We’ve all spent more time at home over the last year, probably more than we ever have. For us, it really gave us the opportunity to slow down and give our home the love it needs. Along with home organization and small decor swaps, making our home the safest and healthiest place possible has been at the top of our list. Below we’ve rounded up five ways we keep our home healthy and safe for our family. You might be surprised how easy it is to clean up the toxins in your home and create a clean environment for your loved ones. 

 

 

We have always had a no shoes rule in our home. It’s how I grew up, and although I thought it was silly when I was younger, now I cannot imagine tracking in all the dirt and germs from the bottom of our shoes into our home and onto our rugs and wood floors. The thought of it really gives me the heebie-jeebies. 😉 I’ll never forget reading an article a few years ago in a magazine about a woman who’s father got cancer, which doctors linked to common pesticides used on grass. He was an avid golfer and the link between everything was just too much for me. It was jolting. Taking off our shoes when we are at home is something Rob and I started doing since in our first apartment as newlyweds. Now Ollie even knows to take his shoes off at the front mat when we first walk in the door. It’s pretty cute. 

 

 

When I first became pregnant I became addicted to EWG’s app. I looked up every product in my home. I couldn’t believe how many products were harmful to use on my skin, in my hair and in our home while pregnant. I became obsessed with reading the labels on every product and became dedicated to finding cleaner and safer, non-toxic cleaning products to use in our home. We have used Shaklee for a while now, as a safer yet effective cleaning option. They are an organic and sustainable company and they also have refillable containers, which I love. We also use Seventh Generation throughout our home as well. Keep an eye out for a future blog post about their products. 

 

 

When we first had Oliver, we invested in an air purifier for the house. We’ve had some AC issues in the past, so after having a few scares, we now set a reminder on our phones to change out the vents every two weeks. Because we live in a busy downtown area, the pollution can make its way through the AC vents and pollute our home if we’re not diligent about it. For us, adding in a stand-alone air purifier to make sure that the air was as clean as possible in the house, has been so important. We purchased this Molekule Air Purifier for the main living area and sometimes move it into our bedroom. We bought their Air Mini purifier for Oliver’s nursery. You can control everything from the app and get notifications if the air quality rises to a dangerous level. 

 

 

You all know our love for Vitruvi’s essential oil diffuser. Incorporating natural oils in your home is such an easy way to to create a cleaner environment. Many candles are made with artificial fragrances and dyes that when lit release harmful toxins into the air. I love diffusing different scents at different times of the day to really set the mood – an energetic citrus fragrance in the morning, a fresh eucalyptus scent when cleaning or showering, and a calming lavender scent when winding down in the evening. Vitruvi’s  essential kit is a great place to get started.

 

 

Plants are the easiest way to clean the air in your home. So if you’re a crazy plant lady like me, here’s another reason to add more greenery to every corner. Plants naturally purify and remove toxins from the air in your home, plus they’re beautiful. Here’s a list of the best air cleaning plants to add to your home. Check out this post from the archives on how we take care of our plants.

 

 

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