Remodeling one’s home is always a nerve-wracking endeavor. Whether it’s for personal reasons or to increase the potential resale value of the house, there are many different things to consider such as the cost, the supply of materials, and the contractors you will hire for such an important job.
But doing a remodel is also very exciting because it gives you a chance to breathe new life into your old home. It’s a chance to make everything look and feel new again as though you bought and moved into a brand new home!
Still, there are potential major downsides related to remodeling your house, such as the sheer amount of things that you’d have to throw away to make room for newer, shinier things. Fortunately, there are still some ways you can remodel your home sustainably. Here are some ideas:
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Minimize the waste
The whole point of remodeling is to replace old, worn stuff around the house. But sustainable living requires us to reduce the waste we produce as best as we can. So you should start your remodeling by carefully sorting through the things you’re now ready to let go of, and strategically plan where they’d be going next. Try and see if you could sell or donate some of the things off, or maybe you know of some relatives or organizations that would be happy to take some of those things off your hands.
If you have no choice but to dispose of some old appliances or furniture that is no longer serving their purpose, make sure you dispose of them properly.
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Source reclaimed wood
There is a very high likelihood that you’d be needing new floorboards or plywoods for the remodeling of your house. In the interest of sustainability, you might be feeling a bit guilty about buying fresh wood, thinking about how you’re contributing to the demand for logged wood. To mitigate the situation, there is one thing you could try, which is to source some reclaimed wood.
In essence, reclaimed wood are pieces of wood that are ‘rescued’ or ‘recovered’ from a place that has been closed down or torn apart. And just in case you’re wondering: yes, there are a lot of safe ways to use reclaimed wood in your home.
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Install solar panels on the roof
Using solar energy for your home is a wonderful start at living more sustainably. So when you have any reason to upgrade or fix your roof, you could use it as an opportunity to have solar panels installed. This way, you can use clean energy at home and pay a lower amount for your power bills from the time you have the panels installed.
At this point, everyone already knows that burning fossil fuels to generate electricity can’t be good for the environment and its inhabitants, so the earlier you get into using the ‘energy of the future,’ the better prepared you are for a cleaner tomorrow.
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Invest in energy-efficient appliances
One great reason to replace old furniture even though they haven’t completely broken down yet is to get better models that are more energy-efficient. Most modern appliances have energy-saving features and smart technology that allows the efficient use of power for all your electric stuff.
There are also some strategies you can employ for efficient power use, including but not limited to only using the dishwasher when you’ve got a full load or using the washing machine when it’s not peak power demand hours.
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Add more plants
Are you looking for a nice and inexpensive way to upgrade your home decor on a budget — and in a sustainable way? Then you could simply add some greens to your home. Caring for houseplants is not only good for the environment as it provides you with some natural cooling mechanisms, but it could be good for your mental health, too!
You could even try to raise vegetables in your home garden. After all, nothing screams sustainability more than growing your own food!
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Don’t forget to let the sunshine in
Aside from taking in some plants, you could also let the sunshine in so you don’t have to consume too much electricity, especially when you have to work from home like we’ve been doing for the past year. It’s such a waste of resources to have to open up indoor lights and lamps when the sun is shining out — but just can’t get in your house. For your next remodel, try to find ways to let the light in. Perhaps you could have new windows installed — or even a skydome in your office or reading room!
See? It’s not so impossible to upgrade the way we live life in a way that won’t leave a negative impact on the environment. All it takes is extra consciousness about our actions, paired with going the extra mile in making decisions that are not only good for us but for the planet, too.
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