Furnishing Your Bedroom Sustainably: Essential Tips

Do you want to furnish your bedroom in a sustainable way? This is a great choice. More and more people are choosing to live sustainably. So, what does a sustainable adjustment look like, and what do you need to look out for? Here are some tips to help you design a sustainable bedroom!

Sustainable Bedroom Furniture

You probably immediately think of beds and wardrobes when you think of bedroom decor. This is because these pieces of furniture are, after all, the most important ones in the room. Moreover, they form part of furniture that can be used for a long time, so they can be called sustainable. But did you know that you can also choose to have a sustainable bedroom by looking critically at your bedroom furniture?

You’ll sleep more comfortably if you know that the wood used in your eco-friendly bed has been given the FSC quality label. This means that the forest will not be unnecessarily packed to make the bed. Choose natural materials and fabrics for your bedroom as much as possible and check if they have quality markings as well.

Look Critically at Your Wardrobe

Take a critical look at your wardrobe. How many clothes do you have in your closet right now? How much of it do you actually wear? How about the use of materials in your clothes? For example, you may want to choose clothes made of bamboo instead of cotton. This is because bamboo is a more eco-friendly material. Moreover, the quality is super durable and comfortable to wear.

Before shopping for sustainable clothing, it is essential to find out about your current collection. Items you no longer wear can be given away or sold to other people. In this way, you can breathe new life into the clothes you no longer wear. It also helps to reduce the impact on the environment.

Choose Sustainable Bedding

Another key to achieving a sustainable bedroom is to buy sustainable duvet covers. You can do an excellent job by choosing sustainable organic cotton duvet covers. Organic cotton uses very little water and no chemicals in its production.

Choose a Minimalist Bedroom

If your bedroom is overflowing with stuff, it can be stressful. That’s why it’s a good idea to choose a minimalist bedroom. Just keep the bare necessities. A minimalist bedroom is not only eco-friendly, but it also gives you peace in your mind and helps you sleep well. So, instead of filling up your bedroom with stuff, choose a few beautiful, quality items that will make you happy.

Sustainable Bedroom
Sustainable Bedroom

Second-hand Furniture

Are you on a tight budget? Then choose used furniture! This is very eco-friendly and sustainable. You will avoid the environmental impact of intensive production processes, and you will have less stuff to throw away. Moreover, you will be left with savings. So, there are only benefits!

If you visit a thrift store, you can find many great items for your bedroom. Think about cabinets, lamps, chests of drawers, etc., to put next to your bed. Of course, you can also find a lot of second-hand items on second-hand websites and flea markets.

Sleep on an Ecological Mattress

In the bedroom, good sleep is central. The bed and mattress play an important role in this. Always choose a sustainable bed with an environmentally friendly mattress. Many mattresses are made of synthetic materials and chemicals. This is not good for the environment or your health. That is why it is better to choose a sustainable mattress made of natural materials.

Turn Down the Heating

If your bedroom is well insulated, you can often turn down the heating or turn it off altogether. This way, you can save a lot of money on your winter heating bills, and it is also environmentally friendly!

Your Guide To Making A Natural Eco-Friendly Bedroom
Natural Eco-Friendly Bedroom

Do you have any other tips? Share it with us in the comments below!

How To Be A Sustainable Traveler?

Traveling is wonderful, but unfortunately, not always sustainable. By flying a lot, traveling by car, and being irresponsible with water, energy, and waste in our vacation destinations, we are putting some of the most beautiful places in the world at risk. Here are some tips to help you travel sustainably!

Compensate for the CO2 Emitted by Your Flight

Airplanes are the most environmentally damaging mode of transportation, with high CO2 emissions, 5 to 15 times more than other modes of transportation such as rail.

However, never flying again is not an option for many world travelers. Besides, if you are going on vacation to Australia, New Zealand, Bali, Thailand, or Africa, there is no other choice. Nonetheless, there are a few things you can keep in mind when booking your flight to make it more sustainable and to offset the environmental pollution caused by your tour.

  • If possible, book a direct flight with no stopovers. Airplanes emit a lot of CO2 and other wastes during take-off and landing.
  • Travel light: The heavier the plane, the more fuel it consumes and the more pollutants it emits. Keep your bags and suitcases as light as you can and, if possible, take only hand luggage. You can also save your wallet by paying extra to check in your suitcase.

Choose Sustainable Accommodations

Not all hotels are equally eco-friendly, but how can you tell if an accommodation is sustainable? Check to see if the hotel or apartment is Green Key certified. This is an independent international organization for sustainable tourism. Besides, all-inclusive holidays are not the best option for the environment. All-you-can-eat and all-you-can-drink is delicious, but all-inclusives often cause a lot of wastage.

Be Careful When Diving and Snorkeling

Diving among the colorful coral reefs is a highlight for visitors to Australia, Indonesia, and Egypt. Who wouldn’t dream of snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef? Unfortunately, the Great Barrier Reef, like other coral reefs worldwide, is in grave danger of disappearing altogether. This does not mean that diving and snorkeling will no longer be possible, but caution is advised. Make sure not to touch the coral and use sunscreens that do not contain oxybenzone and octinoxate.

Coast, Coral Reef, Transparent, Tropical, Widi Islands

Reduce Plastic Waste

Did you know that more than 8 million tons of plastic waste are dumped into the ocean every year? If this trend continues, the oceans will become a plastic soup. Just a few changes in your travel behavior can make a big difference.

  • Take a reusable water bottle with you, don’t buy plastic bottles (even the cheap ones!).
  • Don’t go to restaurants or cafes.
  • Don’t buy plastic water bottles, leave straws at restaurants and cafes, and take a shopping bag when you go shopping.

Use of Public Transportation

Offsetting the CO2 emitted by air travel is a step in the right direction, but ditch the plane and opt for public transportation if you want to travel even cleaner. Trains allow you to travel quickly and easily to many beautiful destinations in Europe.

For example, you can travel by train across the continent by interrailing. You can also take the night train to Prague and enjoy a city break. Once you arrive at your destination, it is advisable to use public transportation such as metro, streetcar, or bus instead of renting a car. Furthermore, cycling and walking are very healthy and good for you.

Metro, Platform, Public Transport, Railway, Station

Eat Vegetarian or Vegan While Traveling

Some of you may already leave meat and dairy products at home, but why not do so once in a while when traveling? More and more people are vegetarian or vegan, which is reflected in the menus of restaurants. In trendy cities like Berlin, London, and New York, there are countless vegetarian and vegan restaurants where you can enjoy delicious food. Good for the body, good for the animals, good for the environment, and good for nature!

Buy Second-Hand Suitcases and Backpacks

We all like to buy new suitcases and backpacks. But do you need to buy a new one? Maybe one of your friends or family members still has a suitcase or bag that you can use for your vacation, or you can buy an excellent used suitcase on Marktplaats or Ebay. They are a sustainable and inexpensive alternative to new suitcases.

Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!