Beginner's Guide to Eco-friendly Bedroom

Mindfulness and sustainability begin at home. Simple changes in your bedroom can help you create a toxic-free and mindful home, which benefits you and the environment.

The bedroom is an important space for conscious progression to a more mindful and sustainable household. Want to make your bedroom your next eco-friendly project? This blog guides you through the fundamentals of an eco-friendly room, factors to consider while buying furniture and what steps you can follow to maintain a zero-waste bedroom.

Why do you need an eco-friendly bedroom?

Just like your kitchen, your bedroom is the most used room in your house. You might find many things laying around in your room. If you want to become a more conscious consumer, your bedroom is a good place to start.

Finding methods to become ‘greener’ is increasingly important. There is a surge in startups and companies, switching over to eco-friendly alternatives for decor and furniture, that are not only eco-friendly but also use ethical manufacturing practices that are good for you, the community, and the environment.

How can I make my bedroom more eco-friendly?

Many people are under the misconception that an eco-friendly bedroom means buying low-quality items that are not durable and do not perform as well as conventional items. But green living is not as hard as it may seem.

An eco-friendly bedroom aims to reduce the carbon footprint of your purchases and to make a thoughtful switch to eco-friendly alternatives. Let’s explore these criteria and understand the options available.

With many nations trying to fix things at a macro-scale, as individuals, we can do our part starting in the home. Sustainable interior designing and planning is a great way to create eco-friendly solutions for your room.

Things/Factors to consider before you take an action

Now that you are considering redesigning your bedroom space, the first thing is to know your budget. Fortunately, many eco-friendly alternatives are budget-friendly and have better functionality.

By doing better research and looking into this guide, you can get a better idea of the ways you can minimize cost while also getting the best alternative.

Apart from budget, you might have to look into your space, layout, aesthetic, etc. But to ensure that your selection is eco-friendly, there are few factors to consider -

1. Are your appliances energy efficient?
2. What waste reduction practices are possible with the product?
3. Is the product versatile?
4. Is the product durable?
5. Does the product have a low carbon footprint?
6. Are your products toxin-free?

These criteria are essential to make your personal space more mindful.

How to start with creating an eco-friendly bedroom?

Before you go ahead with purchasing eco-friendly alternatives, it is essential to have your foundations strong. There needs to be fertile ground to incorporate the above principles in your eco bedroom.

#1 Decluttering and recycling

The first step is to use what you already have and make adjustments. This is one of the best and easiest things that you can do, almost immediately. It is a budget-friendly way to transform your room into a sustainable one.

The complexity depends on how much stuff you have in your bedroom and how long it will take you to declutter and organize. Understanding your room better will help you to organize better.

This gets down to the principle of reducing waste. Once you declutter your room, you will find items that you can donate, recycle, reuse and reduce that is not useful for you.

Items that have eco-friendly alternatives for a sustainable room

Choosing things to change about the bedroom can be overwhelming, considering the many options available. To help make choosing easier for you, we have listed items below that are a good place to start to upgrade your eco-friendly bedroom game.

Appliances

One of the most neglected aspects in any room is to ensure the energy efficiency of the appliances. Besides fully switching off standby appliances, it is also advised to switch to energy-efficient light bulbs and appliances.

The bedroom is one of the leisure zones where we all use more electronic appliances like the internet, lights, and air conditioners. You might also need a heater if you live in colder areas. Central heating uses a lot of energy and can be costly. Resort to more energy-efficient appliances with smart tools for comfortable yet eco-friendly living spaces.

Furniture

A bedroom is a space where we can truly be ourselves. Going sustainable with your bedroom means having lasting comfort that leaves either no or less impact on the environment.

Eco-friendly bedroom furniture is another important element to pay attention to. It is becoming more and more popular as people are getting conscious about their spending. You can either choose to use upcycled furniture or furniture that is made from sustainable materials. Eco-friendly furniture is considered to be timeless because of its simplicity of design and material durability. In the long term, this gives you a lower carbon footprint.

Look out for furniture that is made from sustainable materials. To make your space more relaxing, make sure that you have enough room. The point here is to cut down unnecessary spending and invest in better-quality furniture.

