Your Cheat Sheet For a Healthy Home: Must Have Products for Allergies and More

After 3 months of dating, David started looking for a house…presumably with the assumption that we would someday live in it together. So off we went exploring with his fresh out of college salary for a home in Kansas City.

5 years later we actually got married and moved in. To say he’s a slow plotter is an understatement.

EVEN though I didn’t live there, twenty-one year old self was ready to play house, to decorate, to do all those things that I thought were part of being an adult. Of course shared that home a quick year before hoping a plane to Florida for the next 8 years of condo living.

Which our Colorado house feels like OUR first real home.

Home is about the feeling and for me part of that feeling comes from creating a healthy space. So I thought I’d share some of what I required for a healthy home!As noted in the video below, we’ve only been in the house 2 months so some things are done and some are on the honey-do list, but all will be implemented soon!

Whole Home Water Filter
My parents put in a water filter system when I was a teenager and it was the. best. ever. Anyone who visited asked why our water felt silky, as a teenager my skin never broke out and oh my beautiful hair.

But really beyond the cosmetic, it also truly cleaned up the water supply. Most of us are unaware that city water is often filled with fluoride and other chemicals (including birth control!), which are in tiny doses, but starting to become big problems. Increasing studies are showing they could have lasting harmful effects.

Whole Home Humidifier
Irony of my life, I couldn’t wait to leave Florida and here I am paying for humidity!

But apparently when the humidity in your home remains too low not only do you electrify the cats, but you become far more susceptible to illness. It dries out your eyes, your throat and obviously your skin, which during the winter all help to lower your immune defenses.

In the apartment we had a small humidifier, but it just can’t cut the mustard in a house. So a system that connects directly to the furnace can keep the right humidity year round through the thermostat!

What does it really take to create a healthy home? Must have's and tips #livewell Share on X

Security
Part of a healthy home is feeling safe!If you’re constantly worried it impacts every aspect of your health, so take steps to secure your windows, doors and find tools that will make you feel reassured all is well.

I am beyond excited about the Piper nv All-in-One Home Security System. As noted in the video below, this isn’t just a camera, it’s a night vision video! In fact a run down of what this can do:

• turn on a motion detector light
• notify me off issues via my phone so I can check the video feed
• two way microphone, so you can use it outside your front door (great way to make people think you’re home!)
• security settings you can change for home, away and vacation
• can connect multiple cameras and with many home automation systems
• NO monthly fee with this system
• Parents you can check on the kids
• Pet owners check on the kitties while you’re camping (ok maybe that’s just us)

There area  few other fun little tools that are not by Piper, but which I’ll be adding to our automated home…because I’m kind of a nerd and love these things:

• Doorbell video camera — ding dong, whose there, let’s find out!
• Touchscreen deadbolt – Love that this is an easier way to have someone take care of the cats or go running without carrying a key
• Wireless Window Security Sensors – With multiple levels to the house I like that a quick and cheap thing could alert us to an issue.

Pet Vacuum
It’s one thing to find a vacuum that picks up dirt, another to find one that can truly handle the hair of two cats. I love our pets, but I’m a clean freak and all the pet hair bugs me (while also making D sneeze).

Bissell Powerglide Deluxe Pet Vacuum has become my new best friend. Why?
A. I didn’t consider how I would vacuum two sets of stairs! The easy lift off canister has made this no biggie
B. As noted I need something to truly pick up the hair, not move it around and this does the job
C. Super easy to maneuver around furniture and with multiple filters it really is taking care of allergens
D. I learned about Bissell’s We Love Pets Program and I’m not a customer for life. They do so much for homeless pets and yes want to design products that help clean freaks like me have no excuse not to have a furry friend.

Microfiber Cloths and Green Cleaning
When I told David I wanted to go green, he looked at me rather dead pan and shrugged. Then he went right on using super harsh cleaners and was later told he just didn’t believe a green cleaner would work.

How dare you doubt by Google abilities! After testing out a few products and especially my new love of microfiber clothes over paper towels, he has started to come aboard. I know change is a process and I’m ok with that as long as we keep moving towards green.

Harsh chemicals can increase issues with asthma, leak into water supplies, mess with our hormones and so much more.

Nest Gauge — On my install soon list!
Yes, as you’ll see in the next item I am all about the new ability to automate and control our home while away! I’m also all about saving energy (to save my forests), so a thermostat that truly learns from our behaviors is pretty cool

Smart Home Hub – I’m still debating, which one, but hello Santa if you’re looking for gift ideas!
I travel a lot and we spend our weekends on the trails, so I’ve started to realize there would be some huge benefits to being able to check in on things while we’re away. Don’t need the air dropping to 68 at night for the kitties or the TV running non-stop because some ESPN watching member of the family forgot to click off.

Additional Tips

Other little things you can do to make a home healthier no matter what products you have:

• Turn down the thermostat at night, a chilly room promotes better sleep
• Use blue plates – they’re proven to help you eat less
• Buy smaller plates to also help you eat less
• Include some house plants to help clean the air naturally
• Take off your shoes to prevent tracking outdoor allergens throughout the house
• Never heat things in plastic containers to prevent potential food contamination from breakdown
• Keep the bedroom dark! Find an alarm clock like mine that goes dark and keep off the electronics to ensure you get a deep sleep

Previously: How to stock a healthy pantry and how to stock a healthy fridge
Next: Creating a healthy home office and home gym

How do you keep your home healthy?

Do you like to go low or high tech?

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I was provided the Bissell vacuum for free, but all opinions are my own.