Making the changes needed to start leading a zero-waste existence may seem difficult or a bit far-fetched for some. The right interior design choices, however, can contribute to the seamless transformation of every Singapore home.
Even if it’s impossible to eliminate waste altogether, you can change some aspects of living to reduce the stuff you’re throwing out and conserve resources.
Just think about the number of items and packaging products you throw away on a daily basis. So many of those can be reused and turned into a beautiful part of the home décor.
If you’re out of ideas, a home interior design expert who focus on sustainability know what it takes to turn trash into treasure.
In what can be considered Shabby Chic, an old wooden crate can easily become a coffee table. Wine bottles can become candleholders and old milk jugs are easy to transform into bird feeders or temporary plant pots. The same applies to aluminium cans – when painted, they can become lovely containers for just about everything.
It’s even possible to reuse old sheets and towels you have. These can be turned into reusable cleaning cloths and rags. Use them, pop them in the washing machine to get rid of the stains and use again.
You have to be mindful about the items you’re buying and you need to plan accordingly for reusing packaging materials. Making some conscious choices and willing to get creative with the leftovers will quickly contribute to a reduction in the amount of waste you’re producing.
Many interior design professionals who are environmentally woke will agree that buying new items can be wasteful. Opting for second hand décor possibilities and antiques will enable a reduction in your environmental footprint.
You can easily discover gems among second-hand furniture, art and home décor items. Usually, these pieces are one of a kind and they carry a more distinctive vibe contributing to an interesting eclectic home interior rather than the mass-manufactured products you’ll find in just about every Singapore store.
Not only do second hand purchases help you come closer to a zero waste home, they will also go easy on your budget.
Leading a zero waste lifestyle is also about minimising the amount of plastic you’re using. There are so many ways to get rid of the plastic at home or in the office. When you make the switch and you experience a change of mindset, you’ll probably never go back to the way things used to be.
Reusable silicone food bags, bamboo toothbrushes, reusable food wraps, glass carafes for beverages and food containers, steel pantry containers, metal straws, wooden hangers, bamboo cutting boards for the kitchen and even bamboo beauty accessories like hair and makeup brushes are all excellent alternatives to their plastic counterparts.
The same applies to wooden drawer organisers, natural fabrics that are free from polyester or nylon, pottery and ceramics.
There’s such an abundance of natural, zero-waste materials. Such materials are a whole lot better for the environment, plus they’ll give your home a more interesting and elevated appearance than the modern plastic options.
While some home décor and convenience items made of natural materials tend to be more expensive than plastic products, they tend to last longer. In this sense, you’ll be getting a better return on investment by spending a bit more.
Minimalism is one of the interior design styles that are most in line with the zero-waste philosophy.
The purpose of minimalism is to focus on the essentials required for comfortable living. We tend to surround ourselves by many items and knick-knacks that we don’t really need. Eventually, these items will bring down comfort instead of creating it.
Beginning a minimalist transformation for your Singapore home starts with a change in mindset. You should start asking yourself whether you really need something before buying it. Impulse purchases can be controlled once you really start thinking about your habits.
To make the most of minimalism, do hire professionals to produce the initial concept and oversee the execution. Home Guide has a ton of experience with minimalist projects and we’d be more than happy to put together an idea that’s 100 per cent in line with your living needs.
