Tag: green home tips

Categories
Articles Home Decor Home Design

Four Ways to Furnish Your Home Inexpensively

When it comes to having a home that you are truly comfortable living in, this will take a lot of effort on your part in terms of decorating it. However, this doesn’t mean that you have to break the bank to keep your home looking it’s best.

Here’s a quick look at four ways to inexpensively decorate and furnish your home.

Stack Shelves To the Ceiling

Even in the smallest of living spaces, you always have the option to maximize your square footage by going up. Think about it. If you take an entire wall in your home and line it with shelves that go all the way up to the ceiling, this can add anywhere from 100 square feet or more of storage space, and best of all, high-quality shelves are very affordable.

Freecycling

There are lots of people who have started taking part in freecycling. If you have a local freecycling organization, you should definitely join. In doing so, you can come across lots of free furniture pieces for your home, and in return, you can donate items you don’t want, which will then be available free of charge to other members in the group. It’s a win-win for everyone.

Maximize Air Space

Just the same as you should stack shelves up to the ceilings, you can also optimize the way you use your air space. From floating book shelves to hanging TVs, both of these ideas will go a long way in helping you decorate and furnish your home in an expensive yet stylish manner.

Old Wine Bottles

If you’re a drinker, then it’s time that you start recycling your wine and alcohol bottles. Some of these bottles make for the prettiest center pieces. A great way to get the sticky labels off the bottles is by letting them soak overnight in a small trash can full of one part ammonia and four parts water. The next morning, simply rinse off the bottles, and the sticky labels should come off very easily.

 

Categories
Articles Lawn & Garden Recycling

Turning Your Backyard Into a Green-Living Haven

No home is complete without a spruced up backyard. Even if this outdoor area is rather small, with the right touch, it can look better than ever before, and more importantly, it can be used as a versatile form of living space. From outdoor kitchens to in-ground swimming pools, there are many ways to make use of a backyard. And best of all, there are many green-friendly techniques you can follow to ensure you turn your backyard into a green-living haven.

Revamp Your Used Furniture

Your current outdoor patio furniture may seem a bit worn out, but by upcycling these pieces, you’ll be well on your way to revamping them into completely new pieces. From adding a fresh coat of paint to replacing the cushions, there are many affordable and eco-friendly methods for sprucing up old furniture and extending its longevity.

Be Cautious with the Way You Plant Flowers and Trees

If your backyard is spotted with plants, flowers and trees that require lots of water, you’ll at least want to group these together. In doing so, it will be easier to water these areas on a more consistent basis than you do other areas of the yard. Not only does this help conserve water, but it will do wonders for your water bill.

Do the Work Yourself

One of the best ways to create a backyard haven in a green-friendly way is by doing the work yourself. From raking the yard to digging holes to planting flowers, when you do things yourself, this allows you to accomplish your tasks in the greenest manners possible. And in addition to taking lots of pride in the end-product, you’ll also save a ton of money by doing the work yourself. Do keep in mind, though, that maintaining your backyard will take lots of work; it will need your attention all year long.

Categories
Articles Eco Tips Home Improvement Uncategorized

Tips for Adding Beauty and Value to Your Home the Eco-Friendly Way

When people go about remodeling or adding onto their homes, they often think the involved processes will be overly expensive. Don’t be fooled by this false belief. There are many affordable ways that you can give your home a makeover, and best of all, you can be eco-friendly at the same time. Here are some great tips for adding both beauty and value to your home, while at the same time being mother nature’s best friend.

Replacing Your Roof

Yes, replacing your roof can be a bit costly at first, but if you cover it in shingles or metal that are light in color, this can greatly reduce the temperature in your attic. As a result, you’ll likely reap the benefit of cooler temperatures in your home, which means you can save a considerable amount of money on your cooling expenses.

Decorating with Pallet Racks

Pallet racks are often given away for free from both large and small businesses. By gathering several of them, you can easily recycle them by constructing shelves, indoor and outdoor furniture and lots more. You can paint or stain these racks any color of your choosing, which is an excellent way to add lots of character to your home.

Swap Out Your Showerheads

Being friendly to mother nature involves reducing your water usage. A great way to do this is by switching out the showerheads in your bathrooms to ones that support the low flow of water.

Install Extra Ceiling Fans

Fans can go a long way in adding flair to any room, and better yet, they make it easier to cool your home during the warmer months of the year. Mother nature will truly appreciate it when you turn off the AC and crank up the fans.

