As we approach 2021, many people will be looking forward to leaving 2020 in the rearview mirror. Whether it has been a good year for you, or the longest 12 months of your life, especially since mid-March, the New Year always presents a clean slate for you to reset and begin again. Perhaps you want to work out more? Maybe you want to make a better effort to reconnect with old friends? If you’re like others, you might even be thinking of ways to live a more sustainable lifestyle at home? Luckily for you, there are dozens of ways to lead a sustainable lifestyle. From making the right decision for the environment to being frugal, positive daily habits are endless and easy to implement. In this post, we will delve into four different ways you can set yourself up to adopt some ways of building a sustainable lifestyle this year.
Budget Your Money
You know you should do it, but odds are, you don’t execute your budgets to the degree you should. Whether you’ve never written down your monthly budget before, or you think you have a general idea of how much you bring in and spend monthly, there are always cracks your pounds or dollars are slipping through. When it comes to your finances, there are many ways to budget, from one more focused on saving to one that allows you more freedom in spending monthly. Aside from being a wise financial decision, a sound budget that you stick to consistently will help you plan bigger expenses further out, leaving you less blind-sided down the road.
This ultimately helps you mitigate any financial stress you unknowingly bring on yourself. While the mental health aspect of budgeting is positive in and of itself, as you take on more in life, be it children, student loan payments, housing, etc, not having a budget is simply unsustainable and will only lead to confusion and, likely, money mismanagement.
Interior Home Design
A sustainable lifestyle extends beyond your usual day-to-day activities and can even be applied to your home. When it comes time to tackle those DIY home projects, you can do your part by using eco-friendly cleaning products. From wiping down the countertops, tossing kitchen linens in the laundry and even turning on the dishwasher, everything you do can be accomplished with an all-in-one eco-friendly cleaning kit. With a clean living space, and 2021 bringing in a new slate, perhaps it’s time for a refresh on some home essentials when it comes to design.
The changes you make for a more sustainable home can be as small as adding decorative plants that help purify the air in your home and add a boost to your mental health. If you’re looking to make more major changes, though, start with your furniture and opt for responsibly-sourced products like sofa furniture whose production can leave you satisfied that it was conscious of the steps it takes to maintain a healthy forest ecosystem. Either way, you are doing your part to help promote a healthy and sustainable living environment.
Eco-Friendly Grocery Shopping
Grocery shopping for many people is a weekly excursion, at least. Think about how often you grocery shop. Can you make fewer trips and stock up on what you need less frequently? Just by doing that, you are lessening air pollution from your commute and likely reducing waste from produce that doesn’t get used.
While state regulations have been aiding in the push for a more sustainable lifestyle, one step you can take on your own whether or not your state has acted on it, is using reusable grocery bags as opposed to single-use ones. Not only are these easier to use, but you’re also taking a great step to help the environment as single-use plastic bags take over 500 years to degrade in landfills. Finally, when it comes to grocery shopping, work to only buy seasonal produce, they taste better, require less artificial growth techniques than out of season produce, and the travel associated with bringing it to your store is considerably less.
Shop Local
Shopping local has been a huge movement for years, and arguably, this year more so than any. When you shop local, you directly support your local economy which not only promotes more spending amongst neighbors but also helps with tax revenue for your community. Oftentimes, this tax revenue goes toward public works, from maintenance on roads, schools, and other community-facing projects. Investing in your community is an investment in your own future and can help sustainably uplift yourself and those around you.
The New Year is an opportunity to start fresh and tackle any challenges you’ve had in mind. From budgeting to even home design, you can tackle those goals all while being environmentally conscious. If you’re still looking for additional ways you can do your part, read more about conscious shopping tips!
