Every household needs an appropriate storage space – even if you aren’t the least bit of a hoarder, you’re going to need a proper storage option if you want to avoid all the horrors of clutter. You, as a green homeowner, have to make sure these options are as sustainable as possible.
Here are some neat eco-friendly storage solutions that will hopefully help you green up your home even more.
Get rid of the clutter
Although not really a green option per se, making sure that your home is free of all clutter doesn’t stop at your storage space’s doorstep. You really need to put all the items that you own (and don’t use on a regular basis) on a single pile, make a keep/discard list and start jotting them down. As a rule of thumb, the vast majority of stuff that you haven’t used for more than a couple of months deserves either a new owner or the trash bin. Make a yard sale, sell items to your friends and family or give them away, just don’t keep piling them in your storage – it doesn’t have an infinite amount of space.
Start with sustainable building materials
Building a green home without using sustainable building materials isn’t really a legitimate option, seeing as how construction is making a huge impact on the environment as it is. This means everything from your roofing material, building material, counters, cabinets and flooring, to your insulation, and your storage space is no exception here. Use recycled plastic, glass and reclaimed lumber for your storage paraphernalia and natural products such as cork (which is an excellent insulator) and linoleum for walls, ceiling and flooring, as these materials are renewable.
Sustainable lighting solutions
Typically, warehouses are dark, dim places, that don’t allow too much light in, which means that they need better lighting options than you might think. The greenest solution here is, fortunately, the most wallet-friendly. Enter LED and CFL lights; these bulbs not only require less energy, but last much longer than your regular fixtures, plus, get this: the light they bring to the table is as close to sunlight as artificial fixtures go! Cheaper than the regular lights in the long run, LEDs and CFLs are a viable solution for your storage and the rest of your home, as well.
Keep in mind that LEDs are somewhat more expensive than CFLs, but have a longer lifespan and pay off more.
Make the most out of vertical space
This is actually general warehousing 101: expanding your warehouse’s footprint is always a terrible idea. The amount of resources that can be saved by going vertical is immense; otherwise, you’d have to build new compartments, which is a financial and logistical disaster. Of course, this means making the most out of your warehouse’s potential and using quality pallet racking; that is, if you want to avoid more drama further down the road.
Obviously, this is a green choice owing to the fact that additional resources won’t have to be spent on additional building. However, if you want to go another step further in terms of efficiency, go with lean inventory, meaning that your storage space should contain nothing but the very essentials, which means no hoarding!
Make the most out of everything
Most of us have gotten used to the typical wasteful lifestyle: if an item no longer performs its original function, it belongs on a landfill. However, landfills aren’t infinite spaces that can keep supporting human waste for an infinite amount of time, and warehouses are excellent spaces for this type of improvisation.
Instead of getting rid of cube trays, use them to organize paper clips and rubber bands. Egg cartons can become a perfectly viable storage option for holiday decorations. Empty coffee containers can serve a new purpose as containers for everything from nails and screws to pencils. This is where you can get creative and pay your tribute to the environment simultaneously.
There are tons of inexpensive, and even financially sensible solutions for your storage space that can help you support our planet. Keep in mind that this kind of mentality starts at your own doorstep – as a selfless and deliberate dedication to our mother Earth; and your storage space is the frontline here.
Guest post by Carolin Petterson
About the Author
Carolin Petterson is a Business Lady and contributor for number of high-class websites. She loves to share her experiences and talk about practical solutions, but her specialties are sustainability, sustainable business and green living.
Other articles by Carolin:
How to Greenovate Your Bathroom
Green Flooring Options for a Healthy Home
Sustainable and Energy-Efficient Flooring Solutions for Your Home
Eco-Friendly Interior Design Ideas
3 Essential Energy-Saving Waterproofing Techniques to Protect Your Home
The Environment and the Economy Are in Danger: What Can We Do?
5 Tips for Starting Your Own Construction Rental Company
How to Make Your Home Greener and More Energy-Efficient
Spice Up Your Home with These 4 Energy-Efficient Remodeling Ideas