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If you’ve owned your home for many years or recently purchased a period property, you may feel like it’s time to make some upgrades. If renovating and decorating your home exactly as you’d like is financially out of reach at the moment, there are some upgrades you can make that will benefit both your wallet and the environment.
1) Replace single-use plastics
Most people purchase food plastics such as plastic food storage bags, carrier bags, plastic food wrap, and plastic water bottles regularly. These products are convenient, but they’re expensive and harmful to the environment.
In the United Kingdom, only approximately 10% of plastic packaging is recycled. This is not because people aren’t recycling what they can, but because many products are single-use and the bulk of recycled products are sent abroad to be disposed of by countries with very low recycling rates.
Instead of buying these products, purchase reusable food bags, carrier bags, water bottles, and food wraps. Beeswax food wraps are an excellent alternative.
2) Build a garden
Regardless of whether you have a large back garden with room to grow fruit trees and vegetables, or you have a little window and no balcony in your fourth-floor flat, you can grow some produce at home. Not only is this cheaper than buying from the shops, but you’ll also help the environment by getting these products as local as it gets.
For small flats, a herb garden may be all that you can manage. Small lemon trees also tend to do well. If you have the space, you can get much more creative and varied with your edible garden.
3) Ditch store-bought cleaning products
Cleaning products can be expensive, impact your health through contact and inhalation of fumes, and damage the ecosystem when disposed of. Over the years, advertising and an increased disposable income have convinced people that they need special products to maintain a clean home.
Simple, inexpensive products like white vinegar, lemon juice, and baking soda can be used to thoroughly disinfect the home. Laundry detergent is also unnecessary; all you need is a bar of castile soap, baking soda, and borax. This combination is more gentle on your skin and the environment.
4) Improve efficiency
One of several ways to increase your home’s value is by improving its efficiency. Replacing your single-glazed windows with double- or triple-glazed will keep your home warmer without using as much energy.
Replacing doors and frames so that you can seal your house properly is also a must.
5) Upgrade your heating system
If you live in an older home, chances are your heating system could stand to be upgraded. Heating oil tanks can be used to fuel boilers for hot water and central heating systems. A new heating oil tank will also be less prone to environmentally-damaging leakages.
Installing a thermostat that allows you to program when your heating turns on and off can also save you lots of money on utilities while being more environmentally sustainable. Set the temperature lower when you’re not at home or sleeping, and give yourself that much-needed boost of warmth during British winter weekends.