Are you looking for ways to create a sustainable workspace from home? Since more and more people are working from home, it’s definitely something to think about. It may seem complicated, expensive, and possibly unattainable, but making sustainable choices is much easier than you think. Small changes can greatly improve our living space, why not extend that to our home office as well?
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The electricity, papers, and devices that keep us connected impact both our wallets and our planet. By making a few simple swaps, adjusting the way we work, and investing in energy efficient upgrades, we can reduce the amount of power and money we’re using. Here are 5 simple ways you can create a more sustainable home office space.
Sustainability is no longer about doing less harm. It’s about doing more good.
jochen zeitz.
1) Location. When it comes to choosing where your home office will be located, it’s important to consider natural lighting. A room that gets plenty of natural light will reduce the amount of electricity used during the day. Natural lighting is great because it can benefit our overall mood and improve focus.
2) Energy-Efficient Lighting. For those of you who may have your home office facing away from natural light or tend to work throughout the night, consider switching to energy efficient lighting. The easiest and most efficient way is to switch to LED bulbs. According to Change for Climate, LED bulbs can emit the same amount of energy as an incandescent bulb using only a fraction of the energy. LED bulbs can be pricey, but by making the investment slowly, you are not only saving money on your energy bill in the long run, but you’re also making better choices for the planet.
3) Shop Second Hand. It can be tempting to replace a desk, chair, drawer, or printer, but have you considered selling and shopping second hand? Rather than sending lightly used furniture into the landfill, consider selling it online. With places like Facebook Marketing and Kijiji, you can receive money for your belongings and use that money to either invest in a new piece of furniture or find something on similar platforms. I’m always so inspired by how creative people can be with repurposing old furniture.
4) Reuse What You Can. Get creative and crafty by reusing and repurposing what you already have in your home to improve your workspace. For example, if you currently have an older desk that’s still functional but you don’t find it fits your current style, consider painting it. You’ll be surprised by how a can of paint and some new knobs can transform outdated furniture.
5) Replace What You Can. Make your home office more sustainable by making a few simple swaps. Our first previously mentioned example being energy efficient lighting. A few other examples include going digital vs. relying on physical papers whenever possible, replacing sticky notes with a white board, and shutting down and unplugging devices when they’re not in use.
I hope this post has inspired you to look at your workspace and find ways you can make small changes to make it more sustainable. Not only do these small changes help us save our money, but it positively impacts the environment as well. What are some changes you’ll implement? I’d love to hear your thoughts! For more eco-friendly related posts, visit my tag here.
I love the idea of shopping for second-hand stuff. I always see a lot of office equipment and furniture in second-hand shops.
Me too! They’re always in great condition as well. Thank you for reading Wendy!
Shopping second hand is a great idea for office furniture and decor. We also try to use natural light and energy efficient light bulbs.
That’s great to hear! Thank you for reading!
These are very helpful tips for those working from home to consider. I dream of having my own blogging space! Thanks for sharing.
I hope you can have your own space in the future! Thank you for reading Jodie!
Oh, I love these ideas; it’s amazing how many things we can do (some so simple) that can make a difference. I will be taking a look at my office space and seeing what I can implement/change.
That’s wonderful Molly! It truly is the small changes that make a great impact. Thank you for reading!
Love these tips! I’m not entirely sure what furniture is in my uni room this year, so if there isn’t a bookshelf I’ll definitely be looking for one on Facebook Marketplace x
That’s great Caroline! I hope you find a great bookshelf on there. Thank you for reading!
Right now I don’t have a job and I’m currently working on my blog, hoping it will lead me somewhere, and right now my not-job office in my own room. I try to use the natural light of the morning as much as I can, only using my desk lamp when things get too dark.
For the rest, I strongly doubt I’ll change desk or similars anytime soon, so we’re set and safe with that. Same with notes and paper, as I moved all my work journal to a digital form
The only issue remain the pc I use the most, which cannot truly be unplugged or it will straight up stop working.
That’s great to hear that you’ve moved your work to a digital form. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and what works best for you!
We use natural lighting as much as possible during the day. I keep the shades open during the day, which provides enough lighting to work in the morning.
That’s great to hear! Natural lighting saves so much electricity during the day. Thank you for reading!
Great tips, I try my best to reuse whatever I can and it helps a lot to stay sustainable. Thank you for sharing!
That’s great to hear Fransic! Thank you for reading!
Love this post! Thank you for sharing. We love the suggestions that will surely help us to make our office space more sustainable.
I’m glad it was helpful! Thank you for reading!
Hi Winnie,
Excellent tips for a sustainable home office. So many of us work from home these days – this is already better for the planet because of the reduced travel, why not do even more and implement these suggestions?
And, as an added bonus, the provide an opportunity for saving money, too.
Agreed! We’re making better choices to protect our planet and we’re saving in the long run as well. Thank you for reading Richie!
Great post! I think reusing whatever you can is so important when creating a sustainable home office. Thank you for sharing these tips, I don’t have my own office yet, but these will come in useful when I do!
Absolutely! There’s so much we can reuse or repurpose for a home office. Thank you for reading Eleanor!
These are really great suggestions to be able to make your office space sustainable and take care of the planet. Thank you for sharing.
Lauren
Thank you for reading Lauren!
I love these simple ways of creating a sustainable home office, I like how you said to use energy-efficient lighting, that’s such a good idea! x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
It’s one of the easiest ways to transform your space! Thank you for reading Lucy!
Amazing tips, natural lighting is so beneficial. Unfortunately, second hand shop in my town is closed
That’s too bad, hopefully something else pops up soon. Thank you for reading!