Sustainability in Your Space Planning

No, this isn’t another article about using Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs, or turning down the thermostat. Sustainability is the key to survival on this planet, and that means not consuming more than you produce. The fact is, that consuming more than we produce drives us into debt and uses up our resources. Whether you live in a dorm room, an apartment, a small house, or a mansion, you probably have unproductive space. So take a look at your space planning, and see how you can learn to use your living space more sustainably.

 Is your space productive?

Do you have unused or rarely-used guest rooms, or rooms that are used for storage (besides closets)? If so, you can put those rooms to more practical use. Store the stuff in a rented storage space, or find practical solutions for storage, and turn your room into a home office and start a home-based business; you’ll turn that space to productive use and get a tax deduction on your space, too. Or sell off or give away your unused items, and clear the clutter, and then discover what you can do with that unused space (take up a hobby?). With that room or an unused guest room, take in a tenant (do a background and credit check first, and get them to sign a lease before they move in!). Again, if that part of your living space produces income, you can deduct your expenses. If your guest rooms are rarely used, you may be more productive by occasionally renting a nearby hotel room for someone and using those rooms more productively.

If you have large blank spaces on your walls, hang art or use it for attractive storage solutions. Don’t let that space go to waste (turn your bicycle into a work of art when it’s not being used)! And if you have unused areas of your house, or unused portions of rooms, consult with a space planner or interior designer to find out how to make your space more efficient; perhaps your traffic pattern needs improvement.

Is your yard productive? 

Does your yard consume resources, or does it produce? If it requires mowing, fertilizing and watering, or a lawn service, maybe it’s time to think about your yard in a different way. No, you don’t have to give up your roses, and no, you don’t have to grow your own vegetables (although it’s a good idea). But those rose petals can be put to good use in crafts, (there’s a home-based business idea for you) and if you don’t want to plant vegetables, you can use your yard to help sustain local wildlife and wild birds. You could have the best dinners in town by growing herbs as a replacement for grass on your lawn, or using herbs as foundation plantings or landscape accents.

In short, by learning to use your living space productively, you will be able to live far more sustainably and self-sufficiently, reduce your debt, save money for what is really important to you, and be able to be at peace with yourself and the environment.