Design Notes
Decluttering your home can be a big job, especially if you’ve lived in the same place for many years. It’s amazing how much we can accumulate over just a short period of time, and it’s important to clear it all out now and then, not only to make room for new things but to help boost our mental and physical health.
Too much clutter can detract from your home’s wellness and leave you feeling overwhelmed, anxious, and even depressed if it sticks around long enough. It can also make it difficult to concentrate, which can affect the entire family. It’s important to set about decluttering in an eco-friendly way to ensure that you aren’t throwing out things that could be put to good use elsewhere. With so many landfills already overflowing, it’s imperative for us all to do our part and keep recycling.
Keep reading for some great tips from Greenbook Design on how to declutter your home in an eco-friendly way.
Donate Clothing
Most of us have one too many things in our closets, and cleaning them out could really help a family or child in need. Look online for programs near you that will collect gently used clothing and shoes to support foster families and women with children living in shelters. This is a great way to give back to your community and help declutter your home at the same time.
Keep Large Items Out Of Landfills
Refrigerators, mattresses, and washers/dryers are all big items that take up a lot of space in a landfill, but they can be recycled if you know where to go. While most recycling centers won’t take mattresses because they don’t have the resources to break them down, there may be a carpenter near you who knows how to take one apart and use the individual pieces as scrap. Large appliances can be donated to a Habitat For Humanity store; look online to find the closest location to you.
Choose The Right Cleaning Products
Decluttering and organizing often means cleaning the space to remove dust, pet hair, and other debris. Look for green cleaning solutions for your windows, flooring, and furniture, such as a simple mixture of vinegar and hot water, and learn some recipes for eco-friendly cleansers so you can keep up with the green way of life during your next round of cleaning.
Go Digital
Decluttering doesn’t necessarily mean throwing things away; you can downsize a bit by going digital with your photographs and scanning them onto the computer, allowing you to pack away the originals into safe storage to get them off the shelves in your home. You can also invest in a good thumb drive or external hard drive to store your photos, and use a digital photo frame so you can see all your favorite photos as a slideshow.
Invest In A Good Vacuum
The right vacuum will have an adjustable height setting that allows you to clean any type of flooring, which will come in handy throughout the house as you’re getting things spic and span. Many vacuums these days also come with high-quality filters to keep dust and dander from flying back into the air, which means you and your family will stay healthy. There are even vacuums that have special attachments to remove pet hair from your home.
Connection has become a priority in the home over the last couple of years. It can be considered the most basic function of the home, as this is where we gather with family and friends to celebrate, congratulate, and comfort one another. Designing with socializing opportunities has been at the forefront of design for decades, exemplified by spaces such as sitting rooms and large dining tables. This need for connection has made a strong comeback, and designers are once again looking for ways to bring families together. We want to have a home where we can relax and easily engage with one another, but many homeowners also desire spaces that are unified while still retaining a unique character of their own. Let’s talk about how to create a home with connecting spaces.
Several variables are involved in selecting the perfect tile, including material, pattern, and color, as well as factors that influence style and placement. Tile is also a versatile and durable design element, making it a suitable option for frequently used areas. Let’s explore how you can incorporate tile in the home.
Greenbrook DesignThe kitchen tends to be one of the busiest areas in the home, and over the last year, it has become more than just a place to cook food. It has evolved into a multifunctional space where everyone gathers to perform a wide range of tasks. With so much at stake, planning a renovation requires careful thought and well-designed plans. Many designers caution against following the latest trends, but there are a few additional design mistakes they also encourage their clients to avoid. If you are considering a renovation or a new construction project, here are our top five biggest kitchen design mistakes to avoid.
Countertops are often underappreciated and underrated in the design world. They are the true workhorses of any space, as they are used regularly and withstand a great deal. We chop, pound, knead, spill, and more all over these smooth surfaces, yet they continue to function day after day. Unfortunately, they are not meant to last forever. Experts recommend replacing them every 10 to 15 years, especially if signs of wear and tear are evident, such as stubborn stains, chips, or cracks.
Walker Woodworking Sometimes, certain areas of home decor have been influenced by trends that are no longer in style and can make the space feel dated or even uninviting. Rooms also serve a specific purpose, and those can change over time. If your children are no longer living with you, their bedroom can be transformed into a craft room or even a guest suite. There are also some new things that are making their way onto potential homebuyers’ lists. We have done some research for you and discovered some of the top new items being used in home design.
Greenbrook Design
Walker Woodworking