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Colourful crocuses and daffodils are starting to poke out of the ground, and the sun is shining a little bit more, signalling the arrival of spring. This is an exciting time because it means brighter, nicer weather is on route, and those hazy, warm light nights will be here before you know it. In the meantime, before the barbecue can be dusted off, most of us want to freshen up our homes to signify the end of that long winter hibernation.

The problem is, home decoration and cleaning can often come at a cost to the environment. Chemical-heavy paint or cleaning products, the clearing out of items without any thought to where they end up, decor adjustments that increase your homes carbon footprint: spring preparation can be a really ungreen time of year if we aren’t careful.

To freshen up your home for spring whilst still doing your bit for the environment, take a look at these easy to follow tips:

Declutter Responsibly

Decluttering is a natural part of freshening up for spring but it can involve a lot of items starting their journey to landfill. To avoid contributing to landfill unnecessarily, think carefully about the items you no longer want or need. Can they be recycled? Can they be gifted? Could you sell them on? Think about the next life of your unwanted items and try to avoid simply throwing them away.

Use Fresh Local Flowers

Gorgeous spring blooms really do freshen up the home, and seeing all those new flowers popping up from the ground can inspire us all to add beautiful bunches to every room. The problem is, the flower industry can be very bad for the environment. Sourcing British flowers is a great idea because they are thought to use 95% less carbon than those that are imported. So try and opt for British bunches when you’re freshening your home with blooms for spring.

Avoid Buying Accessories Which Use Animal Products

Leather and suede are thought to be by-products of the meat industry when in-fact there is a huge demand for the products still, which are not environmentally friendly. Animal agriculture accounts for over 50% of all worldwide greenhouse gas emissions and the preparation of leather involves lots of toxic chemicals which often filter into the ground and local water sources. To keep it green, try to avoid new spring accessories which use any animal products and instead opt for organic natural materials wherever possible.

Give Your Garden An Eco-Friendly Makeover

As the ground warms and the weather improves part of your house freshening for spring might involve giving your garden a bit of a makeover. The use of harsh chemicals, the removal of animal-friendly plants and other gardening habits can cause your makeover to be bad for the earth. There are also lots of positives to using eco-friendly gardening practices such as growing your own vegetables and fruit to avoid pesticides and the huge amount of plastic supermarkets use to package fresh produce.

Currently, almost 75% of gardeners are trying to use organic fertilisers in their gardens, and many are using something called ferrous sulphate as a replacement for slug pellets, which does the same job but in a natural way. It is easy to care for your garden and the planet with a few simple changes that guarantee a gorgeous garden for spring. You can find lots of handy tips to help you with eco-friendly gardening here.

Switch Bathroom Essentials

You might be looking into revamping your entire bathroom with a professional company like www.bathdisc.co.uk to make the most of your renovation in time for summer. Did you know that you can also make small changes that both freshen up your bathroom and make a positive impact on the environment? For example, wet wipes account for 93% of all sewer blockages and contribute to the 8 million tonnes of plastic that go into the oceans every year.

You can easily switch them for chemical-free toners and cleansers, applied with organic, responsibly sourced cotton pads. Even essentials like sanitary towels aren’t safe, with one pack of sanitary towels equalling around 4 plastic bags. There are organic and eco-friendly sanitary towels and products available to buy, including menstrual cups and washable sanitary pads.

Use Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products

After you have de-cluttered your home responsibly you may wish to give it a deep clean. Using chemicals like bleach and other harsh cleaning products is bad for your home, your health and the planet. Instead, opt for cheap eco-friendly products available at all supermarkets. Alternatively, why not use natural formulas that are extremely cheap? You can find some natural cleaning product recipes here.

Sooner or later, we will have to recognise that the Earth has rights, too, to live without pollution. What mankind must know is that human beings cannot live without Mother Earth, but the planet can live without humans. –  Evo Morales

A fresh start for your home doesn’t have to mean the environment gets harmed in the process. It is easy to make small changes and get the gorgeous, spring-ready home you deserve. With a few switches here and there, you can enjoy your lovely revitalised and rejuvenated house knowing you did your bit for your decor, and the planet.

Elliot Preece