Insulate Your Water Heater

There’s a good chance that your hot water heater is already insulated, but if you add extra insulation, this will make it easier to heat your water, and it could save you up to 15 percent or more on the expense of heating your water.

Tint Your Windows

Just the same as you can tint the windows on your car, your home’s windows can be tinted too. In doing this, you’ll be reflecting the sun’s glare, which will make it easier to cool your home.

The Takeaway

Giving your home an eco-friendly makeover doesn’t mean you have to empty your bank account. And even though you’ll be spending money to carry out the projects, you can rest assured that you’ll be saving money at the same time on several of your utility bills.

Categories
Eco Tips Furnishings Home Decor Uncategorized

Eco-friendly decorating tips

Putting your home together in an eco-friendly way is not that hard if you know what type of products and aesthetic you’re looking for. When decorating, think about how you want to minimize your footprint and create a space that is environmentally-conscious. Integrating recycled materials and other items can make a tremendous difference in your décor. If you’re really creative, you can have a charming and classy space without spending a lot of money. Here are a few tips:

  • Make it You

Take the time to think about what brings you joy. Do you love greenery? Do your spaces all simulate an outdoor environment? You can achieve this by having a variety of plants and eco-friendly furnishings throughout your home. You can find eco-friendly sheets and bedding in organic fibers, or use them for your curtains or furniture covers. There are a lot of green furniture products on the market that serve many purposes. From your chairs and sofas, to your table and bathroom fixtures, there are products that will accommodate your needs in all natural woods and other materials.

  • Paint Makes a Difference

Everyone knows that changing the paint color in a room works wonders. To stay eco-friendly, use paints that are low VOC or zero VOC. You can also find these in beautiful finishes to upgrade your furniture for an entirely different look.

  • Recycle Your Glass

One of the quickest ways to spruce up your décor and stay eco-friendly is by repurposing your glass jars or vases. If you’re into pretty colored glass, this is a beautiful way to add a creative display. If you’re really into decorating, use some of that low VOC paint to paint some of your jars or glass containers for a beautiful finish.

  • Bring the Outside In

Incorporate elements of nature into your décor by using seashells, pine cones that you can paint, pieces of wood or other natural materials arranged in collections or large pieces that serve as focal points. Take a minute to survey your current décor and decide how you want to change or enhance your space and take it from there.

If you decide to get rid of some of your existing pieces, donate them to charity or an organization that can use the pieces. This makes a conscious efforts to beautifying someone else’s home and makes a positive contribution to preserving the environment.

Categories
Articles Home Decor Recycling

How to Upcycle Old Wooden Furniture

Looking to add some fun and unique furniture pieces to your home? If so, then you might want to look at what you already have or even check out a local antique shop. You might be surprised at just what kinds of furniture you may be able to upcycle and use to add one-of-a-kind style to your space. Old wooden furniture, such as dressers and end tables, can be upcycled and restored with just a little bit of creativity and elbow grease. Read on to learn how to restore and upcycle old wooden furniture for your home.

Stripping Existing Paint and Varnish
Start by removing any hardware from the furniture that you want to keep intact so that only the wood structure itself remains. Hardware may include knobs, handles, and even metal drawer sliders. From there, you’ll want to apply the remover (using a paint brush or sponge) as directed on the label and give it as much time as needed to work. Attempting to strip the paint or varnish before it’s ready will result in an inconsistent look and will not be fully effective (HowStuffWorks).

Once the remover has been left on as long as is needed, use a scraper and/or steel wool to scoop up the clumps of removed paint or varnish; then, dispose into a safe container to bring to a local hazardous materials facility.

Sanding and Preparing for New Finish
Once you’ve stripped the old paint or finish, you’ll probably want to prepare the bare wood for a new finish. This will involve sanding the wood. The grain of sandpaper you’ll want to use will depend on the condition of the wood; if it needs a lot of sanding, then a coarser grit paper (around 160 grit should do the trick) will be needed. For finer sanding, stick to 240 grit or higher.

Applying the New Finish
Once the furniture is sanded, it’s ready to take on a whole new look. Decide between staining the wood and painting it based on your personal preferences. If you’re looking to achieve a truly rustic and unique look, consider distressing the paint yourself (HGTV). Once the new finish is dry, adorn your new wooden furniture with new hardware if desired to give it even more character.

Save the planet and your pocketbook by upcycling old furniture and giving it new life in your home. You’d be surprised at just how much fun you can have with this project!

~Danielle N. 

