Kids = stuff. Lots of stuff. For an eco-minded parent, it can be tough to get over the green guilt from all the consumerism and waste involved. But, living lighter on the Earth and raising your little ones don't have to be mutually exclusive activities. Today there are oodles of options for creating environmentally conscious spaces for the whole family. Here's the ultimate guide to eco-friendly kid's rooms plus a giveaway to make your child's room greener!
Reduce.
Especially for first-time parents, it’s hard to know what you’ll need to care for your new little bundle. Inevitably, we all end up with piles of stuff we don’t. When you’re shopping for your child, stop and consider if you really need it.
Reuse.
When you do need something for your child's room, consider if it’s something you can find gently used. Secondhand retailers are popping up on every corner these days and sites like eBay, Craigslist, Rocka-Buy Gear, Swap Baby Goods, and others make it easier than ever to reuse, reuse, reuse.
Zem Joaquin of EcoFabulous used some wonderful secondhand pieces to make her kids' one-of-a-kind rooms:
Recycle.
Keep waste out of landfills by recycling everything you can. Visit Earth911.com to find out how and where to recycle everything from shampoo bottles to car seats.
Go easy on your energy use.
Make the switch to energy-efficient LED light bulbs. According to Energy Star, LED light bulbs use about 75% less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs and last 10 to 25 times longer. Unplug whatever you can to reduce your energy use. Even when things are turned off, they still pull power from the outlet (referred to as “energy vampires”). Is there a decorative lamp that’s rarely turned on? A radio or clock that’s not necessary? Look around and pull the plugs. Just be sure those cords are kept safely away from baby and outlets are covered using safety plugs. Hang insulating curtains – not only do they help block light better (meaning your kids will sleep better), insulating curtains also help keep a room warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer which will reduce your heating and cooling energy use.
When you buy new furnishings, buy eco-friendly, natural, non-toxic products whenever possible.
People assume buying green costs a fortune, but that’s not always the case. With an increased demand for safe, eco-friendly products the marketplace is seeing new products come to light every day – which means competition – which means lower prices. Just as an example, check out our posts featuring eco-friendly cribs for every budget and eco-friendly rocking chairs for every budget. Check out our Pinboard for more eco-options.
Follow Lullaby Paints's board Eco-Friendly Decor & Furnishings on Pinterest.
Here are 20 more ideas from Bicultural Mama on Houzz (click the arrows at the bottom to view the slideshow):
Order your free sample cards today to check our paints out and enter to win a $200 gift code to get some below!
UPDATE: Congrats to Jessica G. who's our lucky winner! Thanks to everyone for participating - watch our blog for next month's giveaway launching soon!
Here’s how:
REQUIRED: In the comments below, share a tip for making your kid's rooms more eco-friendly or share one of your favorite eco-friendly kid's products.
OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL ENTRIES:
- Sign-up for Lullaby’s monthly email
- Like Lullaby on Facebook
- Follow Lullaby on Pinterest
- Follow Lullaby on Twitter
- Follow Lullaby on Instagram (@LullabyPaints)
- Follow Lullaby on Houzz
- Follow Lullaby on Google +
- Tweet about the Giveaway and use the hashtag #LullabyGiveaway
- Share the giveaway on Pinterest and use the hashtag #LullabyGiveaway
- Share the giveaway on Facebook and use the hashtag #LullabyGiveaway
For each additional entry, leave a separate comment letting us know what you’ve done (and what your profile name is where relevant). You can enter up to 11 times by taking all of the actions listed above and the more entries you make, the more chances you have at winning!
One random winner will be selected on 7/31/2015.
Good luck!!!
No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. Must be US resident and at least 18 years of age. Click-through for full sweepstakes rules.