Ideas and Inspiration for Living Clean

The onset of spring inspires clean spaces and refreshed style in millions of homes. While sparkling clean windows, a reorganized mudroom, and revitalized décor will certainly make our list of to-dos, we’re feeling inspired to take the concept of “clean” a step further and impose cleaner practices in all facets of life. Learning to change your lifestyle for the greater good of the Earth’s future may seem like a daunting task, but there are a few easy things you can change in your life that will truly make an impact on the future. We’ve created a list for you to follow:

1. Invest in Reusable Items Around Your Home

Opt for metal straws. Plastic straws contribute to our pollution, and they often end up in the ocean where wildlife feed on them. Instead, choose a metal straw and use it in your home every time you feel the need for a straw. You can wash metal straws with soap and water and use them as often as you’d like, and you won’t have to worry about contributing to the plastic waste issue with plastic straws. In addition, you can also invest in collapsible metal straws that will make it possible for you to bring your straw out to a restaurant and tuck it securely in your bag or pocket. This is just one way you can make a small change that will have a large impact on the environment we live in. 

2. Choose Eco-friendly Cleaning Supplies

If you truly want to live cleaner in your home, you can do it by finding cleaning supplies that help not only make your home sparkly clean but also protect the environment because of their ingredients and packaging. Recycled packaging is one thing to look for in these products, as they don’t promote the use of single-use plastics. Also, some eco-friendly cleaning supplies even have refillable containers!

Harsh chemicals don’t break down like other, biodegradable materials, which is why many cleaning solutions cause such harm to the environment. “Green” cleaning supplies protect the environment by ensuring that they can break down over time after they are used in your sink, toilet, on your floor, or in your shower. 

3. Make More Mindful Buying Decisions

By asking questions about the product that you are about to buy, you can make more educated buying decisions. For example, have you ever asked yourself whether a product you were investing in was eco-friendly before you purchased, or did you just go ahead and buy it? Simply checking the ingredient list on a product can get you pretty far in terms of the effect you have on the environment. When it comes to flooring, you can ask questions like, does this product emit VOC’s? Is this flooring type hypoallergenic? Can this flooring be recycled? With our Healthier Living® Flooring Installation System, you can trust that your floors will be a healthy investment for you, your family, and the environment! 

4. Consider Used Items in Your Space

One of the primary issues with how we live in our world is how much trash one single person produces over their lifetime. One of the ways we can help reduce that amount is by investing in used items, rather than always buying new. Clothing is an excellent example of this, and with the amount of waste we produce in clothing, it would greatly help if we chose to make something new out of our own clothes, or even trade clothes with someone we know. It can be fun to trade clothes that one person might be tired of because the old clothes are like new to you! 

Other items like cast iron or stainless steel pots and pans, used tools, and even vehicles are long-lasting items that can be just as good to you as they were to someone else in the past! Since these are metal, they will likely end up in a landfill, contributing to the issue we have with waste. Let’s choose to use them again and spruce them up a bit, if possible!

5. Opt Outside

With technology often taking over our work lives and even most of our recreational time, we don’t realize how much time we spend sitting down or being sedentary. Sitting for long periods uses less muscles, doesn’t burn as many calories as standing or walking, and can change the elasticity of your hip flexors. Instead of sitting down all day, opt for living a healthier lifestyle, and stand or get outside! Whether you choose to go for a walk on your lunch, take a brisk jog outside after the day is done, or start your morning with an early run, getting outside will help you feel less stressed, as well as work your body. 

While walking, jogging, and running are great options, there are other ways you can also get outside. Find a park with a basketball hoop to play basketball with a friend, or a tennis court where you can work on your backhand swing. If you don’t have a park with these activities near you, you can always practice throwing a football across the yard, or get a soccer ball and run around with your pets!

It’s true that it’s generally easier to get outside in the summer. The fun doesn’t have to stop in the warmer months, though. In the winter, try snowshoeing, snowboarding, or skiing to get outside in the cold, and you may just find that the winter goes by much more quickly. 

6. Choose Veggies!

To truly live cleaner, add leafy greens and brightly colored vegetables to your plate. Vegetables are an important part of our diet, so why not choose to add more of them? Adding more vibrant vegetables with a range of macronutrients will help you live a healthier lifestyle. 

You can incorporate this into your life by creating a garden either inside or outside your home, and fill it with vegetables that suit your climate. Vegetables are easy to grow, and you can reap the rewards of your labor by enjoying them as soon as they’re ready! Cucumbers, green peppers, tomatoes, jalapeños, and onions are just a few of the options you have to add to your home garden. Raised gardens are an excellent choice for those who have some available land, while indoor herb gardens are perfect for those with a smaller yard. If you have a patio, line it with planters and fill them with small vegetables to give your space a fresh, rejuvenating look while also living cleaner.