Easy ways to be green at home

Seed and grow
You’d be surprised at the variety of plants you can grow on a windowsill. In her Netherlands apartment, Marloes grows tomato and avocado plants, strawberries, lettuce, broccoli and tons of herbs. ‘The kitchen windowsill gets lots of natural sunlight, so it’s the perfect spot. I grow everything from seed in my little greenhouse, then I just transfer the plants into pots when they start to grow. A windowsill garden means I can easily add my own herbs to a pasta dish or add fresh mint leaves to a jug of water. It saves money on food shopping too!’

Upcycle and reinvent old stuff 

Use textiles, paint and accessories to reinvent old furniture, like the chair that Marloes inherited from her grandmother. ‘We sanded it down because the wood was very dark, and I covered the seat with my own fabric, so now it has more of a modern feel,’ she explains. Finding a new, different way to use something that’s not fit for its original purpose is a creative way to stop something becoming landfill. Marloes has turned an old broken suitcase into a storage chest that slots neatly under her bed. ‘I now keep our bedlinen in it and stow it under the bed to save space.’

Make your recycling simple to use and good to look at
‘I like to keep my kitchen organised with separate recycling containers for cans, plastic, glass, paper and food waste,’ says Marloes. ‘It makes life so much easier when I have to put the recycling outside for collection. I also made my own labels so that everyone knows where everything goes – because our friends all help out and get involved in the kitchen when they come round!’

We love to see our customers get creative with our products. Go for it! But please note that altering or modifying IKEA products so they can no longer be re-sold or used for their original purpose, means the IKEA commercial guarantees and your right to return the products will be lost.