Environmentally friendly home decorating. I honestly had never really thought about it until very recently. Right now we are in the middle of moving. This is a very exciting albeit overwhelming time for us. Take four children under the age of 9 and attempt to move them to another town in the middle of the school year. Balance this with ballet, figure skating, gymnastics, tae kwon do, two parents who work and a toddler who is potty training. Throw in a car accident that resulted in the family mini-van being totaled. Don’t forget about the new home that requires paint and new flooring. Keep your current home in tip top shape while attempting to sell it. Do this all in one month. This is my life.

Anyway, I’m getting off topic and whining to you about things you probably don’t care about. In the middle of this chaos I have been sorely neglecting my blog continuing my attempt to make our life eco-friendly. Here are some simple but environmentally friendly things to keep in mind when designing your home.

  • Did you know that lumber can be purchased from certified forests that are responsibly managed? Check out groups like the FSC for more information.
  • Energy efficient appliances are stocked virtually everywhere these days. They’re competitively priced and a lot of places are offering incentives and rebates to people who choose to buy green.
  • Cork flooring not only looks great, but it doesn’t have any formaldehyde in it and is milled from trees that are naturally regenerating.
  • Compact fluorescent lighting is very energy efficient. Some LED lighting uses even less energy.
  • Reclaimed wood can be used for decks, flooring and numerous other household projects. You can save this wood from ending up at the dump, save more trees from being cut, and get a beautiful, vintage look for your home.
  • Buy natural, organic fabrics. Cotton, linen, hemp and bamboo fabrics are becoming increasingly popular and easier to find.

Now I really need to get off my laptop and get back to my chaos. I am sure that I have barely scratched the surface here. If you have some environmentally friendly home decorating ideas to share, I would love to hear them.