Categories
Articles Eco Tips Recycling

A Re-Purposeful Life

New isn’t necessarily better. In fact, repurposing items can create a unique environment filled with pieces that can’t be found in chain stores and can keep articles out of landfills. You can take this a step further when you reclaim materials from a deconstruction site. If you’re building or deconstructing a home or business, consider buying or selling materials to use again.

PlanetReuse connects buyers and sellers to materials for repurposing from deconstruction projects. You can build a home or business with reprocessed items from top to bottom. The PlanetReuse Marketplace features links to roofing materials, ceiling fans, wooden beams, lighting, molding, siding, windows, carpet tiles, and pine flooring. There are kitchen cabinets, bathroom sinks and various types of tables waiting to be recycled. For treasure hunters, stained glass windows, vintage clawfoot bathtubs, and antique sconces are yours for the salvaging. Moreover, if you’re interested in redoing your driveway or garden, you can use reclaimed landscaping rock, edging pavers, bricks, cobblestone or granite to create your own work of landscaping art. It’s all available at PlanetReuse, so check out its Marketplace section to see what’s available online.

Habitat for Humanity ReStores are nonprofit home improvement stores and donation centers throughout North America. Its website features a drop-down menu with filters by zip code and state to find Restores in the U.S. and offers an alternate filter for Canadian Provinces. Not only can you buy new and gently used furniture, appliances, home goods, and building materials, you can buy items far below retail prices. As an added attraction, proceeds go to build homes in communities in need of aid.

The Building Materials Reuse Association (BMRA) specializes in finding deconstruction or reuse businesses in your area with its business directory of listings and an interactive map. BMRA works to advance the recovery, reuse, and recycling of building materials by reducing resource consumption and landfill waste.

When it comes to interior decorating, you can adorn your home or business with vintage items from antique stores, yard sales or check out Freecycle.org; it’s an organization dedicated solely to recycling free items. Another option is to conduct online searches for reuse centers and resellers in your area. Lastly, if you see a deconstruction project in your area, contact a project representative or community liaison to see what may be available.

To reprocess an old saying, they don’t make things like they used to, so why not reclaim it? With recycling options at your fingertips, you can make your life a re-purposeful one.

~Maureen F. 

Categories
Eco Tips Featured Uncategorized

Going Green:5 Small Steps That Make Big Differences on the Environment

Going green simply means choosing to live your life by taking steps to be more environmentally responsible. Being more eco-friendly is intended to decrease the ecological impact you make on the earth and its resources. Going green may seem confusing or overwhelming to some, but it doesn’t mean you have to take drastic steps. The first step to going green and preserving the planet is to start small. Many of the small changes you make will have a large impact on preserving Earths natural resources.

Reusable Shopping Bags

One of the easiest, yet most effective things you can do to start going green is to stop using plastic grocery bags. Using reusable shopping bags will not only reduce the amount of plastic bags you have stored throughout your home, but it reduces the amount of plastic that lays dormient for years in a landfill as well as reduces the impact they have on marine ecosystems. Reusable grocery bags are inexpensive and they are more sturdy than plastic bags.

Clean Water

An easy and inexpensive solution to buying bottled water is to invest in a recycled container and an inexpensive water purifier. It will save you money, allow you to drink fresh water whenever you want and reduce the amount of plastic being thrown in local landfills.

Cleaning Products

Most household cleaning products contain a vast array of harmful chemicals. Each time you use these products, chemicals are being released into your home as well as into the environment. Try using homemade cleaners, such as vinegar, baking soda and/or lemon. These products are much less expensive than store bought cleaners and they clean better. For example, using lemon juice on the stove surface will dissolve built-up grease and remove cooking odors.

Energy Use

If you are fed up with paying outrageous utility bills each month, there are several things you can do that will not only conserve the use of energy for future generations, but lower your utility costs. For example, by changing all of the light bulbs in your home to LED bulbs and unplugging electronics when not in use, you could save several hundred dollars each year in utility costs.

Transportation

It is convenient to get in the car and drive to work, school and shopping. However, each time you drive, the fumes from the car are being released into the environment and damaging the ozone layer. Not to mention the cost of gas and maintenance for the car. By using public transportation just one time a week, you will be doing your part to reduce your carbon footprint and you will save a few hundred dollars each year on gas and maintenance.

It is virtually impossible to completely change your lifestyle overnight and you are not expected to do so. However, by making a few small changes in daily living habits, you will make a huge impact on an array of environmental problems. Simple things often make the biggest difference, such as practicing the 3’Rs (reduce, reuse and recycle) and using organic household cleaners.

~Rene W.

