13+ Easy Peasy Eco-Friendly Office Ideas To Make Your Home Office Greener

Looking for a few easy, eco-friendly office ideas to transform your work space? Here are some practical tips you can use to make your home office a greener place to be.

Setting up a fresh workspace can help you get out of a motivation rut and, if you’re constantly concerned about the planet like I am, you’re probably searching for ways to help the environment as you switch things up. When I redid my writing nook, I discovered some super achievable, eco-friendly office changes I could make that have made my workday more peaceful and inspiring.

You’ll find some easy eco-friendly office ideas you can instantly do, plus a few eco-friendly products and plants I think are quite pretty!

Because you’re here, you’re already a good human looking to take better care of our world. I love that about you! And by the time you check out these ideas, you’ll be even more equipped to make our earth a gentler place to live.

This post is all about how to improve where you work and turn it into the best eco-friendly office for you.

Easy Peasy Eco-Friendly Office Ideas

Eco-Friendly Office Design

1. Get a Secondhand Desk

There are so many places you can find a pre-loved desk and these desks are CUTE!

Here are my suggestions for a secondhand desk:

• Buy Nothing Project: This is an AWESOME resource you can sign up for on Facebook. You are assigned to your own neighborhood, so you’re giving and receiving items within your local community. I’ve given away lots of stuff, including furniture. And I see great pieces on there frequently. You can even post a request for something you need and, many times, someone has it.
• Facebook Marketplace: I’ve only used this resource once, mainly because I wasn’t really sure what I was doing. But I know many people who buy and sell on this platform.
• Etsy: Gotta love Etsy! They have lots of reimagined pieces of furniture in different colors and styles.
• Thrift Store
• Yard Sale, Garage Sale, or Estate Sale

When I was setting up my current office, I debated on buying a brand-new desk or using my sweet, little Broyhill desk I had since I was a teenager.

I ended up using my old desk and it’s been lovely! It was already in good shape, so I just wiped it down and dragged it from the garage into my office! I switched out its original chair for one of my kitchen chairs and it immediately looked fresher.

Other things you could include:

• Swapping out the drawer pulls
• Painting your furniture (That’s next-level stuff for me, so I opted not to make a huge mess at this time!)
• Adding removable wallpaper to the top surface, face of the desk, or inside the drawers for a surprise pop of pattern and delight!

Lifestyle Eco-Friendly Tip:
Take good care of your things!
This way, they last longer, stay prettier,
and you’re reducing your carbon footprint
by saving resources and lessening energy emissions.

2. Choose a Window Seat

Natural light is uplifting, plus it’ll help you save money on your electric bill! Position your desk close to a window and switch off any lamps that are wasting extra energy.

3. Add Houseplants

Plants naturally clean the air like little green air purifiers. They’re also beautiful and liven up a space.

If you’re intimidated by becoming a plant parent, there are a variety of types that are beginner-friendly. Sadly, I’ve even killed some of these, but here are a few I like:

• Pothos: These are highly un-killable, unless you stick them in a closet and forget they exist. They tell you when they need water by getting droopy, but quickly become spry after a nice sip! You can also easily make new plants by cutting off a sprig and potting it.
• Easy ZZ: I killed a few of these before I got the watering right. They don’t need a lot of water…just a little after the soil is completely dried out. These plants are somewhat pricey, so I’d go with a smaller, less expensive one to start.
• Lemon Balm: Mostly of my lemon balm is outside in the ground, but I’ve started a few in pots on my patio and will move inside as the winter gets near. This plant can grow fast and wild, but I don’t mind it since mosquitos stalk me and they don’t like mint plants.
• Catmint: This is a hearty mint that pollinators love, but they also work well in pots. Outside, my catmint grew about five feet, so I clipped some stems and started new plants.

4. Install Blackout Curtains

Especially in the colder months, curtains will block some of the winter chill and help reduce your heating bill. Cranking down the heat cuts back on energy emissions.

I have these gorgeous burnt orange velvet curtains with pom-poms in my office. They are so fun, but help regulate the temp in my drafty house!

5. Try Vintage Décor & Unique Storage

If you like my owl teacup, I found a similar one here.

Any time you can repurpose furniture, decorations, or household items, you are being eco-friendly, my friend! Part of my personal eco-friendly office design is using vintage décor because it’s unusual and good for the earth! (This makes me think of Cyndi Lauper’s album, She’s So Unusual!)

• Oui yogurt jars: Their dairy-free yogurt is yummy and the jars are 100% recyclable or perfect for upcycling! Add paper clips or use as a pen holder. I store my little washi tapes inside.
• Antique teacups: Use as a jewelry dish for a quick pre-meeting glow-up or to toss off your gems at the end of the long work day. OR add a flame-less candle for a little ambiance.
• Vintage Singer sewing machine drawers: I got a set off of Etsy and one from a local antique store. I originally used them for my wedding, but then repurposed them again as storage for odds and ends. They’re beautiful and so unique!
• Victorian brass letter clips: I found these quirky and completely swoon-worthy clips when looking for wedding décor. They’re fun to look at, but also functional! I love that it had a story before me and that I’m continuing the story in my home.

