7 Everyday Choices for an Eco-Friendly Bedroom Design

AD | Creating an eco-friendly bedroom is good for the planet and your health. It is also more straightforward than you might think.

Small changes like banishing plastics and bringing houseplants into your bedroom can make a big difference collectively.

If you are looking for more ideas to make your bedroom green, try these 7 everyday choices for an eco-friendly bedroom design:

Get a recyclable bed

If you need a new bed, get a recyclable one. Pine, oak, other natural woods, and metal (aluminium) are all eco-friendly options.

Woods have a lower carbon footprint because they absorb carbon when growing, but aluminium is 100% recyclable and infinitely recyclable too.

Pictured: Nordic Mill Shake Wooden Bed Frame available from Bedstar

Which is best for you depends on your eco-mindset: with wood, you get a lower carbon footprint, and with metal, you get a more recyclable product.

The same goes for all your furniture. Choosing recyclable materials with a low impact on the environment will help you sleep soundly at night.

Choose a mattress with natural fillings 

If you need a new mattress, choose one with natural fillings. Cotton, wool, mohair, bamboo, cashmere, and latex are all excellent options.

If you are vegan, then you will want a mattress with cotton and bamboo filling. You might also want to avoid chemicals, in which case avoid polys.  

Pictured: Mlily Bamboo Air-Flow Bamboo Charcoal Memory Foam Mattress

Something else to look for is an organic label. Organic cotton and bamboo are certified to organic agricultural standards – an excellent eco-friendly bonus.

Banish harmful chemicals and compounds

Paints emit Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). Some plastics do as well. Even everyday cleaning products can emit harmful compounds and chemicals.

With paints, choose paints that are certified low-VOC. Water-based paints are always better than oil-based and latex-based paints.  

With cleaning products, including sprays and air fresheners, look for vegan-certified, anti-allergenic products powered by non-corrosive eco-detergents.

Choose eco-friendly flooring 

If you need new bedroom flooring, there are several eco-friendly options.

The most eco-friendly wooden flooring is bamboo. It grows faster than other types of wood and absorbs five times more CO2 than oak.

Similarly, the most eco-friendly carpet is bamboo for the same reasons. It is also 100% vegan and available in most pile weights.

Other natural carpets include sisal, seagrass, coir, organic cotton, jute, and wool. These are natural alternatives to carpets made from plastics.

Another option is carpets made from recycled materials.

Upgrade to LED light bulbs

LED light bulbs have a life expectancy between 30,000 and 50,000 hours compared to 10,000 hours for CFL energy-saving light bulbs.

LED light bulbs also consume 15 to 20% less energy than CFL bulbs, making them the eco-friendlier choice overall.

You can get LED light bulbs in all sizes and different colours. They will directly replace the old bulbs in your bedroom, and they generate very little heat, making them safer.

Choose and use electrical appliances smartly

Using less electricity is the easiest way to make your bedroom eco-friendlier. Here are some of the simplest ways to make a difference:

• Turn appliances off at the socket to avoid standby power drain
• Put appliances in eco-power saving mode when possible
• Buy a TV with an ENERGY STAR label
• Lower the brightness on your TV and monitor
• Do not leave your smartphone on charge all the time
• Use dehumidifiers, fans, and portable air conditioners sparingly

Be smart with electrical appliances, and you will consume significantly less energy.

Embrace houseplants and bonsai trees

Houseplants and bonsai trees will help to purify and cleanse the air in your bedroom, and they will not use a watt of electricity to do it!

Bringing nature into your bedroom can also do wonders for your mental health. It is surprising how much positivity something green can bring.

Look after your houseplant or bonsai tree, and it will reward you with growth, bringing a real sense of satisfaction and purpose to your bedroom.

Final thoughts 

With studies suggesting we spend nearly half our lives in bed, it makes sense for us to make our bedrooms as eco-friendly as possible.

Simple changes can make a big difference – choose natural, recyclable products, embrace nature, use energy-saving measures, and choose a bed and mattress made from materials that are not harmful and bad for the planet.  

We would love to hear your ideas. Share them by commenting below.

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