Categories
Eco Tips

Old Pictures, Memorabilia and Family Heirlooms

As you go through the attic, basement or storage space of your home or a loved one’s, it’s difficult to know what to do with old pictures, memorabilia and family heirlooms. You want to keep it all, but it’s not possible. Not to worry, you can find a respectful home for items you cannot keep.

One rule of thumb is to give what you can to family members, especially articles of sentimental value, and distribute historical artifacts to organizations that can provide a setting where the viewing public can appreciate it.

The first step is to get your boxes and labels ready, so when you peer into the eyes of an old doll, flip the pages of a revered book or grasp the handle of a timeworn teapot, you can consider who in your family can truly appreciate its significance.

Here’s the tough part: giving away pieces to non-family members. What can make this an easier task is having comfort in knowing that a much-loved keepsake is going to a home that your parents, grandparents or great grandparents would appreciate. You can contact a local historical society, sports club or museum in your town, city or state about submitting treasured items. Likewise, if your relative is from another country, you can contact a local library, museum or college for guidance. In the United States, the following institutions welcome gift donations:

The National Archives and Records Administration accepts documentary materials.

The Naval Historical Foundation accepts photographs, artwork, books, physical artifacts and paper documents through its Naval History and Heritage Command. The NHHC headquarters is in Washington, DC, but it has museums located throughout the United States.

The Library of Congress takes books and other materials.

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum accepts artwork, clothing, uniforms, textiles, documents, correspondence, diaries, propaganda and other objects directly associated with the Holocaust. In addition, the museum accepts prewar, wartime and postwar photographs as well as liberation photographs.

The National WWII Museum accepts books and periodicals, photographs, letters and journals, medals, uniforms and insignia as well as service documents, scrapbooks, ration books, postcards, leaflets programs, tickets, souvenirs, news articles and wartime brochures as well as Axis pistols and rifles.

Since guidelines vary, prospective donors should contact organizations directly about gift-giving procedures. Furthermore, donors should avoid vigorous cleaning of an item; unintentional damage can occur, making the item unfit for donation.

~Maureen F. 

Categories
Eco Tips Gadgets & Gear

Being Green – There’s an App for That!

Constantly being on the go is not a valid excuse for not being environmentally conscious anymore. With the help of these 5 smartphone applications (most free), expand your knowledge of green living on the go!

Green Globe. Cost-FREE. Green Globe was developed for the “green” traveler. The application currently has several country options to choose from (Aruba, Kenya, Germany and the US) and will provide a wide range of sustainable resorts, hotels, attractions, and conference centers.  This app is perfect for the world traveler looking to leave a small carbon footprint.

GreenITers Mobile II. Cost-FREE.  This app provides users with the latest on green news, eco innovations, and information for living a sustainable life. This application is free to use however you have to sign up to use it which takes about 30 seconds.

EcoChallenge. Cost-FREE. Want to participate in “green” challenges with your friends? This app allows users to do that and more! Challenge your friends to participate in “Meatless Mondays” and “Making a Meal at Home Using Local Groceries”.  This application is a fun method to reduce your individual impact on the environment and will help you live a more sustainable lifestyle.

One Stop Green Mobile App. Cost-FREE. Receive green tips everyday right on your smartphone. This application allows you to conduct your own “energy audit” with the solar, wind, water, and lighting calculator. This application is really interactive and really  user friendly.

Gorgeously Green Survival Guide. Cost- .99.  Gorgeously Green Survival Guide is perfect for the women on the go! It provides you with tips on how to create an eco-friendly home, adopt a healthier diet, how to spice up your beauty ritual with eco-friendly face products.

Categories
Eco Tips Featured Home Design Uncategorized

4 Quick Eco-Friendly Interior Fixes and Facelifts

Vintage Charm. Switch old pressed fiberwood cabinet or closet doors with antique swirled or crackled glass. The textured or crackled glass will still keep your kitchen looking open and airy while hiding the interior cabinet contents on occasions when things aren’t completely orderly.

Easy Update. Give your cabinets and kitchen drawers an updated look with a fresh coat of no or low VOC paint and new drawer pulls. Use one style on drawers and a contrasting style on doors.

Hide Floor Flaws. No need to entirely refinish a scratched, scuffed wooden floor. You can creatively cover scratches and scuffs with a coat of ECOS VOC-free Floor Paint. Find a variety of colors and finishes at Ecospaints.net.

Beadboard Display. Camouflage that unattractive stove hood by covering it with repurposed beadboard and adding some molding or finials to display china or heirloom kitchen collectibles.