Creating A Non Toxic Home

You might be wondering what toxins have to do with decluttering.

Quite a lot, actually.

I think of clutter as anything unnecessary that gets in the way of what’s important to us. It isn’t just piles of possessions or an overflowing cupboard. It can also be the unnecessary chemicals and synthetic materials we surround ourselves with every day.

Having lived in London for around 25 years, I’ve become increasingly aware of the things I’m exposed to that I have very little control over, particularly air pollution.

So where I do have some control, inside my own home, I’ve gradually started making different choices.

I try to avoid pesticides where I can. I choose simple cleaning products and toiletries with fewer ingredients. I have very little plastic in my home and, over the years, I’ve slowly replaced synthetic things with more natural materials.

None of this happened overnight.

Just like decluttering, it has been a gradual process. One small change, then another. Often the difference is so subtle that you barely notice it.

Until you find yourself somewhere that feels completely different.

Think of an Airbnb filled with plastic flooring, laminate worktops, polyester curtains and cushions, artificial plants, heavily scented candles, strong chemical cleaners, plastic food containers and scratched non-stick pans.

Suddenly, you notice everything.

The smell. The textures. The artificial fragrance. The amount of plastic. The general sense that your body is being bombarded from every direction.

It was experiences like this that made me realise how different my own home had gradually become.

For me, creating a calmer home isn't only about having fewer belongings. It's also about reducing some of the unnecessary things I don't particularly want to live alongside.

Your home can become a little haven from the outside world.

And importantly, creating a lower-toxin home doesn’t need to become another overwhelming project or another impossible standard to live up to.

You don’t need to throw everything away and replace it with expensive “natural” alternatives.

Start gently.

Use up what you already have. When something runs out or needs replacing, simply make a slightly more considered choice.

You might begin with your cleaning products, swap a heavily scented candle for beeswax, choose glass or stainless steel when a plastic container finally needs replacing, cook with stainless steel or cast iron, open the windows regularly, or choose natural fabrics the next time you need new bedding or curtains.

One thing at a time.

That is exactly how I approach decluttering too.

Not through dramatic overhauls, but by gradually removing what feels unnecessary and making more space for what feels nourishing, useful and calm.

Over time, those tiny decisions add up.

And eventually, without really noticing when it happened, your home begins to feel lighter, simpler and much more like a place you can retreat to.

Here's how you can create a lower-toxin home:

1. Start with the air you breathe.

   Open windows regularly when outdoor air quality allows, keep trickle vents open, use kitchen and bathroom extractor fans, and make sure they’re clean and working properly.

2. Remove synthetic fragrance.

   Air fresheners, room sprays, strongly fragranced cleaning products, perfumes and aerosols. You don’t need to throw everything away; simply replace products with unscented or minimally fragranced versions as they run out.

3. Simplify your cleaning cupboard.

   You don’t need a separate chemical cleaner for every surface in your home. Nancy Birtwhistle is particularly good on this: her recipes use simple household ingredients and are designed to reduce packaging and unnecessary products.

4. Stop using air fresheners as a default.

   Instead, deal with the source of smells: empty bins, wash textiles, ventilate rooms, clean drains and address damp. Fresh air is generally a better solution than adding another fragrance to the air.

5. Rethink candles and incense.

   Burning candles and incense releases particulate pollution. If you enjoy candles, use them occasionally in a well-ventilated room rather than continually scenting your home.

6. Reduce sprays and aerosols.

   Choose roll-ons, creams, liquids or pump bottles where practical rather than aerosols.

7. Gradually reduce unnecessary plastic.

   You don’t need to purge your house of plastic. Keep what you already own and replace things naturally as they wear out. Replace plastic chopping boards with wood. For food storage, you might gradually move towards glass, stainless steel or ceramic where practical. I use old glass jars and I love Black + Blum.

8. Make the kitchen simpler.

   Rather than replacing everything at once, concentrate on cookware you actually use. Stainless steel, cast iron, enamelled cast iron and glass are durable options. If you already own non-stick pans in good condition, there’s no need for a panic clear-out; replace badly damaged cookware as it reaches the end of its useful life.

9. Choose natural materials when buying something new.

   When bedding, curtains, rugs, cushions or furniture genuinely need replacing, consider cotton, linen, wool, wood, metal and other durable materials. The important part is not buying replacements simply to create a supposedly toxin-free house. Keeping an existing polyester cushion is often more sensible than discarding it and buying another object.

10. Be thoughtful about new furniture and decorating.

    Paints, adhesives, varnishes, flooring and some composite-wood furniture can emit VOCs, including formaldehyde. Look for low-VOC or low-emission options and ventilate well during and after decorating.

11. Use toiletries with fewer chemicals.

    Fragrance-free can be a useful choice if you are trying to reduce airborne fragrance exposure. The Yuka app is useful for determining the toxicity of a product.

12. Avoid pesticides.

    Buy organic versions of the higher-residue fruit and vegetables you eat most often, if affordable.

    Don’t worry about making your entire food shop organic.

    Wash fruit and vegetables thoroughly under running water before eating them.

    Use frozen organic produce when it’s cheaper or more convenient.

13. Change things only when they naturally need changing. This would be my overriding rule:

Don’t detox your home by filling a skip.

Use what you have. When something is empty, broken or genuinely needs replacing, choose the simpler option. Over five or ten years, your home can change enormously without one huge expensive overhaul.