Bedding

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I change my sheets fairly frequently. Sometimes it’s because I just want the bed to have a new look, but it’s also because I hate doing laundry for one set of sheets. So I’ll take one set off, put another set on, and then wash them all once I’ve built up a decent-sized load. The key for me now is building up a collection of bedding that is all organic as I replace my old, worn linens. The folks over at GreenNest.com sent me an Organic Jersey Sheet Set by Sage Creek Organics to try out, and I’m happy to have these comfy solids in my linen closet.

After pushing my 3-year-old’s legs back onto her toddler bed in the middle of night too many nights in a row, I decided it was time to move up to a big girl bed. This was a big milestone for both of us. She would get to sleep in it and I would get to dress it up. For me, of course, that meant organic bedding. I priced out a couple of organic mattresses, but they were too pricey for our budget. I then spent weeks trying to find a used bed in good condition, to no avail. Craigslist doesn’t have as much to offer when you’re in a small town. I finally settled on a new, antimicrobial mattress set.

Most of you know that my family and I recently moved from Georgia to Tennessee.  We’re currently living in a situation where we rarely have any control over the thermostat. That means two things: It’s always a bit colder in the house than I’m used to, and we have been layering our bedding to make sure we’re warm at night. During the winter, which is a lot colder than I expected here in Tennessee, there’s nothing quite as valuable as a really warm blanket.

EDITOR’S NOTE: I’ll be offering up a series of product reviews this week. Over the past couple of months, I’ve received some great eco-friendly product samples to test, so I want to catch up on those this week. You’ll learn about great eco-friendly bedding, artwork and even a vaccuum cleaner, and I’ll be giving my honest opinion of the products. I’ll also be posting giveaways of some of these products, so don’t miss anything!

It’s no fun being cold. This is especially true for me, as I am originally from the Caribbean. Even though I’ve been in the states for nearly 10 years, I’m still more partial to warm weather than the chill of the winter. But since upping the thermostat also means upping energy use and our electric bill, I’ve learned to snuggle up in other ways. Besides, I’m not a big fan of the dry, artificial heat created by home heating systems and space heaters.

In the not-so-distant past, I used to be a serial shopper. You know — one of those people who would go to the mall or to a department store “just to look,” then leave a few hours later with a couple of shopping bags in tow and my wallet significantly lighter. Thankfully, I now know why that type of lifestyle isn’t good for the Earth or my family, and I’ve changed my ways. But if there’s one thing that could make me revert, it’s beautiful organic bedding. The fabulous Silver Smoke bedding collection from Under the Canopy isn’t helping matters any.

When you’re a home decor fanatic like I am, you learn to recognize luxury when you see it. Sometimes, you don’t have to feel a product in your own hands to know that it will be soft, supple and indulgent. Yumi & Laurie’s blanQuettes™ fall into that category. I featured the St. Moritz blanQuette™ a few months ago, and I’ve been coveting one ever since.

The lovely ladies at Yumi & Laurie are offering up a gorgeous Laguna blanQuette™ worth $195 to one lucky reader of Green Your Decor. The Laguna is shown above, and the winner will get to select the color. This is nothing to sneeze at. These throws are gorgeous, to say the least. More importantly, they are green:

As a couple with young children, my husband and I don’t get to stay in hotels very often. I’m sure all the other parents out there can probably relate. There’s something to be said about the luxury of sleeping in a plush, comfortable bed with crisp, clean sheets that you don’t have to wash.

If you’re anything like me, you have a huge collection of old t-shirts — some going as far back as my high school days. Some have sentimental value — like my class tees, family reunions, etc. Others I’ve just kept because I thought they looked cool. What I’ve wound up with is a large stash of shirts that no longer fit, but that I don’t want to get rid of or cut up to use as rags. Thanks to stitch’T, a company built on a unique recycling concept, I think I know what I’ll do with them.

Frequent readers will know how much I love black and white. It is a color palette that is sexy, sophisticated and easy to customize to your own taste with the addition of your favorite solid color or two. I used this concept a couple of times in the Green Rooms in a Box series, including the sophisticated girl’s nursery and the bedroom on a dream budget.