How To Make Your Home Office More Eco-Friendly

If you want to create a greener home office, here are some tips on how you can make your working space more sustainable.

Buy second hand office furniture

As tempting as it can be to kit out your office with a brand new desk, chair and other accessories, this isn’t the most eco-friendly way to go about furnishing your work from home space. The most sustainable products are ones that already exist. Check out charity shops, ebay, Gumtree and other similar websites for second hand furniture. You’ll usually find some great bargains when you buy second hand too.

Opt for sustainable materials

Furniture and accessories made from wood are better for the environment than plastic and will last much longer, however, trees take years to grow and reach maturity, whereas, Bamboo is a notoriously fast grower and repopulates far faster than wood. It’s also much stronger and durable.

We stock a range of Bamboo products that are perfect for your home office. If you’re looking for something to help keep your desk clutter-free, this Bamboo Desk Organiser is a great choice. Additionally, if you’re after a stylish hands-free option for your gadgets, the Bamboo iPad Stand provides perfect angling for your screen so that you can work effectively.  

Light your office efficiently

Make the most of natural light in your office where possible as this will mean you’re less likely to need to use an overhead or desktop light. Plus, natural light is conducive to productivity and will give a boost for your energy levels. Try to position your desk near a window if you can to maximise as much natural light as possible. However, make sure to test out your office set up as you don’t want too much light to cause a glare on your computer or laptop screen.

Where necessary and much more so in the Winter months where natural light is more scarce, use LED lightbulbs. Not only are LED bulbs better for the planet but they last much longer than traditional light bulbs too. You’ll save both time (from less lightbulb changing) and money in the long run.

Use recycled paper and pens

We know that sometimes a notepad and pen is better and more convenient than using your computer to make notes or scribble down ideas so what’s better than using recycled paper and pens made from recycled materials? That way you’re getting the best of both worlds, writing down your notes and doing so in an eco-friendly way. We have a great range of recycled notepads and pens and better yet, proceeds are made to children's education projects around the world with every sale.

Add some houseplants

Houseplants are a great way to help your home office not only feel more tranquil and relaxing but to also purify the air in the room by reducing pollutants. Whatsmore, certain plants like succulents (Cactus, Orchids and Aloe), take in carbon dioxide and emit oxygen, freshening up your space for you! The best news is that succulents are usually pretty easy to take care of too. Succulents are relatively low maintenance, require little watering or pruning and need little light to thrive. Check out our Viri Hanging Planters which are perfect for holding succulents and other house plants in.

Choose eco-friendly gadgets

In general laptops are more energy-efficient than many desktop computers, so switching to a laptop can lower your carbon footprint and will also take up less room on your desk. Most devices will also have an energy saving mode that you can use, which will help you be ven more efficient. 

If you can’t avoid printing then we’d recommend finding an energy-efficient printer. In addition, this is a great time to think about what you actually need to print. We understand that some things are unavoidable and need to be printed but other things can be digital-only. Only print what is absolutely necessary.

Further still, using programs like Google Drive and Evernote can help to reduce paper usage. Digital and online organisers and cloud-based document management systems will help you to streamline your everyday work tasks like scheduling and note taking.

Ultimately, by making an effort to build a sustainable, eco-friendly home office you can create a workspace that benefits the environment and helps boost your productivity, which is the perfect outcome!