bluebells
Mark a weekend in your diary from mid-April to mid-May to visit your nearest bluebell spot. Go early to avoid crowds of Instagrammers.
Grab a sketchbook and start drawing
The artist Lisa King recommends setting up a simple still life arrangement on your kitchen table, and drawing quick single-line images. Don’t overthink it, just draw.
Refresh your tea towels
A nice tea towel can serve as cheerful art on your oven, so retire any that have seen better days (turn them into cleaning cloths). This glorious cotton pair is taken from the Liberty archives.
Liberty tea towel set
Start planning your summer garden
Think sweet peas, cosmos, nasturtium, cornflower, and calendula for a riot of colour. Try Sarah Raven for seeds to sow now (or seedlings, in the case of sweet peas), and garden designer Pollyanna Wilkinson’s Substack, the Well-Dressed Garden for practical things to do right now (you’ll need to subscribe for the best content).
The ultimate sweet pea collection
Lighten up your skincare
Ease off the thick, rich winter skincare with lighter versions. Emma Lewisham’s the Heroes trio is a good place to start.
Emma Lewisham the Heroes skincare set
Up your SPF
Try Merit’s mineral sunscreen that provides broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection, and has a flattering sheer tint. Or for a more budget option, Sali Hughes recommends Nivea UV Face Shine Control.
Merit the Uniform sunscreen, SPF50
Nivea face sunscreen, SPF50
For more, read Sali Hughes’s guide to the best sunscreen
Forage for your dinner
Nothing makes you feel more connected to the land. The young leaves of wild garlic, which grows in damp, woody areas, are best in early spring. Don’t take too much – just what you need. Raw leaves can be chopped into a salad, and it’s easy to whip up a pesto.
For more, read 17 wonderful ways with wild garlic, from cornbread to a tortilla
Rotate your running shoes
Planning more parkruns or training for a longer race? Make sure you rotate your trainers, says running coach Anthony Fletcher, “as that has been shown to positively affect the occurrence of injury”. Hoka’s Clifton is rated top by our running experts on the Filter.
Women’s Hoka Clifton running shoes
Men’s Hoka Clifton running shoes
For more, read our guide to the best running shoes
Feed the birds
This copper feeder by Cox & Cox will look pretty hanging from a tree. Just make sure you clean it regularly to prevent the spread of disease. Artist Matt Sewell has an excellent book, Our Garden Birds, to help you identify your new friends.
Copper bird feeder
Our Garden Birds by Matt Sewell
Elevate your table
A sage green linen tablecloth is a quick way to make dinner feel more elegant.
Linen-blend tablecloth
Journal moments of joy
When the world feels scary, journaling moments of joy can help. As cringe as it can feel, a meta-analysis of 64 clinical trials showed that actively expressing gratitude led to a more positive mood.
Glow notebook
Ditch the puffer
This reversible spring-like trench from Damson Madder is a gem, giving you two coats in one. Mango has a nice funnel-necked trench, too.
Anja reversible trench
Funnel-necked trench
Wear layers for warmth
It’s worth keeping a warm layer underneath, though. Uniqlo’s compact vest comes in its own storage bag and packs down small.
Puffertech compact vest
Go and look at art
A study by King’s College London showed that looking at original art not only has the power to move us emotionally, but also helps calm us down. The Turner Contemporary in Margate currently has an exhibition by Bridget Riley (until May), V&A Dundee has a show celebrating more than 100 years of catwalk history, while the hugely underrated Peace Museum in Bradford has a fascinating exhibition opening in April dedicated to how objects can help deal with the legacy of past conflict. In London, a retrospective of the last 40 years of Tracey Emin’s work has just opened at Tate Modern, and the V&A East Storehouse is a place you could lose yourself in for days – with an excellent gift shop about to open.
Wear a bonnet
Channel your granny/the late Queen with a bonnet to combat spring showers. L’Hood scrunches down small and comes in a range of fabrics: we love the leopard print.
Ritza leopard-print hood
For more, read our guide on how to dress in wet weather
Try a new sport
Padel has taken off nationwide. If you want all the gear, get a racket, preferably in a spring-like pastel colour and find your nearest court (new ones are opening up across the country).
For those with their noses really pressed up against the latest sporting trends, 3x3 Basketball is taking off (a faster game, where you have only three players on the court).
Babolat Counter Origin padel racket
Get outside
Explore new cycling paths or hikes: the AllTrails app is packed with routes (it has more than 500,000) with maps and curated trails. Keep your feet dry and comfortable with our favourite tried-and-tested walking boots.
Women’s Regatta Holcombe III hiking boots
Men’s Merrell Moab 3 hiking boots
For more, read the best walking boots for women and the best walking boots for men
Switch to a lighter duvet
Wool is naturally thermoregulating, so it keeps you cooler in summer. British brand Floks is one to try – or our reviewer Jane Hoskyn’s favourite luxury duvet from Woolroom.
Floks summer wool duvet, double
Woolroom all-season wool duvet, double
For more, read our guide to the best duvets
Ditch the heavy knitwear
While winter woolies may feel too dark and gloomy, keep yourself warm and colourful with this alpaca and mohair blend option.
Madeleine red cardigan
Brighten up your workouts
Adanola’s leggings are a great, high-waisted style in a cherry red shade that really pops. Or try Gymshark’s sorbet-yellow men’s running shorts.
Ultimate leggings
Men’s running shorts
Sweat in a sauna
Community saunas are popping up everywhere, from in parks to on beaches to in city centres. Try a sauna headscarf as an alternative to a hat to protect hair.
