Green Sweep Your Home

Today you're going to "green sweep" your home. Start by taking an inventory of your possessions and determine what you really need. But don't just throw things away! Going green means you should try to sell, donate or recycle any surplus or outdated items in favor of more energy-efficient or eco-friendly options. Here are some ideas to help get your house in order:

• Living Room: Assuming you can’t overhaul your home’s structure or flooring (if you were to do so, selecting sustainable, durable bamboo flooring would be a great start), choose rugs and furnishings made from natural or sustainable materials. If you decide to paint walls or seal flooring, select products with low VOCs (volatile organic compounds).

• Kitchen: Replace disposable products with more green versions, such as cloth napkins and recycled paper products.

• Bathroom: While they cost a bit more at the outset, tankless water heaters use up to 1/4 less energy to heat your water.

• Bedroom: Less clutter means less dust, which means easier cleaning, which means less use of chemical-laden cleaning products. Eliminate all but the most necessary items in your bedroom to create a restful (and healthful) oasis.

• Host the ultimate green living, recycling event: have a garage sale!

Updating appliances may initially cost more up front, but the energy efficiency of refrigerators and freezers has dramatically improved. First, switch to compact fluorescent bulbs and rechargeable batteries and outline a plan for the replacing the bigger things.