5 Ways to make your baby’s nursery more Eco-friendly
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A recent survey from retailer Next found that the average UK parent will spend a whopping £853 doing up the nursery and will have shelled out more than £5,300 decorating the nursery before the child reaches their 10th birthday. So here are 5 ways to make your baby's nursery more eco-friendly.
Expenditure goes on items like baby bouncers, cots and changing tables. With sustainability increasingly at the forefront of the nation’s mind, many of us are trying to be more eco-friendly when revamping our homes.
Discover how to decorate your child’s nursery in a more sustainable and eco-friendly way with these quick-fire tips from Preloved.
Tip 1: Seek out second-hand furnishings
Buying second hand not only benefits the environment, it’ll also save you money.
Avoid splashing out on brand new goods by buying second-hand products from charity shops or online marketplaces like Preloved.
If you have many friends with young children, you could organize a second-hand clothing, book or toy swap every month or so to raise awareness of environmental matters and keep the cycle of second-hand goods going.
Tip 2: Look for product durability
Raw materials and energy invested in them can be spread out over a larger period of time. Do some Googling and put together a list of materials to look out for when sourcing products for the nursery.
Similarly, do some research on the company you’re purchasing from. Are they a sustainable company? Do they engage in sustainable practices? Have a browse for reputable, eco-friendly sources.
Tip 3: Use eco-friendly cleaning products
Deciding which products to clean the nursery with is also important, but often overlooked. Given that your baby is likely to touch (and maybe even suck on) a lot of the furniture and toys in the room, you’ll want to avoid harsh chemicals.
Some people even make their own cleaning products using non-toxic household items like baking powder or apple cider vinegar. There are plenty of eco-friendly cleaning brands out there; do some research and switch to a greener alternative.
Tip 4: Incorporate plants into the nursery
Sprinkling houseplants around your child’s nursery (out of their reach for safety reasons) will not only contribute positively to the air they breathe, but it may also teach them to be respectful towards nature (and hopefully want to learn more about it).
In a similar vein to having clean air to breathe, be sure to check the type of paint you’re using when decorating. Find a paint that’s free of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) as these can let off harmful gases. Alternatively, go for wallpaper or colourful wall stickers instead.
Tip 5: Instil the importance of recycling from the get-go
Instilling within your child a desire to help protect the environment is vital, and particularly effective if done from an early age.
One way to do this is to place brightly-coloured child-sized recycling bins within the nursery – getting them used to the process of recycling early on.
We hope we’ve given you some food for thought when it comes to decorating your child’s nursery in a more sustainable way. If you’re expecting a new arrival sometime soon or are keen to revamp your existing nursery, browse Preloved’s furniture and fittings.
Tasman is a former English teacher now working as a content marketer in London. She enjoys learning languages, bingeing on Netflix and drinking copious amounts of coffee.
