The days when people swapped out heavy velvet drapes for lighter, more translucent ones come spring are gone — window treatments are too expensive for many of us to have multiple sets of draperies.

But there are other ways to use your windows to mark the change of season.

“The obvious thing is to open the treatments and let the light shine in,” said Steven Schiff, owner of Dynamic Draperies, in Delaware.

Here are some other tips:

— Clean.

Wash your windows to remove winter’s grime, said Meghan Carter, who runs the Web site AskTheDecorator.com. She prefers mild soap and water to the ammonia-based glass cleaners.

Clean windows on a cloudy day or when they’re in the shade, starting from the top and using a damp squeegee blade to wipe off cleaner, Consumer Reports advised.

Clean the window coverings, too. For curtains and drapes, use a soft brush or dusting attachment to a vacuum cleaner. “Set on reduced suction to prevent fabric from being drawn into the nozzle,” the magazine said.

Screens also should be cleaned. And consider choosing one of the newer screening materials that might give a clearer view.

— Consider switching to lighter window treatments.

Fabrics help determine the feel of a room. If you have storage space, heavy, dark drapes can be taken down for spring and summer and stored. Put them on a “nice round fat hanger,” said Oma Ford, senior deputy editor for home design at Better Homes and Gardens.

While it can cost $4,000 or more to outfit a house with custom made window treatments, Ford said ready-made curtain panels can be much less expensive for those who want to swap out drapes in the spring.

And she suggests thinking outside the window box. “Consider using a lightweight bedspread or tablecloth,” she said. They can be attached to a rod with clip rings. “You might be able to find some fun patterns,” she said.

For kitchens and bathrooms, cloth napkin squares hung on a tension rod with clip rings can create “a fun, no commitment style statement,” Ford said.

— Or, if you want to keep your drapes up all year, consider:

Layering window treatments is one way to make them work all year. Sheers, blinds or shades layered underneath those heavy drapes will let light in yet still provide privacy.

Ford likes the “tropical feel” of shades made from bamboo or woven natural material.

Fabrics in lighter colors will produce a “little more springy feeling,” she said, because they reflect the light that comes into the room.

Carter recommends staying away from thick heavy fabrics in dark shades. A neutral color in a mid-range fabric “gives you a little coziness while still being kind of fresh,” she said.

— Think practical.

Function should be the first thing to consider when picking fabrics for window treatments, said Schiff, who has been in the fabric and window treatment business for more than 35 years. Is the drapery supposed to provide privacy? Cut down on bright sunlight?

“Each solution has its choice of fabrics,” said Schiff, who lives in Newark, Del. “If all you need to do is diffuse rays of sunlight, you can use almost anything.”

Today’s windows provide more insulation than in the past. And even if you live in an old house and haven’t replaced the windows, storm windows provide some insulation. “There really isn’t the need for the heavy, insulated, velvet draperies like grandma used to have,” Schiff said. “From an energy point of view, draperies are a piece of the puzzle, but not a major piece.”

— Decorate around the windows.

“Moving plants near windows gives more of a sense of bringing the outside inside,” said Schiff. It doesn’t matter whether the plants are in the house or outside, or whether they are real or artificial.

“It’s a great way to freshen and put a spring uptick to a house,” he said.

Mirrors also can add light to a room by reflecting the natural light from the windows. “I wouldn’t recommend that people slap a mirror up just anywhere,” Ford said. “If it feels like there’s a window missing, that might be a good place to put a mirror.” www.askthedecorator.com