Adding a few pieces of well-placed greenery throughout your home can create a positive atmosphere, which is great for returning home from a busy day. You can integrate plants into your living space by stacking pots on a  bookcase or placing them on a floating shelf.

Incorporating plants in your home can create a therapeutic environment, lead to a better night’s sleep and boost productivity. Bring these benefits into your home by displaying functional foliage as a natural décor piece. Check out our tips and learn more about how to pick the best plant that will bring your home to life. 

Let Every Day be a Spa Day

Create a spa-like experience in your own bathroom with the help of eucalyptus. Boost feelings of relaxation in the space by using the long-stemmed plant in your décor. When combined with steam from the shower or sink, eucalyptus can provide benefits that will get you feeling fresh. 

Eucalyptus is known for creating an aromatherapeutic experience and has become a huge trend in bathroom routines. During a shower, essential oils from the Eucalyptus leaves are released along with its de-stress and relaxing benefits. According to Medical News Today, when vaporized it acts as a decongestant when inhaled, reducing phlegm and coughing. This can make you feel refreshed before going to bed or before you start the day. Shawn Hallum, a department chair at the American College of Healthcare Sciences, said the benefits of being able to breathe better contribute to a spa-like feeling because better “oxygen delivery helps us to relax, aids in healing body tissues through movement and blood flow, and even releases endorphins which reduce pain and improve our sense of well-being.” Then the natural woody scent helps seal the at-home spa experience. 

How to Enjoy Eucalyptus

Tip 1: Pick the species Eucalyptus globulus to get the most essential oil benefits from the plant. This species is known for their oils being steam and heat activated which is perfect for a spot in your shower.

Tip 2: Style the plant tied like  bouquet to the shower head, out of the way of the water stream. If this proves to be too messy, then putting the leaves in a clear vase to show off the beauty in the shower also works! This way the plant will get the steam and moisture it needs. 

Tip 3: Switch out the leaves every 2 weeks or when the leaves wilt to continue receiving all the plant’s benefits.

Increase Your Sleep with Jasmine

The bedroom is your personal sanctuary from the world, and as such it’s important that you get the most out of it. Read to find out how Jasmine can help you.

According to World Health, being surrounded by plants that give off fragrance encourages a more restful sleep. In a study at the University in West Virginia, Jasmine was found to be better at influencing sleep than lavender and also reduced anxiety. This is because Jasmine affects the same key neurotransmitter that makes us mellow out after a dose of valium. Not only will you get a better night’s sleep, but you’ll also wake up feeling more refreshed. 

Find the Right Plants

Tip 1: Pick a fragrant Jasmine plant to get noticable effects. Some Jasmine plants are unscented, so it’s important to find the right one! The species Common jasmine (Jasminum officinale) is known to be the most fragrant variety, which is mostly available throughout summer and fall.

Tip 2: Styling this plant is easy as the length is long, growing about 12-24 inches per year. The plant would be perfect to hang from the ceiling. Jasmine would also look beautiful in delicate vases as the plant itself is delicate looking. It would be best to have it near a window as they thrive in sunlight.

Boost Productivity with Spider Plants

Sometimes stress like bringing work home or school projects are unavoidable. However, what we can do is make sure our environment is just as ready as we are. This means eliminating indoor pollution to keep us feeling our best. Read below to see how the spider plant creates a healthy and productive work environment.

According to The National Wildlife Federation, spider plants are one of the most effective plants for removing volatile organic compounds (VOCs), being the most effective at removing monoxide, formaldehyde, Xylene, and toluene . Their effectiveness comes from the fact that they produce more chlorophyll than other plants, so when the plant “breathes” they can transport more pollutants to their roots and detoxify them. VOCs are everywhere, from your copying and printing machines to your personal care products all the way to fabric you’re wearing. They can cause headaches, fatigue, nausea, and irritation in the eyes and skin, which are all things that prevent us from feeling our best and in turn doing our best, but that’s where spider plants come in.

Plant-Based Productivity

Tip 1: Style the plant in a hanging basket or somewhere high up as the leaves grow beautifully outward. In the office, if there is no option to hang it, put the plant in a lifted or wide pot to balance out the long leaves so it looks aesthetic, but not overwhelming. 

Tip 2: No green thumb, no problem! Spider plants are known for being low maintenance, needing to be watered only once a week.

Tip 3: To be effective with reducing the amount of VOCs for a healthy work environment, have multiple plants. One plant can clean a small area, but for an office area plant multiple to see effects.

Tip 4: Add other plants that target various VOCs in your space to get truly clean air. To give you a better idea, here is a list of air-cleansing plants:

  • Lady Palm
  • Areca Palm
  • Bamboo Palm
  • Rubber Plant
  • Dracaena (especially “Janet Craig”)
  • English Ivy
  • Dwarf Date Palm
  • Ficus Alii
  • Boston Fern
  • Peace Lily

We’d love to see how you create your green sanctuary space with one or more of these plants. Start gaining benefits from your home environment and don’t forget to snap a picture and share your favorites plant blend with everyone by using the hashtag #MyAshleyHome on Instagram. Follow us on Pinterest for more home inspiration.

*some plants may not be safe for a household with four-legged family members