Perhaps one place we don’t always think about to go green is our children’s bedrooms and nursery. The kitchen, bathroom and maybe our own rooms are easy, but what about where our little ones play and lay their head?
Going green in your child’s bedroom is not as complicated as you think and may even be more do-able expense-wise than even your own bedroom.
Eco-friendly Decorating Tips:
Use low-VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) paint. You know that “new paint smell” you probably recognize right away on a newly finished home? The smell you are taking in is actually air pollution. Low VOC paints do not contain as much of these compounds and are therefore safer.
When thinking of wall paper or window coverings, make sure yours do not contain PVC. PVC is a plastic that produces toxic chemicals during the process of manufacturing.
If you use vintage or antique furniture in your child’s rooms, make sure the paint on it is lead free.
For the nursery, choose an organic cotton mattress. While they may be slightly more expensive, they are worth it ion the long run as they will last right through the toddler years and they are great at keeping dust mites that can cause allergies down. The process for creating these mattresses s much more earth friendly as well.
Use Eco-friendly bedding options when possible. Using organic cotton or bamboo bedding are both great options as is hemp. All are from sustainable materials that are easily renewed.
Tie your child’s room decor together with a great fair trade rug or make one yourself. One way to make a great rug using re-purposed materials is to take your child’s t-shirts as they grow and weave them into an upcycled t-shirt rug.
Eco-Friendly Clothing Choices for Children:
Cloth diaper if you can. Not only is it more Eco-friendly, it is getting easier to do with all the new products on the market that make it more convenient. It has a higher initial cost, but using cloth diapers saves money over the course of 2 years. You can also make reusable cloth diaper wipes.
While organic cotton clothing is nice, it is more frugal and better for the environment to buy used clothing. Consignment stores are a great resource for quality, used clothing. You can also find some nice clothing at thrift stores. Here are some tips for shopping at thrift stores. And you can make money off your kids’ old clothing and use it to buy “new-to-them” clothing when they move up to the next size.
Green Toy Choices for Kids:
Look into bamboo toys, wood toys, and other toys that are not made of plastics for your child to play with. There are many great options for toys when it comes to imaginative play that are earth conscious. You can also make some of your own, like for instance, play dough. Plus, wooden or bamboo toys will last longer.
Rather than buying new toys, consider buying used toys. Thrift stores are amazing places to buy used toys. Just be wary of buying anything stuffed, i.e. stuffed animals or character pillows, as they can be a dust mite danger as well as a bed-bug habitat. If you buy anything like this used, check for tears, rips and wear and always wash in hot water as soon as you bring it home. Any non-porous surfaces should be cleaned and sanitized before giving to your child as well.
Like every room in your home, use non-toxic homemade cleaners to clean surfaces in your child’s room. You can make your own cleaners to save money.Your wallet and your child’s health will thank you.
Would you like to save this article?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Leave a Reply