With May almost over and Spring on its way out, are you prepared to once again close the windows and let your air conditioner run for the next 3-4 months? What can be done to improve our indoor air quality? Keep reading to see our quick-fix, inexpensive solutions to freshen up your indoor air—-and add comfort and personal style to your home.

The addition of live plants can improve the air quality in your home, as they release oxygen during photosynthesis. Filtered, free air! Having live plants in your home is a win-win, right? But what happens when the sun goes down and photosynthesis doesn’t take place? Did you know that in the evening hours, most plants continue to consume oxygen but stop releasing it photosynthesis ceases?

Apparently, this “discovery” made its way around social media a few years ago and prompted a few of my friends to ditch their houseplants. I assured my friends and now I am assuring my readers; your plants are NOT competing for air while you sleep and there is NO REASON why you can’t share a bedroom with your bromeliad. I am also happy to share with you that some plants DO release oxygen throughout the evening hours. Here are a few that will compliment your bedroom AND your sleep:

Orchids

Orchids are one of my favorite flowers—they are by far my favorite plant in my house. For those of us lucky enough to live in the Kansas City area, we have access to the most amazing Orchid Cave! If you’ve never been to Bird’s Botanicals, I must insist that you visit. Here are a few pics to inspire you to include orchids in your home décor.

You can stop by Bird’s Botanicals this weekend at the Overland Park Farmer’s Market, or visit the orchid cave here.

Snake plant (Mother in Law’s Tongue)

Orange Gerbera

Areca Palm, Aloe & Christmas Cactus

Houseplants aren’t just great for pumping oxygen into our air; they can be incredible natural air filters. Studies have shown that rooms filled with plants have 50-60% less airborne bacteria and molds than rooms with no plants. This is great news for the areas in our home that are prone to humidity and mold growth, like our bathrooms. In addition to Aloe, here are a few of my favorite plants that are proven to filter our air:

Heart Leaf Philodendron

Peace Lily

English Ivy

Chinese Evergreen, Boston Fern & Spider Plant

We can’t talk about air quality without touching on the topic of dust. I’m not talking about dusting your tabletops, ceiling fans, air registers, or getting your ducts cleaned. I’m not even talking about dust. I’m talking about DUST MITES. We won’t get into all of the gory details about dust mites (because it totally grosses me out!), but there is a reason why it is recommended that you replace your mattress every 8-10 years and it is NOT because of wear and tear. What about your favorite pillow that you have had for years? Also full of dust mites and dust mite waste. GROSS!!!!

Quick, what’s the solution?

Replacing your mattress every eight years can get expensive, especially if you have multiple bedrooms. I suggest getting a really good mattress protector. They are surprisingly SUPER affordable! I found an assortment of highly reviewed, lab tested, waterproof, dust mite-proof, bedbug-proof, hypoallergenic, zippered mattress encasements on Amazon for well under $100. Has your favorite down pillow gotten heavier these past few years? You can thank the dust mites in your pillow for that. GET A PILLOW PROTECTOR!!!! Also on Amazon; also insanely affordable.

See even more ideas on how to incorporate houseplants within your home’s decor on our pinterest page! Not only are houseplants a home decor trend that is always in style, greenery is REALLY popular this year. Read more about our design trend predictions here.