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The sound of robins singing greets you in the
morning. Tulips and daffodils
are peeking through the ground. The
sun is actually warm on the skin as you step outside.
And with that, thoughts start turning to your home, and how you can
make it bright as it is becoming on the outside.
Whether it’s getting that kitchen re-model done before the summer
vacation, BBQs and holidays, spring is the time we research and start these
projects. As we are
contemplating these projects-large or small-we need to look at “healthy”
or eco-friendly alternatives when painting, buying furniture and accessories,
or just re-arranging furniture! The
difference employing healthy home design, and even feng shui, can make a
difference in our mental, spiritual and physical well-being is amazing. Healthy home design is especially important for those who
suffer from upper respiratory ailments, asthma, allergies and headaches, have
or are expecting babies and/or have elderly parents living with them.
So, how do you go about “spring cleaning like
Mother Nature” and bring about healthy, green and/or eco-friendly cleaning
principles into your space? The
real push for eco-friendly design actually started in Europe about 30 years
ago in studies done on “sick building syndrome” or Bau-biology.
Sick building syndrome is caused by our vacuum sealed, no ventilation
buildings that are filled with products (paint, carpet, furniture,
cleaners…) that are emitting toxins and poisons into our air.
Frequent migraines, fatigue, upper respiratory ailments and sore
throats are only a few of the symptoms of SBS (sick building syndrome).
Bau-biology is the study of design and construction of homes that
fulfill all health/holistic requirements.
They are spaces that are built with natural materials, utilize natural
light, and avoid the effects of EMFs and uses energy and resource efficient
systems. Slowly, we are catching
up to Europe in our views towards green design and “healthy home” design
choices. If you need some more
reasons to “go au naturale” here they are:
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Increase
the health of all living occupants of the space (kids, pets, elderly,
you…) by improving indoor air quality, reducing chemicals/toxins,
increase water quality and mental health as you reduce stress and anxiety
by becoming more “connected” with nature.
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You
will be following the 3 Rs (reduce, reuse, and recycle); however, I’d
like to add 1 more as Re-think! As
you become more informed of all available choices, you will see how easy
it is to decorate your home in a healthy and fashionable way!
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Read
The Lorax, by Dr Seuss!
OK DeAnna, you say, you’ve convinced me!
But how do I start? Well,
you’ve already done the hard part, making the commitment.
I always suggest that my clients start by doing a MAJOR de-clutter and
purge. It’s OK to start small
but you must go through each room, closet, drawer and cabinet and ask
yourself: Do I LOVE it? Do I USE it? Do
I NEED it? If you don’t answer
with a yes to any of the questions, you must get rid of it.
If you have a hard time with this, you aren’t alone. I teach workshops on this that are always on a Wait List with
men and women, young and old. After
you are done with your purge (I guarantee you will feel a cathartic release
of the past-items=emotional baggage!) do a good spring cleaning.
Use natural house-hold cleaners.
Sun and Earth, 7th Generation and 3E Products (a division
of Bante Design. Visit the
website at www.bantedesign.com) are all wonderful products that are available
in mainstream channels. Check
their websites! There are also
some great books out there if you have the time and energy to make your own
cleaners. (Green Clean is one of my faves!).
Here are some other tips to help you to de-tox your home:
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Use
natural hygiene products and cleaners-these are chemicals that when made
pollute the environment, our homes and our bodies.
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Go
organic when possible-food (buy local and in season), clothing (man-made
fibers are petroleum based and also include formaldehyde (new smell)) and
linens.
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No
VOC paints and finishes. All
major paint manufacturers now make low or no VOC paint.
Sherwin Williams has “Harmony” and Pratt & Lambert have
Comfort Care in their lines. You
must ask for it though! VOCs
(volatile organic compounds) are the chemicals and toxins used to inhibit
mold and quicken dry time, or “that new paint smell”.
Make the smart choice.
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Eliminate
plastics and vinyls from your home. Studies
have shown that PVC also off-gas like VOC and have been shown to cause
certain types of cancers. Yes,
this includes your shower curtain!
Beware of what candles you buy!
Candles are a leading cause of indoor air pollution (which studies
have shown to be worse than outdoor air).
The big offender here is the wick.
Wicks in most inexpensive candles are made with lead.
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Lead
has been shown to cause a variety of illnesses. When purchasing candles for ambience, look at the wick,
if you see a metal core-DO NOT BUY IT!
Some wicks will be made with zinc, which is OK; however, the best
choice is cotton. Wicks with
metal are the cause of sooting and black smoke that can stain walls.
Look for candles made from beeswax, palm or soy wax and scented
with natural botanicals and/or essential oils.
Now let’s apply what we’ve learned to individual
rooms (and some more tips!):
Bedroom:
The bedroom is the most important room of the home.
We spend 1/3 of our lives sleeping.
Therefore, it is imperative that this room is chemical/toxin free and
promotes rest and restoration, as well as romance.
(In feng shui, the bedroom is related to the Relationship area)
Here are a few tips:
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Keep
this room clutter-free, especially under the bed.
Air needs to be able to circulate around the body to rejuvenate.
Clutter is a dust collector-if you haven’t purged yet-Do it!
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Keep
electronic items to a bare minimum in this room to reduce the EMFs.
If you must have an electronic alarm clock and/or phone in the
room, keep them at least 3 feet from your head to reduce this risk.
