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An environmentally-friendly home is a happy home. If you’re all about going green and want to amp up your decor, look no further. It might feel tricky to stick to eco-friendly light bulbs and cut back on plastics. However, you can transform your home and lifestyle using these 10 sustainable decorating tips to create an Earth-conscious atmosphere.
Why Decorate Sustainably?
If you are unfamiliar with sustainable decorating, it is the process of intentionally accessorizing your home using environmentally friendly materials. You can do this in many different ways, from shopping second-hand to visiting your local farmer’s market.
As consumers and homeowners, our lifestyle impacts the environment in more ways than one. We spend a lot of time picking out beautiful lighting fixtures, seating, and other essential home needs. However, we may not realize how negatively these choices impact our natural world. Going green by making environmentally conscious decisions will not only make a difference for your life but also in nature.
Research shows that 9 million tons of furniture are added to landfills each year. As you can imagine, wasted fibers and non decomposable materials are detrimental to the environment. You can avoid contributing to this excess of trash by cutting back on unneeded decor, reusing, and recycling.
10 Tips For Sustainable Decorating
Are you looking to improve indoor sustainability and eco-friendly decor choices in your home? Follow these eco-friendly practices for going green and creating a sustainable environment in your home.
Revamp Old Pieces
Next time you enter your favorite furniture store and spot a pillow you really like, consider skipping that purchase. See what furniture you already have and what you can revamp with just a few stitches and designs.
Buy Local
You may not realize how much pollution and fossil fuels are omitted when packages are sent through the mail from distant places when you shop online. Avoid transportation pollutants by shopping from local businesses and producers. This will make a positive impact by cutting down on your carbon footprint and stimulating your community’s economy.
Be Aware
Going green gets easier once you become aware of your actions.
Retail therapy can certainly help you destress, but it can cause stress to the natural world. Instead of relaxing by means of materialism, shop mindfully. Consider how much use you will get out of a new lamp or what spaces in your home don’t need new decorations.
Slow Your Purchases
Testing out a “no-buy-month” will help you to limit your intake of material goods and unnecessary home decorations. Taking one month out of the year to stop your spending will help you save money and help the environment.
Limit Plastics
Plastic is so last season anyway. You may opt for reusable produce bags instead of plastic when shopping for groceries and store your fruits and veggies in organic cotton food saver bags. This will help them last longer and save you money while tackling food waste.
Disposable razors, wet wipes, plastic straws and cardboard boxes are unsustainable things to trash. Swapping out harmful materials like plastic, epoxy, and even glitter for sustainable alternatives can make a big environmental difference.
Assess What You Have
You might be looking at that stained rug or sunken-in reclining chair with a sigh. However, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure!” Keep this saying in mind when looking for more ways of going green, and swap out older furniture for better, sustainable furniture and donate to those in need.
Search For Eco-Friendly Labels
If you want to improve your sustainable shopping, look for green brands. Look for eco-labels and companies with green certifications. Buying new decor can be done sustainably if you are mindful and are willing to commit to keeping the piece of furniture for years to come.
Thrift
If you’re a thrifting skeptic, you may not be aware of the gems that are hidden at large-scale thrift stores and second-hand shops. Thrifting has become mainstream these days and pieces can give your home a sleek, vintage look. There are plenty of beautiful paintings, furnishings, and home staples that are in great condition just waiting to be taken home.
Avoid Trends
It can be tempting to trash last year’s carpet when a new trendy design hits the front of Pottery Barn magazine. While you can appreciate the new look in the home furniture world, do not scrap perfectly good furniture just because it’s no longer in style. You can always redesign and revamp old furniture to make a classic, timeless look in your home.
Take the first step towards sustainability with the right homeowners insurance. You’ll love it when you discover a gem at your local thrift shop that all of your guests rave about and when you feel like you’re making a difference in your community.
Want to learn more about going green and taking the eco-friendly route to make a difference? Check out this infographic below:
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