As another grad season comes and goes, it’s a reminder to celebrate important milestones and accomplishments. Maybe you’re moving into a new place after graduation or after finding a great job. Or maybe you just made a down payment on a house. If so, congratulations!

Now that you're moving into the next stage of your life, here are 5 sustainable tips to decorate and furnish your home.

 

1. Make a plan and measure your space.

It’s normal to be excited when moving into a new home, so you might order items without double-checking the measurements or without planning how you want the space to look. This can lead to returning and exchanging items because they don’t fit or being unsatisfied with your place when it doesn’t come out the way you envisioned it.

Instead, take it one step at a time and measure your space before shopping online or in person. You can use painter's tape on the ground to lay out the placement of furniture like your sofa, dining table, or TV. You can also try making mood boards to ensure that the items you’re buying match the vision you have for your place.

 

2. Look for non-toxic and ethical companies.

If you do plan on buying any new items, try choosing companies that are eco-friendly and ethical.

Look for brands that:

• don’t use harmful chemicals.
• have carbon-neutral shipping.
• reduce plastic waste.
• use eco-friendly and/or biodegradable materials.
• are ethically made.
• have meaningful mission statements and goals or plans to give back to the environment.

 

3. Shop for furniture secondhand.

These days, there are a variety of options to choose from if you want to buy secondhand furniture. Try looking at:

• thrift shops.
• vintage flea markets.
• garage/yard sales.
• Facebook Marketplace.

We also have a decluttering blog post listing free options to give away and find free furniture. It also doesn’t hurt to reach out to any family and friends to see if they have anything they’d like to give away! 

 

 

4. Be purposeful with your décor.

Whether it’s finding multi-use furniture to save space or trying out minimalism, make sure the items in your home have a good purpose. Items with sentimental value will also serve as a finishing touch to make your house or apartment feel like a home. Having pieces that you’ll use on a daily basis will help you feel like everything in your home serves a purpose.

 

 

 

5. Check out our Sabai furniture!

Of course, our furniture at Sabai is sustainable and is perfect for homes of all shapes and sizes:

For small apartments: take a look at our Essential Loveseat and Sofa.

For larger spaces and hosting: try out our Essential Sectional and Corner Sectional (we also offer expansion kits if you already own our furniture!)

To add a reading nook: check out our Essential Chair and Ottoman.

[If you want to get a gift for a recent grad that's moving, why not give an e-gift card?]

At the end of the day, when it comes to sustainably decorating your space, you don’t have to be perfect. There are inevitable situations where you may not be able to make the most eco-friendly choice, and that’s okay. The important thing is that your home is filled with purposeful items that you love and use.

 

 

Now that you've seen these tips, you'll be ready to move and furnish your new place! Which means...you should also check out our sustainable moving tips here!

Let us know your eco-friendly home decorating tips in the comments below!