With a brand new year approaching, I’ve been thinking about the goals I want to set for my home. I do believe that setting goals for your home is always a good idea. After all, the home is the center of life. It’s where our most cherished memories are made.
Whether it’s a lofty goal to finally get your entire house decluttered for good or something as simple as adding a few new throw pillows, home goals can have a big impact on your life.
How to Make Your Home More Environmentally Friendly
One of my main goals for my home this year is to continue to make more eco-friendly and sustainable choices. Over time I’ve implemented more and more small changes and I can tell you that these small changes can have a big impact on making your home more eco-friendly!
These are small things you can do to give your home a fresh feel, make a positive contribution to the environment, and feel good about your choices at the same time.
The decisions you make today really can have an overall impact. Here’s how to make some small changes that will make your home more eco-friendly.
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1. First, Declutter
Okay, I totally realize this is not necessarily an “eco-friendly” change. But at the same time, it very much is. Consumerism absolutely impacts the environment and I can tell you there is nothing you do that will make a greater impact on your home life than to declutter.
Plus, you’ll never be able to appreciate the changes you’re making if you’re sitting there surrounded by clutter. I have a ton of posts on decluttering your home. You can easily search the archives or start here.
The bottom line is the clutter must go!
For now, just know to get started. Take it one room or area at a time and dig in to create organized spaces free of clutter. The point is to remove the clutter as you work on making your home more eco-friendly.
2. Consider Your Cleaning Tools
2. Consider Your Cleaning ToolsThere’s very little that helps me relax more than when my house is freshly clean. I’m gonna be honest, for years one of my favorite cleaning products was bleach. Bleach was easy to use and when I was done I knew that everything was clean.
And while yes, my surfaces may have been germ-free, the indoor pollutant I was creating was a whole nother story. Any bleach or chlorine-based cleaning product releases toxins damaging our families and the environment.
Also, it’s not just bleach, open up your cleaning supply cabinet and you’ll likely find an impressive collection of chemicals.
A simple switch to non-toxic cleaning supplies will have your family and the earth thanking you. And it doesn’t have to be a burden, there are many natural options today that are very effective.
If you’re ready to break up with the chemicals in your home, consider stocking up instead on a nice-smelling, natural alternative. Here are some favorites:
Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Multi-Surface Everyday Cleaner. This is my favorite scent.
Puracy Natural All-Purpose Cleaner
Seventh Generation All-Purpose Cleaner
Honest Window Cleaner. Love this stuff!!
In addition, consider making your own non-toxic cleaning products. There are many recipes online. I even have a few recipes here.
Just know that switching to all-natural cleaning products is a small change that will make your home more eco-friendly!
3. Ditch the Plastic
More and more studies are showing how bad plastic is for your health, but it’s also one of the leading polluters of our environment.
First, plastic food storage containers are filled with more than just food, they’re also loaded with harmful chemicals. Plastics are made out of refined crude oil and contain chemicals such as BPA, which is designed to make plastic more durable and flexible. However, when plastic is used to store or heat food, chemicals from the container actually spill into the food. Yuk!
In addition to the health concerns of plastic, plastic has a huge negative impact on the environment. Over 1 trillion plastic bags are used every year worldwide. That’s a number we really can’t even visualize. Here’s what makes it so bad; plastic is made to last forever. This means plastic is not biodegradable.
The good news is that these days there are many great options that make it easy to replace plastic.
Most of our homes contain quite a lot of plastic items and getting rid of it all would be a pretty big undertaking. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t make some small changes that will make your home more eco-friendly.
Consider committing to stop buying bottled water or to replacing your plastic food storage containers. A gigantic added benefit is that glass containers are so much easier to clean. My old plastic often stained and took more effort to clean. You can check out some other options for replacing plastic in your home here. One little step really can lead to big results in making your home more eco-friendly.
4. Start a Garden
4. Start a GardenThis doesn’t have to be a big complicated project. Even starting your own windowsill herb garden is so simple and can reap amazing benefits! After all, why buy herbs transported from a farm to your grocery when you can snip a few sprigs straight from your own kitchen.