Shelves

Just like any other furniture, bookshelves are a major investment when looking for sustainable versions. It is important to look at FSC certified rather than particleboard. They might be a bit more expensive, but they provide long-term value. Of course, if you are looking for affordable options, a second-hand option is a great choice.

Beds

If you look generally in the market, you will find only a few sustainable options. It is important to research the companies that have eco-friendly options. You can either go for a second-hand bed or choose a new sustainable one. The latter will typically cost more but will give you the peace of mind of having a new bed.

Mattresses

The next thing that you can look into is your mattress. Most conventional mattresses have flame retardants or PVC, which is a form of plastic - which is not very eco-friendly. Over time, it is also hazardous to health.

Blankets, sheets, and pillows

Now that we are talking about bedding, what about the sheets and pillows? The first thing to look at while choosing sheets is, you will look into the material. It needs to be organic, eco-friendly, and ethically sourced - whether it is cotton, wool, or hemp. Other options can include bamboo fabrics, which are also highly sustainable.

Organic sheets can be quite expensive, but they are definitely worth the investment because. The organic materials are much safer and more comfortable to the touch. They are It is also better for the skin and improves the quality of sleep.

Conventional beddings usually have Teflon, formaldehyde, and flame retardants that need to be avoided. Also, avoid any bedding or interior item that is made from leather or suede as they are animal products, defeating the purpose of conscious living.

Paint and Flooring

In addition to the furniture in a room, another aspect to look into is paints and flooring. VOC paints and flooring are quite harmful to the environment. VOC stands for Volatile Organic Compounds. The ‘paint smell’ that you notice while painting comes from the VOC. It can be quite toxic, especially for children and toddlers.

In case you are planning to paint an eco-friendly room, consider using low VOC paints or anti-VOC paints. You can also opt for sustainable options like bamboo or tile for the flooring and walls. You can also go for all-natural carpets that are made from sustainable and biodegradable material.

Avoid using carpets that have:

• Benzene
• Formaldehyde
• p-Dichlorobenzene
• 4-PC
• Xylene

These materials are not sustainable. The manufacturers also don’t implement antimicrobial or stain resistance treatment.

Scent and fragrance

Do you like a nice and calming fragrance in your bedroom? You may be familiar with many of the available conventional options; however, not all of the choices are good for the environment or your health because many of them have artificial toxins and chemicals.

Also, the packaging of many conventional options is unsustainable. It is best to use fragrances that are naturally sourced and consciously packaged. One idea is to add some aromatic plants to your bedroom. They not only bring freshness to the room but also improve the air quality.

Whatever eco-friendly air fresheners you decide to use, see if you can find options that are:

1. Natural
2. Beneficial
3. Easily available
4. Sustainable storage

How to choose items and products for an eco-friendly room

1. Ensure that new products that you purchase are sourced ethically and are made from naturally derived material.
2. Do a background check on the company that you are purchasing from to ensure the minimum carbon and environmental footprint possible.
3. For the item to be sustainable, it needs to be both durable and versatile, which inherently improves product life and reduces the carbon footprint of the product.
4. If possible, check the certifications of the company that validates their claims and ensure that they are walking the talk.

The Bottom Line

Making your bedroom more eco-friendly does not need to be a difficult task. Making slow and consistent shifts is the key to a lasting conscious lifestyle. Make sure that you do enough research before buying any product. It is so important to be more considerate and consistent with the efforts to go all-natural.

There are many options in the market to choose from. This is where we’ll help you. You can check out our other articles with eco-friendly alternatives that can help you with your efforts towards an eco-friendly lifestyle.

It is much more than just eco-friendly living - it extends to actual green practices that influence how communities, the public, and businesses align with eco-friendly living. Being eco-friendly is much more than just turning off the lights and separating your waste - it is about changing your mindset and approach to the way you live.

Be mindful and aware of your actions and their influence on the environment in your daily decisions and actions. Whether it is the amount of plastic, paper, or water you use or reducing your consumption, you have the potential to make a big impact to protect and heal the planet. There are so many ways to get started with eco-friendly living! Just remember, you don’t need to do everything all at once: start with one sustainable habit at a time.

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