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Buy
as luxurious linens as you can afford-this will add to the
“sensuality” of the room. (3E
Products offers SLEEP-an
eco-friendly line of laundry products specially designed for bedding,
blankets and pajamas. Stain
pre-treater, fabric softener and liquid detergent are scented with
lavender essential oil to help promote a healthy night’s sleep).
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Lastly,
lie down and see what the view is. This
is the first and last thing you see before you fall asleep and this will
stay with you subconsciously. Make
it good, we want pleasant dreams.
Kitchen:
Just as the bedroom is related to the Relationship area of the Bagua,
the Kitchen is related to the Wealth/Abundance area of the home.
Keep all appliances and plumbing in working order to keep “wealth”
in the family. This room is for
gathering and nourishing-keep this in mind when designing this room.
Buy as good a quality kitchen tools and food/ingredients as possible
to promote that feeling of wealth. Other
tips for the kitchen:
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Again,
clutter-free. All flat
surfaces seem to attract clutter. Resist
this urge! Keep all small
appliances that are used infrequently in cabinets.
Knives should also be kept away when not in use (negative, cutting
energy).
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Since
this room is about abundance and nourishment, keep pesticides out of this
room period, and use natural cleaning products. Think healthy! This
is a chemical/toxin free zone. (3E
Products offers CLEAN-an
eco-friendly dish-washing liquid).
Living
Room: Another
of the social, active rooms of the home the Living Room is where you want to
think comfort and flexibility. This
room must accommodate numerous activities from watching TV, reading,
talking…floor plan must be able to
adjust to
whatever the function of the room is at that moment.
Rounded corners on furniture will reduce injuries if kids or pets are
present. To bring life into this room include upward-growing plants.
This encourages growth and new opportunities.
More tips for the Living Room:
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Flexible lighting is key in
this area. Due to the variety
of activities that take place in this room, think 3 types of lighting:
general or overhead, task (desk, reading) and accent.
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3E Products has an almond
oil-base line of Environment Sprays to use instead of potpourri or other
room fresheners. Scents
include: lavender, orange, grapefruit, geranium, eucalyptus, lemongrass,
bergamot, clary sage, and ylang ylang.
Bathroom:
Bathrooms tend to accumulate more clutter than you’d think possible
in such a small space. From out-dated medicines and make-up, to insufficient
lighting and clutter filled counters can make for an unhealthy, crowded mess.
It also should be stated that mold and mildew is a huge issue in this
room. This room needs to be
well-ventilated and cleaned frequently.
Soap scum is a breeding ground for mildew!
More tips for the bathroom:
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No rules on color here, be as
bold and bright as your personality allows.
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If you don’t already have an
exhaust fan and/or a window, put one in to add the much needed ventilation
in this room.
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Throw out ALL out-dated
medicines and make-up as they are ineffective at the least, and unhealthy.
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There should be an overhead
light (general) and a shower light (depending on building codes in your
area) AND task lighting for putting on make-up and shaving.
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Keep all plumbing in good
working order. Fix all leaks
immediately-you don’t want to waste water and/or create bigger problems.
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Purchase natural bath and body
products and bathroom cleaners. You’re
doing a lot to create a healthy environment so why would want to poison
your body. Again, if
something is labeled “fragrance” it’s a synthetic, petroleum based
product-do not buy.
Home
Office: The last room
we’ll look at is the Home Office. With
more people working at home or self-employed, this space takes on new
significance. Health issues
concerning EMFs are prevalent in this room due to the concentration
electronic equipment. Computers,
printers, scanners and telephones can literally drain your energy.
To off-set this, bring in plants like spider plants, philodendrons and
ivies to create a healthier work environment.
Jade, money and orange trees are auspicious and represent wealth and
abundance in Feng Shui terms-place these by the office entrance!
As a general rule, there should be 1 plant per 100 sp feet of space
for good indoor air quality.
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Paper clutter is a constant in
this space. Know how long you
need to keep taxes and other important documents and shred the rest.
Purge any un-needed/old papers from files.
Keep all files up-to-date. Organizing
at first will be a large project; however, the result will make you much
more efficient in the long run.
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Task lighting is very important
here-do not ignore. Save your eyes!
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Natural light and ventilation
are important (as in all rooms) here due to the bombardment of EMFs in
this space. Open up the
windows year round to allow some fresh air to circulate, utilize crystals
and sun catchers to “capture” the sun and disperse it throughout the
space and maximize outside views with mirrors.
Here’s a quick
maintenance checklist to keep your space healthy:
Daily-
Open windows to let fresh air in and pollutants out
Monthly-
Vacuum or wipe down return and delivery vents to keep dust from blowing
around, wash refrigerator drip pans to keep mold away.
Bi-monthly-
Change furnace filters in winter months (use HEPA pleated filters which have
more surface area to collect dirt/dust).
Annually-
Have your furnace inspected to ensure that it’s not leaking carbon
monoxide.
Bi-annually-
Have forced air ducts cleaned. Do
not use fragrance or antimicrobial chemicals.
If someone has allergies/asthma, do this annual.
Obviously we
tackled a lot in a short amount of space, however, I hope some of these tips
and information can help you create a beautiful and healthy space for you and
your family. Life is stressful
enough, our homes should not add to it.
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