5 Ideas for a Sustainable Approach to a DIY Home Makeover

Doing just about anything in a sustainable way these days has become easier and easier by the year. In fact, I think its just an awesome truth now that we’ve all adopted and are moving forward in a greener and more sustainable way of thinking. Reuse, refinish, upcycle and DIY instead of buying new is totally our way of life here and I love that we’re all starting to adopt that mind set. If, for no other reason, than to save a lot of money along the way!

(This is a contributed post, for more information about my compensation please read my disclosure policy)

When it comes time to give your home a total makeover, you might want to consider using a few ideas for a sustainable approach. Not only will this help to save money on the project, but sustainability and conservation work together to offer a considerable amount of savings over time as well. Once you begin looking for ways to approach a sustainable home makeover, you will almost certainly carry this mindset throughout other areas of your life and have so much fun doing it!

1. Focus on Reduced Energy Consumption

Not only should you be thinking about ways to reduce energy consumption when doing the actual work or in the new appliances you might be adding but consider the manufacturer of the products you use. For example, look for a company that uses sustainable practices when manufacturing such things as outdoor furniture sets. Look for the use of reclaimed wood and reduced energy consumption to rate their best practices.

2. Consider Reclaimed Materials When Available

Speaking of reclaimed materials, some of the leading manufacturers of wood coffee tables first seek to use reclaimed wood whenever possible. You will often find how they source materials in the About Us section or in their mission statement. It gets to be quite interesting to learn just how many manufacturers are truly concerned with the environment.

3. Repurpose to Reduce Waste

There are times when you no longer need or use something, so your first thought would be to dispose of it. Have you considered the possibility of repurposing that item for something you can use or do want? Perhaps that old coffee table you are replacing with an ethically sourced one could be sanded, resurfaced and used for a kids’ craft table. If you can’t repurpose it, consider donating it to a charity thrift shop that can always use a bit of extra revenue.

4. Use Only Earth-Friendly Paints

Speaking of resurfacing furniture and appliances, the one thing you will want to do is use only earth-friendly paints with as low a concentration of VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) as possible. You would think that being ‘organic’ they would be safe, but that is not the case. When inhaled, the fumes can cause several problems with respiration and if inhaled over long periods of time, kidney and/or liver damage can ensue.

5. Discover a New Slant on Minimalism

Quite often, minimalism provides the best path to sustainable living and DIY home makeover. It’s a case of less is more. If you can reduce the amount of items in any given room, you will find that the cost of running your HVAC is reduced because less energy will be spent keeping the room cool or warm. Remember, all those ‘things’ absorb heat, thus making your HVAC unit work harder and at a greater cost. If you can find ways to furnish with items that serve a dual purpose, you will find just how much space you can free up.

There really are ways to give your home an amazingly attractive makeover with minimal damage to Mother Earth. Why don’t you see just how many other ideas you can come up with? Just beware. It’s addicting!

(This is a contributed post, for more information about my compensation please read my disclosure policy)