Decorating with a Green Thumb

Being “green” applies to many different things today. It’s no longer simply recycling. It also means buying the most energy efficient products from cars to washing machines. It means changing habits like going paperless and even making green choices when it come to decorating. We've got some great tips to help you find green decorating solutions.

Home owners have a lot of choices when decorating, whether for a special occasion or just to add some spice to a room in your home. Decorating is like getting dressed, it reflects your personality and the lifestyle you want to live. So why not decorate in the greenest way?

If you need a reason to consider decorating green? Did you know that one of every six trucks in the US, is a garbage truck?

Green Decorating Tips 4 You

Adding a green thumb to your decorating toolkit is easier than you think! Just follow the tips below…

• When the weather gets cooler, you may be able to bring some plants indoors. Other plants like the ones shown above offer wonderful and inexpensive ways to decorate your home. My favorite plant is the pothos. They come indifferent shapes and colors, they grow quickly and they are very forgiving when you forget to water them.
• Visit a home salvage businesses for gently used appliances, cabinets and other home furnishings. Habitat for Humanity has ReStores which sell new fixtures as well as gently used furniture, home accessories, appliances and building materials. Find your local ReStorein the US or Canada …
• Paint is one of the easiest ways to change the look and feel of any room. There are also “green” paints available today that don't contain Volatile Organic Compounds (learn more about VOCs).
• Create a mixed glass center piece using bottles of various shapes and sizes,  preferably saving these up so you're recycling. Fill some of the bottles with seasonal items that are all natural like seashells, sand, and pine cones.
• Reuse and/or recycle old sheets and towels that are cluttering up your linen closet. My best friend always made shower curtains from nice sheets combined with an inexpensive plastic liner. Thrift shops can always pass on gently used items to others who can't afford to buy them. Old towels make great cleaning rags and then you don't have to buy so many paper towels.
• Your children will be thrilled if you frame some of their artwork. My son did this painting when he was 6 years old and I had to frame it to prove he could use a paint brush as he brought so few pictures home from school. Now he's painting his own house …
• Look for items that serve multiple purposes. Small table lamps are both decorative and provide better lighting for someone reading a book in a comfy living or family room chair.
• There are new, eco-friendly flooring products made of bamboo and cork. One handyman customer went with cork in their kitchen as it also provides nice cushioning for someone who is standing up a lot.
• Buy green products. Yes, it will take you a little more time to find them like ModGreenPod.com fabrics and wallpaper from organic materials, and yet they will cost more but they are healthier for your family, and the environment. They are
  members of the Organic Trade Association (OTA), which means they follow strict fiber principles and support global organic textile standards.

Now it's your turn to share a green decorating idea here. Just leave a comment below with your favorite way of decorating green and if you're not sure how to do this, I've written an article, Blogging To Share Stories Online.

… hee, hee – planting my first pumpkin so let's see who's watching us on Facebook and Twitter?