A little while back I shared a few tips to help you create a more sustainable bathroom, and today I’m back to share my top 5 tips for a more sustainable bedroom! Most of these changes are not only easy to implement but can be done whether you are renting or own your own home, and they aren’t expensive either. They will however leave you with a healthier, more eco friendly bedroom! I’d love to hear your tips as well!
1. Choose Better Bedding
Switching your bedding to either bamboo or organic cotton is the easiest way to make your bedroom more sustainable. Both options are incredibly breathable and are made from natural fibres, free from chemical treatments which therefore reduces your exposure to things like synthetic pesticides and formaldehyde. They’re also incredibly comfortable meaning you’ll get a better night sleep without breathing in nasty chemicals – a win-win in my books!
There are lots of places selling both bamboo and organic cotton sheets these days, including Ettitude and Biome^.
2. Introduce Some Plants
I’ve talked before about the importance of introducing indoor plants into your home to help purify the air and remove toxins, and the bedroom is no different. Adding a plant or two into your bedroom will help increase the oxygen levels and moisture in the room, making it easier to sleep and reduce things like sore throats and dry coughs.
Whilst pretty much any plants that suit the light levels in your bedroom will work, a gerbera plant is particularly excellent as they release their oxygen in the evenings and are therefore known to improve sleep quality even more so than other indoor plants. Plus, they have pretty flowers!
3. Change Your Lights
An excellent way to create a more sustainable bedroom is to switch out the lightbulbs for LED lights in not only your bedside lamps but ceiling lights as well. They are incredibly efficient which means they use a whole lot less energy than standard lights, and they last a lot longer as well, making them well worth the initial cost investment. Nowadays you can pick up LED versions of your standard lightbulbs pretty much anywhere making the switch incredibly simple!
4. Use Low-Tox Paint
Paint is one of those things within our homes that can emit all kinds of chemicals, known as volatile organic compounds, or VOCs which are not great for both our health and the environment. These are emitted not just when the walls are originally painted but continued exposure is known to cause respiratory problems and aggravate allergies, which is not exactly what we want in our bedrooms!
Painting your bedroom might not be something you do very often, but next time you feel like sprucing up the walls a little make sure to choose a low-VOC paint (which should be labelled as exactly that). You’ll rest a whole lot easier!
5. Be Fussy About Furniture & Furnishings
Changing your bedding to organic cotton or bamboo is an excellent first start, but there are a few other materials you should try and avoid in the bedroom as well. This includes choosing wool blankets and rugs over polyester and avoiding leather and suede in both furniture and furnishings is a good idea as well. This is because both of those materials require significant chemical processing to make them usable in those ways, which is not exactly what you want to be introducing into the room you spend so much of your time sleeping in!
Where possible, choose secondhand furniture and ensure any wooden furniture is FSC certified, which ensure it was made out of sustainably sourced timber which is ethically managed and gives back to the local communities and indigenous population.
There we have it, my top 5 tips for a more sustainable bedroom! I’d love your suggestions as well!
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I Spy Plum Pie is Liz, an early 30s kiwi-born, Melbourne raised girl who is passionate about the environment and sustainability, food, exploring and learning new things. Join me on my journey to a happy, sustainable life!
Moni | Thoughts of a Moni
April 13, 2016 at 4:00 pm (7 years ago)I’m actually in the market to buy some new linen, so thanks for the tip!
Moni | Thoughts of a Moni recently posted…Rustica Canteen
I Spy Plum Pie (admin)
April 24, 2016 at 1:38 pm (7 years ago)My pleasure! I hope you find something delightful!
merilyn
April 13, 2016 at 5:48 pm (7 years ago)great thanks liz! these are all helpful tips!
i’m pleased that i’m already doing most of them!
I definitely only have natural fibres on my bed! … love m:)X
I Spy Plum Pie (admin)
April 24, 2016 at 1:38 pm (7 years ago)That doesn’t surprise me at all, you’re such a superstar xx
Paula
April 16, 2016 at 11:31 pm (7 years ago)I’d never thought about getting organic to bamboo sheets. They would probably be better for my allergies! Great tips!
Paula recently posted…Saturday Sharing – the joy of one and more
I Spy Plum Pie (admin)
April 24, 2016 at 1:40 pm (7 years ago)I hope they do help your allergies, glad to hear this was useful!
Karin @ Calm to Conniption
April 21, 2016 at 6:41 pm (7 years ago)I bought some Morrisey Bamboo sheets a while back and they are beautiful! Recommend them to everyone.
Karin @ Calm to Conniption recently posted…#7 Have We Gone PC Mad?
I Spy Plum Pie (admin)
April 24, 2016 at 1:40 pm (7 years ago)Ooh they sound delightful!
ELTEC
September 8, 2019 at 4:13 am (4 years ago)Awesome tips! I have been wanting to buy new linen for a long time but am always busy.