Adding sentimental elements
makes an eco-friendly office even more special.

My mom had an antique Singer sewing machine table
that she GAVE AWAY.
I wasn’t thrilled about that!
But I found similar sewing machine drawers online
that reminded me of that lovely piece.

6. Invest in Vegan Leather Furniture

Because my house is pretty small, my office is also my guest room, so to make it work for both work and loved ones, I invested in a sleeper sofa that’s cute and comfy! I wanted something compact, but big enough for an average human to have a cozy night’s rest. I also wanted the leather look without purchasing leather.

The Pottery Barn Teen Baldwin Sleeper Sofa is vegan (or faux) leather and it’s pretty, pretty, pretty! I love that I could get the sophisticated look of leather and the easy cleaning factors, but avoid buying products that were made with animals.

Another furniture company that has gorgeous pieces that are on my wish list is Roger + Chris. They now have vegan leather options, too. Many of them are various Chesterfield designs that speak to my love-of-vintage heart.

{Related Post: Where to Find the Best Vegan Leather Bags}

7. Incorporate Rechargeable Lighting

I have some rechargeable candles like these that look darling in little votives. I charge them through my computer, which eliminates the need for batteries.

8. Sprinkle in a Few Little Touches with Found Objects

• Use an old cassette tape case as a business card holder.
• Turn a wine bottle into a vase and add dried flowers.
• Use old floppy disks as coasters or bookmarks! (Don’t know what a floppy disk is? Find a Gen X friend––they’ll explain!)
• Frame a special postcard or greeting card! You can do this two ways: Display the cover OR display the message of a loved one.
• Make paper weights out of interesting seashells or rocks: Of course, find these in your own yard (not your neighbor’s!).

Did you know that hermit crabs aren’t born with shells,
but need to find them to protect themselves?
Watch this clip about an important conservation project
to help hermit crabs survive and thrive.

Next time you search for seashells at the beach,
consider leaving the shell homes for hermit crabs
or returning some of your shells
back to their natural habitat.

Eco-Friendly Office Supplies

9. Print Less

One way to print less is to not own a printer! That definitely helps you to cut back!

Here are some other ways to use less paper:

• Save your research files online. I like Pinterest for curating creative inspiration, mood boards, and trends. Dropbox is great for file storage.
• Opt for digital appliance manuals, instructions, estimates, statements, and invoices.
• Sign important documents online, if that’s an option.

10. Drape a Cozy Throw Blanket Across Your Chair

Another way to cut down on energy in your eco-friendly office is to layer. Snuggle up in a soft throw or a favorite sweater. I sometimes wear a hat or finger-less gloves when it’s really frigid outside. If you have an older or drafty house like I do, try these things before turning up the temp a few degrees.

11. Take Advantage of Your Kitchen

When you’re lucky enough to work from home, you already know how to be environmentally friendly at work. You’re saving on gas costs and emissions, plus single-use food wraps that we normally buy out in the wild.

• Keep a reusable water bottle at your desk: I’ve used Brita water pitchers before and now use my fridge water filter. The downside to these filters is finding a place to recycle them. However, you can search your zip code on Earth911 for a recycling facility or check out Terracycle for options.
• Make coffee with compostable coffee pods: Your coffee machine is your home office best friend. It saves a lot of money and you can use your favorite mug! My Keurig coffee maker works well with San Francisco Bay compostable coffee pods. They are certified commercially compostable, meaning all the packaging, from the pods to the bags, can be tossed in the compost. They have lots of flavors. I recommend French Vanilla and Hazelnut Creme.
• Make your own lunch: This is an area in which I need much improvement! I order food delivery WAY too often and I don’t like all the Styrofoam and plastic utensils that come with it. It creates a lot of waste. Eating at home is definitely healthier, less expensive, and a more eco-friendly choice.

12. Use an Online Calendar

Paper planners these days are so chic and I use to use them a lot. But if you’re wanting to move toward more eco-friendly office supplies, you might shift over to everything online. All of my meetings and appointments are on my phone and computer calendars, which is decently convenient for me.

But if you fear technology might got kaput on you, you could do a dry erase board. I use these magnetic fridge boards for my to-do lists, but there are calendar versions that will help keep you on track.

13. Set Up a Rechargeable Fan

If it’s a little warm, but you don’t need to go all-in on the A/C, a rechargeable fan is a cool option!

I originally bought this fan to keep the diabolical mosquitos off of me outside, which is awesome for that! But, it’s also nice for when the power goes out or you just need a little air in your eco-friendly office!

Once it’s charged, you can move it anywhere, inside or outside, cord-free. The fan lasts for several hours on high speed. I love this thing! (So does my fur child!)

Eco-Friendly Office Wrap-Up

This post was all about eco-friendly office ideas anyone can do…and that means you, too! Hope you enjoyed these green tips.

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