As spring progresses and summer approaches, you might find yourself getting into the green mood! Good weather can make you throw open the windows and let natural light in, create a new desire to garden and inspire you to update your home’s decor. But how can you accomplish these green improvements in the urban setting of Chicago condos?
Well, we’ve gathered some home projects that you can achieve in any Chicago condo that will update your interior while also staying conscious of the earth.
1. Start a small garden. This is the most fun project for this time of year. Planting a garden gets you back in touch with nature, lets you grow your own edibles and fills your home with pretty plant-life. And while you may be thinking you don’t have the space for it in your condo, there are some creative ways to incorporate a small garden into an urban condo.
Try a “mini-farm box” just outside one of your windows planted with tomato or pepper plants. Plant herbs in old soda bottles– just cut of the top of a plastic 20 oz. bottle and fill it with potting mix. You can group the bottles in a larger pot or planter, or hang them along a balcony railing. If you’re bad with remembering to water or pick your plants, try potting a few low-maintenance succulents. They can survive in many climates, indoors or outdoors.
Try a hanging planter indoors if you’re working with a small space. Hanging plants can add some green to your home and utilize some unused space in your condo.
2. Install a recycled light fixture. A great way to change the feel of your interior decor without actually making a huge change is to update your lighting. And surprisingly, there are a ton of green options on the light fixture market. Check out the ones below, made from recycled glass jars and milk bottles, and search out your own in Chicago. And make sure you fit them with energy-efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs!
3. Support a green designer. When going green in the home, it doesn’t all have to be DIY! You can always support green, sustainable designers by buying their goods. Start with Plover for organic bedding, Graypants for recycled light fixtures and Revision Home for vintage furniture and recycled homestuffs.
4. Green up your office. There are lots of ways to make your home office more energy-efficient. Using power strips that you can turn off or unplugging appliances when they aren’t in use can prevent them from leaching small amounts of electricity while in their “off” mode. Setting your computer to energy-saving power settings helps save electricity, too. You can buy recycled tech accessories, like these laptop sleeves, and you should always make sure you are recycling batteries, ink cartridges and other tech stuff properly.
5. Incorporate recycled materials. Whether you are incorporating recycled wood or stone into your floors, a piece of furniture or a kitchen backsplash, repurposing old construction materials into a new home makes a statement both about your style and your sustainability. If you are planning to undertake a remodeling project, consider using materials recycled from an old home or construction site.
6. Use green products and ideas in your entertaining. Spring and summertime bring outdoor barbecues, pool parties and lots of other entertaining opportunities. By using biodegradable dishware and decorations, serving local and organic food and making sure to recycle afterward, you can make your get-together a little greener. Try little things like reusing rubber bands to distinguish people’s beers, making tiki-torches from old wine bottles or encouraging guests to carpool.
7. Green your move. If you are moving into a Chicago condo, you can go green from the get-go by making your move as green as possible. Reassess what you really need– by selling or giving away stuff you don’t use or need, you can limit the number of trips you have to take to move your things. Pack old boxes instead of buying new ones. Trying using biodegradable packing materials instead of styrofoam peanuts or plastic bubble wrap. If you do have to use plastic bubble wrap, try one of these ways to reuse it after your move!
8. Update your decor with recycled stuff. Maybe spring cleaning has gotten you in the mood to update your decor. Instead of going out and buying new accessories for your home, shop flea markets, thrift stores and craft fairs to find cool stuff to refresh your home style. Old bottles, street signs, advertisements and china dishware can make for cool home accessories or art and don’t need much alteration to add flair to your existing furniture.
9. Get rid of some of your stuff, in a green way! Even if you aren’t planning a move, going through your belongings and seeing what you can toss is an exercise in green living. Give away old clothes to those who need them, recycle or give away old electronics that take up space and power in your condo, and recycle or find uses for those old grocery bags you’ve been saving. Not only will a de-cluttered pad give you some peace of mind, it can also help others and contribute to a green society.
10. Participate in Earth Hour. Finally, you might have participated in Earth Hour on March 29, 2010, but we suggest you take part in Earth Hour as often as you can. Setting aside an hour every weekend where you can shut off all your electric appliances and lights might be good for your soul as well as your utility bills!
Tags: chicago condos, condo decor, gardens, green condo projects, green home projects, green ideas, green lifestyle, green party ideas, recycled light fixtures
