If you’re getting ready to move into your new home, now is a great time to make some small changes that will get you on a greener footing straight away. Here are some easy things you can do as soon as you get there to make your home a more eco-friendly place to be:

  1. Change the light bulbs: As soon as you get there, check out what lighting the house has at the moment. Incandescent light bulbs are big energy wasters, so swap these out for energy saving alternatives such as compact fluorescents or LED’s straight away.
  2. Insulate the loft: Bringing the insulation up to standard before you unpack is so much easier than trying to do it once the loft is full of your boxes, bags and Christmas decorations. Homes in the UK need at least 280mm of insulation in the loft to keep the heat in, so top yours up before you get settled.
  3. Find out bus routes: Now you know where you are, are there any bus stops near your home? Will it be possible for you to go to work on the bus, even if only once or twice a week?
  4. Sort out recycling facilities: Call up the council and find out what recycling they collect. If they don’t take everything, make sure you are prepared with the address of you r nearest recycling bank to take the other items to.
  5. Greener cleaners: Instead of attacking the new kitchen with chemicals, experiment with natural cleaners such as lemon juice, bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar to get your home looking and smelling lovely.