The past years have been dotted with financial hardships and unforeseen events. And, just within the past few months, inflation and energy prices have spiked, making it all the more difficult for US households to maintain their living standards and afford greater expenses.
Luckily, there is a lot that you can do to live more in harmony with the environment while also reducing your monthly bills. From investing in your home to switching to a different and more ecological way of living, this guide can tell you all you need to know to make your home more eco-friendly, comfortable, and healthy.
Let’s start with the ten trips below.
Start by Decluttering
The first step toward creating a more environmentally-friendly and healthier home is to declutter. Firstly, clutter can make your home far less healthy by promoting the accumulation of bacteria and dust mites, which are connected to the development of allergies and respiratory problems.
But, aside from making it harder for you to keep your home clean, clutter can also have a detrimental effect on your mental and physical health. According to a 2016 study, a cluttered home is directly connected to higher stress levels.
What’s more, looking after your possessions, keeping them in order, cleaning them, storing them, and occasionally looking for the different items can cost you time, money, and effort.
Consider Downsizing
If you are looking for a great way to reduce your living expenses while also making your lifestyle more sustainable and eco-friendly, the answer is downsizing. Over the past years, the average home size has been growing exponentially and, today, we all spend a lot of time and effort in upkeeping and maintaining our living spaces.
If you have noticed that your current home is draining your energy and finances, you should consider downsizing. For example, you can just buy a tiny home online and move into a smaller but more fulfilling living space!
Invest in Insulation
If there is something no one is willing to compromise on while at home it is comfort. For many, getting home after a day at work means relaxing, feeling comfortable, and enjoying privacy. However, as the cost of utility and energy bills continue to rise, creating a comfortable living environment might turn out to be far more challenging than you’d expect.
Luckily, there is a lot that you can do to create a comfortable living space for your entire family without investing in more resources, starting with insulation.
The right insulation strategy allows you to switch off your heating or air conditioning system and maintain an even, comfortable temperature throughout your time at home.
Create Brighter Spaces
Not all homes are blessed with large windows and plenty of sunshine. However, if you are, it is important to understand how to use this resource to your advantage. During the summer months, if you are looking to keep your home cool and fresh, you should consider using blackout curtains and shooters to keep the heat out.
During winter, swapping heavy curtains for lighter drapes can help you let in as much sunlight as possible, thus ensuring that your home is as bright, fresh, and healthy as possible.
Pro tip – not enough sunlight reaching your home? Consider the benefits of investing in mirrors and placing them strategically around the room. And, don’t forget that switching the color of the paint and flooring can truly brighten up your interior.
Grow a Vegetable Garden
No matter whether you have a small garden or a large backyard area, it is important to make the most of your home’s exterior. For example, you might consider taking up gardening and transforming this space into a more livable area for you and your family.
However, if you wish to save money on your grocery run and are looking to enrich your dinner table with home-grown vegetables and fruit, turning your outside area into a vegetable garden will certainly pay off!
Just make sure to talk to an expert local farmer to better understand what species to grow!
Reconsider Your Home’s Layout
Over the past two years, your lifestyle might have changed dramatically. For example, you might have started to work from home. Or, you might have left your gym workouts behind and started practicing yoga at home.
No matter how your daily routine has changed since the start of the pandemic, your home should be conducive to your goals and needs. But this does not necessarily mean that you have to just afford a more spacious or larger home!
Instead, focus on the one you already have, maximize its living space, and adjust its layout to fit your unique needs.
Only Buy What You Need
With targeted advertising always knowing what we are thinking of buying next, it can be hard to resist the temptation. However, buying more than what you need can be detrimental to both your finances and the environment.
From clothing items to food, meeting your needs without overbuying can help you stick to your household’s budget, achieve your goals, and reduce the amount of waste produced by your family.
Use What You Already Have
If you are looking to make your home more eco-friendly, it could be tempting to invest in all the latest sustainable alternatives, including reusable water bottles, lunch boxes, bags, toothbrushes, shampoo, and sanitary products. But simply throwing away the items that you already have can negatively affect both your wallet and the environment!
If in doubt, consider using your current inventory until it runs out, and make sure to reuse items that you already have instead of buying new ones!
Be Smarter About Using Your Home Appliances
From helping us keep up with the laundry to making the washing up process much easier and enjoyable, home appliances play a vital role in every person’s life.
However, home appliances come with a significant upfront investment, and can be wasteful and costly to run.
While you don’t have to give up the comfort entirely, you should consider the benefits of limiting the use of these appliances and opting for alternative, cost-free solutions – such as air-drying your clothes!
Decorate With Plants and Natural Materials
Choosing how to decorate your home might not always be easy. However, if you wish to keep costs down and avoid buying impactful plastic items, the best option is to decorate using plants, natural materials, and art!
