Photo: COCOMATWORLD (@COCOMATWORLD) on Twitter
With Earth Day on April 22, the annual day to celebrate our planet and environment may coincide with your spring redecorating plans. If you’re aiming to bring an eco-friendly atmosphere into your space, here are our top décor and organizational ideas for a sustainable and smart home this season.
1) Upgrade your bedroom with organic cotton linens: If you’re tired of last season’s dull beige sheets and faded quilt, try updating your bed with organic cotton sheets in a snowy white or trendy light pastel shade. While these linens may be more expensive, the absence of harmful chemicals is definitely an added bonus. Not only are organic cotton crops safer for farmers to grow as they do not contain toxic pesticides or fertilizers, the natural cotton itself can also be softer on sensitive skin.
2) Use natural cleaning solutions like baking soda, lemon and white vinegar: Commercial home cleaning products are packed with chemicals, like phosphates and the compound ammonia. Whether it’s a room freshening spray, dish detergent or deodorizer, spraying your cherished space with toxic cleaning agents is definitely not an environmentally friendly or health smart move. For a natural solution, try a mix of baking soda and vinegar for all-purpose cleaner or using lemon juice to clean your kitchen cutting boards and countertops.
Photo: This Old House (@ThisOldHouse) on Twitter
3) Use springtime as an opportunity to grow a backyard vegetable garden: To cut back on your ecological footprint and embrace fresh local eats (after all, it can’t possibly be more local than your own backyard), try growing an organic vegetable garden. Whether you plant carrots, tomatoes or cucumber, there’s sure to be an exciting summer of fresh and sustainable salads on the horizon at home.
4) Restock your kitchen with fair trade and organic food: To update your grocery list, try stocking your fridge and shelves with health-conscious and eco-friendly delights. Organic produce is free of chemicals, while fair trade coffee and chocolate are made ethically and allow the ecosystems of international forests to be guarded.
5) Compost fruit and vegetable scraps: The idea of compost, or disposing of green waste in an eco-friendly manner, is a fabulous way to remove that watermelon rind, banana peel or shredded carrot from your kitchen. Try using a wooden compost bin filled with soil, and using your fruit or veggie waste to help with your organic gardening.
Photo: French Vintage Decor (@vintagedecorfra) on Twitter
6) Try crafting recycled materials like tree branches and newspaper into DIY home accents: Embrace the current upcycling trend which has taken over the décor world, by creating your own home accessories from recycled or reused materials. Try turning glass bottles into hanging vases, transforming old newspaper into decorative paper mâché bowls, or creating a funky bookshelf from tree branches and wood.
