As more and more people are growing environmentally-conscious, homeowners around the world are looking for ways to make their homes more eco-friendly. Eco-friendly homes don’t just benefit the environment, but they also benefit us. Some simple eco-friendly décor ideas can save you a lot of money on electricity, while others can improve your mental health and wellbeing.
Unfortunately, many people believe that to go green, you need to renovate your entire house, rebuild it from scratch, or spend a fortune on eco-friendly products. However, you can go green by implementing some simple techniques in your day-to-day life, making small changes around the house, and recycling more often. With the right mindset, the will to save the environment, and a few home décor ideas, you will lower your carbon footprint without breaking the bank. Here’s how you can do that.
Don’t Buy New Furniture
Recycling is the key, but when it comes to furniture, almost everyone prefers buying new items. The process of manufacturing furniture has a negative effect on the environment and can also be expensive. Instead, you can redesign your existing furniture. For example, if you’re bored with your old couch, change its fabrics instead, and you’ll get a fresh new style in your living room. If it’s broken, you can use the wood to create a desk or a bookshelf. There are so many options that you can do to benefit from an old piece of furniture and turn it into something new. In case you’re not into recycling furniture, you can sell your old furniture or give it to charity and buy pre-loved furniture. By doing this, you will be saving a lot of money and lowering your carbon footprint at the same time.
Reclaimed Wood
If you’re into wood flooring and furniture, reclaimed wood is your go-to option. Reclaimed wood is a high-quality wood that has been taken from factories, old ships, and warehouses. It goes through a recycling process to create new wood flooring and furniture. By buying reclaimed wood, you will be supporting eco-friendly sellers and help stop other manufacturers from taking down trees. Not to mention that it gives a unique look to your house that no one else will have because each piece has its own special style.
Decorate with Plants
Having potted plants inside your home provides endless benefits. As you probably already know, plants breathe carbon dioxide and convert it into oxygen, and throughout this process, they also remove the toxins and pollutants from the air. They purify the air around them, so you will have a natural air purifier inside your home. Not only that, but plants can also improve your mental health. Many studies have proven that plants don’t only remove the toxins in the air, but they can boost your mood and decrease your anxiety and stress levels. The experts at www.trvst.world explain that the key to achieving your full potential is by maintaining good mental health. You will not be able to help the environment if you’re struggling in your day-to-day life, so place a plant or two around the house to help yourself and the environment. Of course, plants need attention and care, but it’s definitely worth the benefits you’ll be getting in return.
Eco-friendly Paint
Every now and then, you might want to change the color of a room in your house, and that’s okay. Painting a wall or two in the house is one of the easiest and affordable ways to renovate your home. However, do you know what this paint is made of? First, you should understand that the paints are not all the same. Some of them are harmful to you and the environment, while others are not. Paints that have volatile organic compounds (VOCs) release toxins from the moment you open them and continue for years after you paint the wall; whenever you enter a room painted with this kind of paint, you keep inhaling these toxins. To avoid that, you should read what type of paint you’re getting and only buy paint that has low or no VOCs.
Thermal Curtains
When you’re trying to create an eco-friendly home, thermal curtains are a must-have. Many people don’t know that thermal curtains are one of the most efficient ways to save the environment and reduce your carbon footprint. These curtains are different from regular and blackout curtains as they provide thermal resistance that creates a dead-air space between your window and the rest of the room. In winter, the curtains will maintain the heat inside the room, preventing it from going outside. This will reduce your electricity consumption as you will not be using your heaters all the time. When you open the curtains during the day and close them at night, the room will maintain its warmth for a long time. During summer, thermal curtains will reflect harmful sun rays to the outside.
Install a Dimmer
If you have regular light switches, it’s time to replace them with a dimmer. Dimmers are common in living and dining rooms, but you can install them in every room if you want. A dimmer will give you the option to use a minimum or maximum light whenever you want; when you use the dimmer wisely and avoid leaving the light on the maximum setting all the time, your light bulbs will live longer. You will not need to replace your light bulbs more often, which will reduce waste.
Making your home more eco-friendly can be a bit overwhelming at first, but when you start changing your habits bit by bit, you will find that it’s easier and more cost-efficient than you’d initially expected. You don’t need to renovate your entire house. Instead, you can start by purchasing recyclable products. Whenever you feel that you want to purchase a new piece of furniture, check to see if you can make it yourself first or if you can buy a pre-loved one instead. If none of these options are available, start looking for local shops that create items from recycled wood or plastic. These simple steps will make a difference in the environment, and you will help save the planet one small change at a time.
