How to decorate your home with sustainability in mind

When moving into a new home you are more likely to redecorate and purchase bigger items for the home. This is the time (but really anytime you purchase an item) you can consciously shop to ensure you are doing this in a sustainable manner.

So the question is, how do you decorate your home with sustainability in mind?

My top zero-waste and sustainable habit when moving into a new space (whether that is renting or buying) is being aware of how you furnish and decorate your space. Second-hand buying helps ensure you’re not requiring additional materials being used.

There are many ways you can shop second-hand items. A few of these are…

1.SECOND HAND STORES

This can be in person stores like Goodwill and Salvation Army to online apps like Poshmark, ThredUp and Ebay. You might have to shift through a few more items than normal to find a gem or quality but when you find that amazing piece it will be so worth it. Especially knowing you got a great deal and made sure an item stays out of the landfill.

2. ESTATE SALES

You never know what you will find at these. Usually more antique type items but it makes for a day of adventure. Remember to bring cash and zero expectations while just having fun seeing what these estates have to offer.

3. FACEBOOK MARKETPLACE

Marketplace can take you down a black hole of searching. And I dont suggest just search for the sake of searching because you will end up wanting everything. And I mean everything. But when you need something specific, I always recommend checking out facebook marketplace to see if a someone nearby is getting rid of exactly what you need. You will usually find something similar. And be prepared to get your haggling skills ready, but don’t go too low and insult the person. (Or do, I cant tell you what to do.)

4. You local “ BUY NOTHING” group

This group is amazing. The amount of things people just want out of their homes and are willing to give away is crazy. Just cross your fingers they choose you to give it to. This one is a chance of luck but you can wind up with something amazing you didn’t even realize you needed. The other great thing is you can ask if anyone in the group has what you are looking for has is looking to get rid of it.

*A note for all second hand items. Make sure to clean any item before bringing it into your home. Ideally everyone will clean items before donating or giving away but the reality is everyones version of clean is different. So to be sure to wash all clothes, wipe down any furniture and just be mindful.

While second hand may not be for everyone, consciously shopping from sustainable brands can make all the difference. Companies can make a larger impact than individuals so buying items from brands that are transparent about the amount of energy usage, ensuring they don’t pollute local waterways, and using natural materials while minimizing the amount of chemicals used can be the best thing you can do as a consumer when decorating your new place.

If you want to read more about this topic, Rent featured a quote in their article, providing a few more tips around sustainable lifestyles. Below is my feature.

Buy second-hand and shop sustainable brands

As noted above, buying second-hand items is a powerful eco-friendly lifestyle example well worth adopting. Shopping at thrift stores, garage sales, or online resale platforms can help extend the life cycle of products and reduce the demand for new manufacturing. Ariel Ouziel from Sustainably Kind is a proponent of buying second-hand, especially during bigger life events like moving that can sometimes produce more waste than we’d like to admit: “My top zero-waste and sustainable habit when moving into a new space (whether that is renting or buying) is being aware of how you furnish and decorate your space. Second-hand buying helps ensure you’re not requiring additional materials being used. You can do this by going to a second hand store, estate sales, searching through Facebook marketplace or even joining your local “buy nothing” group. All these options help keep items out of the landfill while giving your house a unique style. 

While second-hand may not be for everyone, consciously shopping from sustainable brands can make all the difference. Companies can make a larger impact than individuals so buying items from brands that are transparent about the amount of energy usage, ensuring they don’t pollute local waterways, and using natural materials while minimizing the amount of chemicals used can be the best thing you can do as a consumer when decorating your new place.” By buying second-hand, you help promote the circular economy, and many second-hand stores have a wide variety of unique, high-quality items that you can’t find in regular retail stores.