House plants don’t just sit still and look pretty. From improving your health to boosting your mood, indoor plants can have a positive influence in your life as long as you choose the right plants for your life situation. Here are 5 benefits of keeping plants indoors.
Purify the Air, Breathe Better, & Improve Your Health
Plants naturally remove toxins from the air. In the 1980s, NASA conducted a Clean Air Study which found how plants play a major role in removing organic chemicals such as benzene, trichloroethylene, and formaldehyde from indoor air. These toxic chemicals are found in common household items, such as furniture, plastics, and paints.
Increase Productivity
Several studies have shown that employees are more productive and have improved memory retention when plants were placed into offices.
One study by Dr. Chris Night found that employees were 15% more productive when houseplants were placed into “lean,” minimalist workplaces. Other studies found that indoor plants can increase creativity by 45% and boost staff wellbeing by 47%. If you have a home office, you can easily boost your efficiency at home by adding a few houseplants.
Boost Your Mood
Looking at plants can make you feel happier and more optimistic. A study conducted by Seong-Hyun Park and Richard H. Mattson found that patients recover quicker when plants are placed into hospital rooms. Among health benefits such as lower ratings of pain and anxiety, patients who had plants in their rooms felt “more positive feelings and higher satisfaction about their rooms when compared with patients in the control group.”
Grow Your Own Fruits and Vegetables Indoors
For cold winter months and city life, having an outdoor garden may not be an option for your lifestyle. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t grow 
your own fresh produce right inside your home! Most plants don’t take up too much space and just need sufficient light, water, and TLC. Examples of plants that can be grown indoors include carrots, avocados, lemons, mushrooms, herbs, and tomatoes. Here are some tips for growing your fruits and veggies indoors.
Finding the Right Houseplant:
Kid & Pet Friendly Options
Choosing an indoor plant needs to be done with careful consideration and research. While some exotic plants may be beautiful to look at, they could place loved ones, including children and family pets, in danger. Even a non-toxic plant could cause reactions in certain individuals. For example, a plant that may be safe to eat and touch could cause an unforeseen skin reaction to a sensitive child or pet, or a pet could eat too much of a non-toxic plant, leading to an upset stomach. The safest bet is to keep all house plants out of touch of children and pets if possible. Some popular kid and pet friendly plants include the Christmas Cactus, spider plant, Boston fern, and African violets.
Turnberry Custom Homes located in Reading, PA specializes in new construction, renovations/additions, commercial fit-outs, and project management. We serve Montgomery, Berks, Chester, and surrounding counties. Call (610) 775-7575 for a FREE consultation today.