Sauna headscarf
Slough away winter skin
Use a delicious-smelling body scrub. Either make your own, using 1/2 cup ground coffee, 1/4 cup coconut sugar/brown sugar and 1/4 cup coconut oil, or try Neal’s Yard’s organic scrub.
Neal’s Yard organic geranium and orange body scrub
Elevate your everyday
As Jess Cartner-Morley always says, buy nice versions of things you handle often. This charming leather keyring from Sézane doubles as a tiny pouch.
Envelope key chain
Eat seasonal honey
Black Bee’s British honey is set thick and tastes delicious. And the brand has committed 2% of its turnover to planting 1,000 acres of wildflower meadows.
British spring honey
Go for a chop
New hair is the quickest way to shed your winter hibernation. Hair by Sam McKnight’s Cool Girl texture mist is a great spray for adding volume to your new ‘do.
Hair by Sam McKnight Cool Girl texture mist
Eat more fibre
Simple swaps to up our fibre intake, from leaving skin of fruits and veg on (kiwis, for example) to swapping in lentil or edamame pasta, go a long way, according to nutritionist Emma Bardwell.
The Fibre Effect by Emma Bardwell
Give your home a facelift
Take the hardware off your front door, sand and prime it, and give it a new coat of paint. Try a mustard yellow or a soft pink from Coat, a British B Corp paint brand, which has samples you can stick in place before you decide.
Embrace your leftovers
This vacuum storage set is a bit of an investment, but it will pay off in terms of food you save from the bin – it claims to keep things fresh for five times longer.
Glass food storage boxes
Lose the booze
Spring – rather than January – is an easier time to cut down on alcohol. Momo’s seasonal kombucha uses forced rhubarb from Robert Tomlinson, one of only 12 producers left in Yorkshire’s “Rhubarb Triangle”.
Forced rhubarb kombucha
For more, read our rundown of the best low- and no-alcohol drinks
Smarten up your blooms
The quickest way to make your blooms – be they garden cuttings or supermarket buys – look professionally styled? A flower frog. Just slip one in your vase (or even a shallow bowl) and stick each stem in its prongs for a florist-worthy arrangement. Scour your local charity shops for vases.
Flower frog
Read our guide to the best flower delivery for every budget
Eat with the seasons
Right now, purple sprouting broccoli, leeks, forced rhubarb, kale and spring greens are in season in the UK.
Seasonal organic veg box
Plan a weekend away
The anticipation will give you a boost of happiness. Kip Hideaways has a lovely selection of chic places in the UK, including a very special-looking cabin in Crewkerne, Somerset. Get some chic luggage to match if your overnighter needs an update.
Antler Weekender bag
Fit out your feet
Colourful socks are a fun and easy way to update an outfit. Pairs, a Scottish knit brand, has a great selection of colours and wool types, and its socks go up to a generous size 13.
Bamboo socks
Dress it up
Are you starting to crave salads again? Perk them up with a homemade dressing (Deliciously Ella has a great tahini and apple cider vinegar recipe on her Instagram), or try All Dressed Up: the Miso Sesame gets my vote.
Miso and sesame salad dressing
Rescue your knitwear
If moths have ravaged your clothes, salvage your favourite jumper by learning to darn. There are some great how-to Instagram accounts, such as @visible_creative_mending and @milli_and_the_bee.
For more, read our guide on how to look after your knitwear
Wear an interesting collar
A shirt with a flamboyant collar will refresh an old outfit: you can style it under a jumper, or just add new interest to a faithful jeans-and-shirt formula. Try the French brand Balzac’s Leonor shirt.
Organic cotton shirt
Learn how to breathe
Doing it through your nose (not mouth) helps calm the nervous system and brings a host of wider health benefits, according to an American study. To calm down even quicker, concentrate on exhaling longer than you inhale.
Lift your feet
Swap your heavy winter boots for something lighter, like these suede Mary Janes. Or it’s hard to beat Birkenstock’s unisex suede clog (don’t forget to style with socks now).
Suede Mary Jane pumps
Boston clogs
Set some intentions
Give your face a cleanse and massage in some oil, brew a herbal tea and think about your spring intentions.
Spring clean
Give your spring cleaning products an upgrade. Daylesford has a lovely-smelling cleaning spray, and David Mellor has the perfect wooden pot brush.
Natural multisurface cleaner
Wooden pot brush
Give your trainers some TLC
Soap and water do the trick, or try the Jason Markk kit, then replace the laces. For a Miu Miu-style trainers hack, go for mismatched coloured cord ones.
Shoe cleaning kit
Cord shoe laces
Perk up your hair
A pretty bow, like this one made from Liberty fabric, will brighten up your hairdo.
Cotton hair bow
Make plans with friends
Fill up your diary with lunch dates, cinema trips, walks, visits or scheduled calls with faraway pals – IRL connection is always better than endless strings of WhatsApps.
Grab a basket bag
Channel summer outdoor market vibes – but make it colourful. This Aburi basket, hand-woven by female artisans in Ghana and made from the indigenous veta vera plant, should last a lifetime.
Shopping basket
Don your sunnies
The low sun on spring mornings calls for sunnies: make them joyful with this purple unisex pair by French brand Izipizi, which uses bio-based materials for its frames.
Sunglasses
Don’t buy anything until you’ve read the Filter, the Guardian’s home for truly independent product reviews and recommendations. Whether you’re after rigorous tests or shopping inspo, affordable gifts or advice on how to make your belongings last longer, we’re here to help you make smarter, more sustainable choices.
The Filter is packed with trustworthy buying advice on everything from coffee machines to hiking boots, mascara to secateurs. So visit us today and start buying better and smarter, and wasting less.