In fact, a small garden is something I’ve regularly done in the past. I would plant a few herbs, some tomatoes, and green bell peppers. Every once in a while I’d add some zucchini or other veggies that are simple to grow and don’t need a ton of care.
I wasn’t able to do this last year as my dog decided to start destroying the garden. I plan to look into some ways to fix this problem and will for sure be setting up a few window herb containers. Plus it really adds to the kitchen decor. I love always having what is needed on hand.
A simple garden is a small change that will indeed make your home more eco-friendly!
5. Bring In Nature
Here’s a chance to go green – literally! Adding a few houseplants can dramatically improve the air quality in your home. Plants take in carbon dioxide and return oxygen to the air instead. They are fantastic for removing toxins from the air.
Even a little plant sitting on a side table can help to improve the air circulation in your room, while also providing a nice eco touch to your decor.
By adding some plants to each room you make your home more eco-friendly by improving both the air quality and aesthetic quality. Plants brighten things up and make a big impact on your home. Just choose plants that are indoor friendly and easy to maintain.
6. Use An Area Rug
6. Use An Area RugWhile a rug makes an excellent statement piece in your living room, it also helps you save significantly on your energy bills.
A good rug can decrease the amount of heat needed to warm up a room. The bigger the rug, the better the effect and the less cold floor that your heat has to work to warm up.
Ideally, go with natural, fibers. An area rug made of jute, sisal, or wool is the perfect choice. These materials are not only eco-friendly but add design and texture to your space. Believe it or not, Amazon has some great choices at fantastic price points.
Adding a natural fiber rug is a small change that will make your home more eco-friendly!
7. Use Throw Blankets
Throw blankets add a beautiful accent piece to your sofa or favorite chair. In addition to adding to your decor, throw blankets also allow you to stay warm and cozy while cutting down your use of energy resources.
Cozying up your home with a couple of throw blankets will make you feel good about conserving energy and about how your home looks.
So avoid the temptation to turn up the thermostat with a small change of adding a couple of throw blankets.
8. Swap Out Your Lighting
One of the easiest small changes you can make in your home that will have a big impact is to swap those incandescent bulbs for LED bulbs. Not only do LEDs last longer, but they also use significantly less energy.
I’m a total bargain shopper and the truth is, it’s tempting for me to pick up those incandescent bulbs over the pricer LED bulbs. However, in the long run, the “cheaper” light bulbs are actually way more costly.
LEDs are designed to last up to six times longer than other types of lights, reducing the need for frequent replacements. Plus, I noticed the last time I bought light bulbs, the expected energy costs were listed right on the package. Take some time to look at those figures it just might convince you.
Also, open your curtains regularly. Opening the curtains or blinds lets in the natural light which makes your home feel nice and bright and also helps you save on lighting costs.
9. Be Mindful of the Candles You’re Burning
9. Be Mindful of the Candles You’re BurningCandles add instant ambiance to a room. I love how they cast a warm glow and I find them very relaxing.
But do you know that the cheaper waxes are made of petroleum? Definitely not an eco-friendly or healthy option. In addition, many of the cheaper scented candles also use chemically-laden perfumes to scent them. These perfumes can actually be toxic.
To make your home more eco-friendly, choose candles made with natural materials like soy, vegetable, or beeswax. When it comes to the scent choose one that’s made with essential oils or a higher quality fragrance.
10. Ventilate
While keeping your home properly sealed can dramatically cut down on your heating and cooling costs, if your home is sealed too tightly indoor toxins and chemicals never have a chance to escape.
It’s a good idea to make a habit of opening the windows or doors and letting fresh air circulate regularly. Even if it’s just for a few minutes. The fresh air will not only help the toxins escape, but it will also air out any musty smells. You’ll have that fresh clean smell that will make your home more eco-friendly!
You now have some good ideas that will make your home more eco-friendly and are easy to implement. By making even a few of these small changes you will have a big impact on improving your health and home. Which small changes will you make today?
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