Green up your home office to improve mood and workflow
A welcoming workspace is essential for productivity, especially with most of us working remotely these days. But don't worry, transforming your home office into an eco-friendly oasis is easier than you think.
Here are five ways to create a sustainable workspace...
1. Install reclaimed wood shelves
West ElmFloating shelves are not a new trend, but they are a stylish, eco-friendly and underrated way to store your office knickknacks. They’re also extremely simple to obtain and assemble. Purchasing reclaimed slabs of wood instead of installing heavy-duty shelving units allows for more design flexibility in any space.
2. Go paperless
Pexels/Andrea DavisOpt for digitizing your files instead of printing them. Papers and documents can create clutter quickly and result in a frequent need to tidy. Plus, all that paper adds up and is wasteful. Switch to organizing your important documents in folders on your computer or in a secure Cloud network.
3. Add greenery
PexelsA research study conducted by NASA revealed that indoor plants reduce almost 90 percent of air pollutants within 24 hours. Not only are plants relaxing to look at and aesthetically pleasing, they also purify the air you breathe, which can improve your mental health and clarity.
Areca palms (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens) are an excellent indoor plant. They look beautiful in any space, and also eliminate toxins like carbon monoxide and are even non-toxic to pets. Care for them with lots of water (a couple of times a week) during summer, but not as much in winter.
4. Use wicker and bamboo containers
WayfairWicker and bamboo decor pieces are versatile enough to work with any aesthetic and are the perfect eco-friendly storage option for a workspace. You can find both vintage and modern pieces, either of which would easily fit into your home.
What makes this trend appealing is its timelessness, no matter the style and colour scheme of your space. Wicker accessories in particular are very affordable and can be purchased from almost anywhere, including Ikea.
5. Add natural and mood lighting with eco-friendly candles
Mala the BrandCandles not only provide natural lighting, but can create the perfect welcoming ambience for your home office. When selecting a candle, it can be easy to reach for the one with the prettiest scent and the nicest packaging, but there are certain health concerns to be aware of first.
Avoid purchasing candles that use paraffin wax. Paraffin candles, made from a by-product of petroleum, are most commonly used in mass-produced stores, as they give incredible throw (the scent that emits when burnt) for less fragrance (which are cheaper to make). Paraffin can be toxic to animals and even humans when burned. Stick with soy or beeswax, it burns cleanly.