Our homes have now become everything for us! That means that we have been a lot harder on them now than we were before, pre-pandemic. But we have also learned a lot more about our homes because we are spending so much more time in them lately. I have worked from home for years, so I have made sure that my home serves me well. As a result, I have a slightly different perspective, and I’ve learned many different things over the years.  My goal is to share what I have learned with you through my Facebook group, Love Your Everyday Green Home, through teachings from my book, Living Green Effortlessly, and also through the people I meet. 2020 was the year of the grand experiment for many of us! Now that we know that we are free to experiment, we can become more intentional with whatever we decide to do in our homes. You don’t have to do it all. Just pick a few of the things I suggest, and go try them out.  Today, I will focus on the interior of our homes. It is important to have a comfortable home with beautiful spaces that serve your health and wellness. Your home should provide you with the kind of spaces that you want to be in.  Our pre-loved sofa We recently bought a second-hand recliner sofa. Although we knew it was unlikely to be our forever sofa, we needed a space to be comfortable together. Our pre-loved recliner sofa was a perfect fit for us! Using pre-loved, or second-hand furniture Using pre-loved furniture makes it very easy to make short-term, intentional decisions for a specific need. When something we bought second-hand is no longer useful to us, we can put it back into the marketplace for pre-loved furniture and pass it on to someone else.  Off-gassing and older furniture One of the advantages of buying older furniture is that it has had time to off-gas any chemicals or toxins that could be in the fabrics or the wood. New furnishings With new furnishings, you want to do some research to look out for what you are buying. There is a group called Sustainable Furnishings Council. It has a list of companies that adhere to a set of practices in the manufacture of furniture to ensure they meet the sustainability levels. Things to watch out for You need to watch out for the materials used in furnishings, rugs, soft goods, and window treatments for their potential to off-gas. It is always best to use natural products whenever possible.  A list of go-to’s Having a list of go-to’s for what works well in your home will be helpful for you. Look for products that are sustainable, renewable, or more chemically responsible whenever possible. Paint Choose safer paint, preferably with no or low VOCs.  Wallpaper When choosing wallpaper, you need to consider what is in it and ensure that you select a safe and healthy option for the people living in your home. Floor coverings You need to select carpets and flooring products that are safe and healthy for the people living in your home. Carpets and long-shag rugs tend to be dust-traps, so they are not the best option for people with allergies. Try to choose materials and products made from either renewable materials or recycled content. Choose materials that can eventually get recycled to keep them out of the landfills. Ceilings and walls Ceilings are usually covered with paint. Ceilings and walls influence the way that the light plays in your home. Light is an important part of health and wellness. Consider that when choosing a color for the walls and ceilings in your home. Light-colored ceilings and walls help to magnify the light. Heat Having dark-colored floors and walls is great for holding the heat in your home during the colder months. Cabinetry Pay attention to your cabinetry. Formaldehyde is a chemical that you want to steer clear of. It is still in some products, especially those made from pressed wood. Bathrooms and kitchens As you fine-tune, remodel, or rebuild your kitchen and bathroom, you need to be specific and intentional about the choices you make. Your choice of tiles, w