5 Eco-Friendly Home Decor Ideas

Global warming is one of the most discussed issues of the present times. Our planet is facing a crisis, and hence, we are all in the midst of danger. However, we have not reached the dead-end yet. So, there is so much that we can still do to save mother earth. The individual efforts count the most and can go a long way if everyone decides to play their part.

If you are a creative person who wants to decorate their home while trying to maintain a sustainable lifestyle, you would have noticed how most ways to decorate a house have a big carbon footprint. Don’t worry, you do not have to give up home decor to care for the environment. The following are some eco-friendly decor ideas that are sure to fetch you a ton of compliments on your aesthetic and mindful approach towards the environment.

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Inculcate Houseplants

Who does not love greenery? It is the best way to stay close to nature while staying indoors. In the modern lifestyle, our living spaces are becoming more cramped than ever. Plus, not everyone is lucky enough to have a green bed of twenty-five cubic yards. However, that does not mean that you have to live without a touch of nature.

The easiest way to do so is by cultivating houseplants. It can be done pretty much anywhere and placing them in gorgeous bottles and containers can amplify the appeal. If you plan on adding a lot of houseplants, make sure to get high-quality glass containers from a trusted glass bottles manufacturer.

Go Vintage

The old school décor has been making rounds again. So, this is the perfect time to go thrifting and to rummage through your grandma’s stuff. It is one of the best and responsible ways to save money and to recycle old, discarded things lying in your home.

So, to start with, make use of those vintage suitcases that we all have in our attics. Dust them off and with the help of a little DIY, you can turn them into a table. Attach wooden dowels to the painted suitcase to turn it into a side-table. The fact that you did not have to buy anything new, and didn’t use any fuel to go to the supermarket, gives this DIY a small carbon footprint.

Make Use of Old Textbooks

When you are in the process of redecorating your space, it sounds quite tempting to get rid of everything that has not served you its purpose in years. But do not throw away your old textbooks. Use them to your advantage because there are plenty of DIYs that you can do.

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For instance, renew your old lamp by pasting some old pages on your lampshade and stack some books under it. Remember, recycling is the first step to ensuring that you do not produce a lot of waste that is harmful to the environment. So, let your creative side shine and up-cycle old items and turn them into fun home decorations.

Make Your Own Scented Candles

Scent and fragrance have been serving us for ages. When your environment smells great, it gives a sudden uplift to your mood. There is nothing better than coming home after a long day, lighting a candle, and feeling the stresses of the day melt away.

But instead of buying your candles or investing in expensive air freshener dispensers, you can make your own scented candles at home. The following are the supplies that you will need for this:

  • A jar
  • Candle Wick
  • Soy Wax
  • Scissors
  • Spoon
  • Measuring Cup
  • Any essential oil

Instructions

  • Measure the wax according to your jar size.
  • Melt it and add a few drops of your favorite essential oil.
  • Hold the candle wick into the jar and carefully pour the melted wax.
  • Wait for the wax to become solid and cut the extra wick that is sticking out.
  • Voila! You have your own organic candle!

Invest in LED Lighting

The idea may sound a little intimidating if you look at the cost but there is nothing that pays off like LED Lighting. The traditional lighting system is a huge source of energy waste, not to mention the massive power that they consume. So, it is an excellent decision to invest in LED lighting and ensure that you are not hurting the environment. So, accessorize your home with some elegant LED Lights, that are not just reliable but also completely eco-friendly.

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Conclusion

It is truly a domineering task to redecorate your home and to bring novelty to your creativity. To top it all, there is this added pressure of being environmentally responsible. However, if you are determined to contribute to your planet, now is the right time. For starters, just staying conscious about the waste and resources will eventually become your second nature. And soon, you would not have to think twice before taking on a task as daunting as eco-friendly home décor.

Can You Recycle Summer Pool Inflatables?

Over the last few years, having pools in our gardens has become hugely popular with both kids and adults alike. Which has also meant that summer pool inflatables – particularly large dinosaurs or unicorns – have become popular too. The only problem is, when these plastic inflatables are no longer wanted, what happens to them?

What are Pool Inflatables?

First off, before we look at how to recycle these pool inflatables, what exactly are they? Well, like the name suggest, these are plastic inflatables that tend to be used in pools. These can range from very big inflatables that can be sat on, down to inflatables used for sports such as balls or clubs.

summer-pool-inflatables

There tends to be new inflatable design and shapes that come out every summer, which becomes popular on the likes of Instagram. This leads to people rushing to buy what’s popular and old inflatables becoming binned.

What are Pool Inflatables Made of and Can They Be Recycled?

When it comes to the cheap pool inflatables that we often see in the likes of Aldi and Argos, these toys ten to be made from nylon or vinyl, they will then be coated in a PVC material that makes them very durable.

Because of this PVC coating, though, it makes it very hard to recycle these inflatables. Which is why broken or unwanted pool toys end up going into our general bins, which are destined for a landfill. Which isn’t great when we’re trying to recycle as much as we can.

What Can You Do With Old or Unwanted Pool Inflatables?

Well, before you stop buying pool inflatables altogether, here at KwikSweep we have some great ideas for how you can keep your inflatables away from landfills:

Repair It

More often than not, when we’re looking to get rid of a pool inflatable it’s because it’s damaged and we believe it be unusable. Which can be quite common when they’re used by kids – and adults too! Before you get rid of your pool inflatable, though, it’s actually very easy to repair these inflatables.

First of all, you need to find where the hole or rip is. This is quite easy to do, just fill the inflatable up with water and see where water or bubbles are escaping. Once you’ve located the hole add a sticker, then you can empty the water out and dry out the inflatable before you look to fix it.

When you’re ready to start your repair, inflate it with air and cover the hole with some duct tape to keep the air in. You can then take a piece of PVC or more tape and cover it with some waterproof glue and place over the top of the hole and held until dry. Just remember to check it thoroughly before giving it back to the kids.

Give it Away

If pool inflatable isn’t broken, but it is no longer wanted. Rather than throwing it away, consider giving it away to someone you know or even donating it to charity. That way, rather than simply throwing it away, someone else will be able to get use out of it.

Upcycle It

While pool inflatables are hard to recycle, they may still be of use to others that could use the material in an upcycle project. For this, you will have to research locally to see if anyone wants to work with old PVC, which can seem like hard work, however, it’s more than worth it to keep it out of landfills.

If you’re worried about any of your rubbish going to landfills and you’d like to make sure as much as possible is recycled, contact us here at KwikSweep. As, regardless of it being commercial or home clearances, we make sure as much is kept away from landfills as possible.