Allison Homes shares top eco-friendly tips for a festive home

Decorating your new home for Christmas for the first time is an exciting part of the moving process. However, turning your home into a winter wonderland can generate unnecessary waste, so we at Allison Homes are sharing our top tips for sustainable Christmas decor without missing out on the excitement.

Kelly Toms, Sales and Marketing Director at Allison Homes Central, said: “At Allison Homes, sustainability is something we carefully consider with everything we do. We hope that sharing these tips can help people to make more eco-friendly choices this festive season.”

Five sustainable Christmas decor tips:

Plan ahead

While it may not be the most exciting part of decorating, planning out your décor ahead of time can help make your festive home makeover more sustainable and cohesive. Decide on your theme, colour scheme, how much space you can afford to fill without causing clutter and which rooms need the most attention before you start the process. This will prevent you from buying more decorations than you need, or impulse buying things that look great on the shelf but out of place amongst your other items.

Carefully consider your tree

The question of whether real or artificial trees are the more sustainable option is a complex one. According to The Carbon Trust, if you purchase an artificial tree and use it for 7-20 years (depending on materials) that creates less carbon emissions than buying a new real tree each year, so if you plan on purchasing an artificial tree invest in a high-quality option that will last.

If you plan on purchasing a real tree look for local sellers so that there are fewer carbon emissions from shipping, reuse the stand each year instead of buying a new one every time, and consider renting a pot-grown tree which can be re-planted once the festive season ends.  You can also prevent the tree from ending up in a landfill by having it chipped and spread in your garden or donating it to an organisation that recycles or reuses it such as Just Helping.

Light up your space sustainably

Christmas lights are a key part of festive decoration and luckily there is an easy way to include them in an eco-conscious way. LED lights last much longer than traditional lights and save on both emissions and your energy bill. They come in all different styles and colours so there is no need to sacrifice your vision to make the swap.

Craft and upcycle decorations

Creating your own decorations using items found in your home or repurposing decorations from past years to match your current taste not only promotes sustainability compared to purchasing new ones but also empowers you to design decor that uniquely reflects your personal style, making it impossible for others to duplicate.

If you do purchase decorations, shop sustainably

If crafting is not your forte, you can manage your environmental impact by carefully considering what decorations you buy. You can opt for decorations that have been made from recycled materials or try to cut down on plastic consumption by trying out using wooden, knitted or paper ornaments and decorations around your home and on your tree.