It’s hip to be eco-friendly. It’s also good for the planet that we want to preserve for generations to come. While you may not be able to eliminate plastic bottle waste or help bring down a significant amount of carbon emissions, you can make a smaller, local impact by changing up the way you decorate and clean your home.
Ecorating can not only look great in your home but you’ll notice a difference in the way you feel. By removing toxic chemicals and even adding a few air-purifying plants you’ll notice just how much fresher the air feels!
When you want to go green, try some of these home decor and cleaning ideas:
Redesign: Don’t throw away the coffee table that’s got some water marks on it. Instead, sand it down and give it a fresh coat of eco-friendly paint. When you throw away furniture it goes to the dump to rot and cause more pollution, but by giving it a new purpose you also give it a new life and keep it out of the giant garbage pile. The same goes for nightstands and even chairs. You can reupholster a chair with a cool new fabric and even turn an old door into a headboard.
Plants: Did you know there are tons of plants out there that actually purify the air in your home? Sounds awesome, right? We thought so too! Here are some plants to help clean the air in your home:
- Peace Lily: This plant can help keep your air free of ammonia, formaldehyde, benzene trichloroethylene, xylene, and toluene. It’s a pretty comprehensive plant that can also improve poor indoor air quality.
- Bamboo Palm: A Bamboo Palm is a good plant if you live somewhere with harsh winters. It can restore moisture to the air and remove formaldehyde.
- Chinese Evergreen: The longer you keep a Chinese Evergreen in your home the better. It can remove indoor toxins that might be making you sick and is easy to take care of.
Energy-saving Light Bulbs: One of the easiest ways to go a little more green is to switch out your light bulbs. Bulbs like LEDs and compact fluorescent lamps can use up to 80% less energy. They also last longer, which means that spending the money on them will result in a good return on investment.
Toxic-free Cleaning Products: We all love the smell of “clean,” but did you know that it’s actually ammonia and other toxins that create that smell? You can remove toxic chemicals from your home and start cleaning with eco-friendly products. Use vinegar, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and water to create several different solutions that can take away caked on grease and grime. There are also many toxin-free cleaning products available in stores too if you don’t have the time to whip up your own cleaner.
Author: Sandra Racz
Sandra Racz operates Signature Redesign LLC and The Decorating and Staging Academy. She has been a professional real estate stager since 2004. Racz, services Scottsdale, AZ and Denver, CO. Sandra’s successful career and happiness in the industry inspired her to help others turn their love for decorating into a business. As the Executive Director of The Decorating and Staging Academy, Sandra also offers training in Color, Home Staging, and Interior Decorating, Seasonal Decorating and Event Planning. Sandra was recently voted One of the Top 100 Most Influential People in Real Estate Staging, by The Real Estate Staging Association® (RESA®). She has won national awards in the categories of Interior Redesign, Interior Decorating and Real Estate Staging. She has been featured in numerous magazines, local newspaper articles and has trained and lectured to thousands of decorating and event professionals. Sandra is a firm believer in giving back to the community by coordinating projects for Habitat for Humanity, the Cancer Society, The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Autism Speaks and serves on several boards. Sandra holds a B.S. in Marketing from Florida State University and a M.B.A. from Troy University. She has held multiple positions in marketing and advertising and taught college-level business classes.