5 Sustainable Home Decor Ideas (That don’t involve buying anything!)

Text overlay reads: 5 Sustainable Home Decor Ideas. Save the money, save the planet.

Living a more sustainable lifestyle involves every piece of our lives, including our home decor. Sustainable living is repairing our old jeans, using up our food before it goes to waste, and it’s decorating our home mindfully instead of rushing out to buy the first decor we see at Target.

I personally take a lot of pride in my home. I want a comfortable and beautiful place to live, but I also don’t want to harm the planet in the process.

Here’s 5 sustainable home decor ideas that don’t involve buying anything!

Sustainable Home Decor Idea 1: Shop your home

    I bet you have decor and/or functional home items squirreled away in closets and in cabinets. I consider myself to be minimalistic, but I know I have some hidden treasures! Take out those items and use or display them now. We don’t have to save our “good” plates for a special occasion. Today is special enough.

    DIY back porch
    My back porch DIY used a lot of items I already had on-hand.

    Sustainable Home Decor Idea 2: Deep clean or declutter something

    When I get bummed out about my house and start searching on Zillow for something
    “better,” it usually just means I need to deep clean or declutter my space. Then, after I  finish, I go outside, walk around my yard and then come back in. This gives me the ability to see my space with fresh eyes and better appreciate it. 

    Idea 3: Rearrange

    Speaking of seeing something with fresh eyes, sometimes you just need to move things around. Rearranging furniture or home items can give your space more functionality and fresh energy.

    Idea 4: Upcycle something

    We all have those things in our house that are “just ok.” Maybe it’s curtains that are the wrong color or a plant pot that doesn’t fit the style of your home. Think about ways you could upcycle these items. Your curtains could be dyed or made into pillows. Your plant pot could be painted or you could flip it upside down, put a plate on top and make it into a cake stand. The possibilities are endless!

    Idea 5: Ask a friend, family member or reach out to your Buy Nothing group!

    I don’t know about you, but I have family members text me at least once a month asking if I want some furniture or decor item. Much of my family is getting older and downsizing. Sometimes it’s not my style, but sometimes it’s a total find! Don’t be afraid to ask friends or family if they have something specific, they may have that exact thing in a storage space or a garage.

    And don’t forget about your local Buy Nothing Group. Just this week I saw someone “ISO” (in search of) low book shelves for their daughter’s bedroom. She got her request answered in just a few hours!

    Sustainable home decor is all about making mindful choices that benefit both your home and the planet. It helps that it benefits your wallet too!

    2 thoughts on “5 Sustainable Home Decor Ideas (That don’t involve buying anything!)”

    1. Emily

      I’ve had two faded World Market velvet pillows laying around my house since I moved in. I was tempted to replace them because they’re only $10, but it felt so wasteful to replace them with the same pillow in a different color. Inspired by your dyed pillow and this post, I gave dying them a shot and I am thrilled with the result! For only $5 it looks like I bought brand new pillows and they even turned out the same color despite being two different colors to start.

      Thanks for the inspiration! I will be attempting to dye my faded bath towels and sheets next!

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