Just Move? 3 Reasons to Get House Plants in Your New Apartment Right Away

• Indoor plants can reduce the physical and emotional stress of moving to a new city.
• Air purifying indoor plants clean the air and remove toxins from your new home.
• Nurturing a house plant can soothe loneliness and depression.
• If you’ve recently moved to a new city and want to ease the transition, read this article to find out how plants can help.

 

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by your recent move, you’re not alone. A 2020 survey found that Americans are more stressed about moving than getting married, having kids, or even filing for divorce.

You can deal with the stress of relocating, improve your health, and upgrade your aesthetic, all at the same time by taking this one simple step:

Bring indoor plants into your apartment!

If you’re feeling off balance since you moved, visit your local nursery and add a few house plants to your space. Here are three reasons why you should pause your unpacking session right now and smell the roses:

1. Indoor Plants Remove Toxins from the Air

If your new apartment has paint on the walls, furniture, or anything made out of wood, odds are you’re breathing in volatile organic compounds (VOCs), chemicals that seep into the air from common household materials and cleaning products.

VOCs can lead to respiratory irritation, headaches, nausea, central nervous system malfunction, liver and kidney damage, and even cancer. VOC levels can be as much as 1,000 times higher indoors than outdoors after certain home maintenance activities like painting or replacing floors.

That number is pretty alarming, especially if you’re moving into a recently renovated space. But if you’re sitting near a plant right now, you can take a deep breath.

 

A well-known 1989 NASA study found that over time, indoor plants can remove pollutants including trichloroethylene, benzene, and formaldehyde from the air. They might sound like they belong in a chemistry lab, but a disturbing concentration of these toxins can be found in our bedrooms.

When it comes to air purification, the more plants the better. NASA’s recommendation? You should place two to three potted plants every 100 square feet in your home.

2. Indoor Plants Reduce Stress and Restore Energy

For some people (maybe even for you), moving is the most stressful life event they’ll ever experience. One way to combat this stress is to bring potted plants into your home. According to one recent study, simply taking breaks to stare at an indoor plant for three minutes is enough to significantly decrease feelings of stress and anxiety.

 

One theory suggests that the beneficial impacts of indoor plants on human health is evidence of the biophilia hypothesis, or the scientific assertion that “humans have evolved a need to connect with nature, and nature provides substantial cultural and social value to humans.”

The great news is that you don’t have to buy the most exotic or expensive breeds to enjoy the stress-relieving effects of house plants. Common house plants include the snake plant, peace lily, and money plant, each of which can be purchased for under $30 and each of which will fill a your space with fresh, vibrant beauty.

3. House Plants Help with Loneliness

Moving to a new city on your own can be an isolating experience. Even if you’re moving as a family, uprooting yourself from your comfort zone might leave you feeling pretty lonely.

Here’s a surprising remedy for your loneliness, depression, and anxiety: taking care of a house plant. That’s why one medical clinic in the UK prescribes patients plants to cultivate as a treatment for emotional distress.

A recent study found that people who had access to nature were better able to cope with the anxiety and depression resulting from a COVID -19 lockdown. That’s because when you spend time each day taking care of your plants, you form actual relationships with them. That intimacy with nature is a particularly important experience for people who are forced into social isolation, be it in response to a pandemic or a move.

 

If the benefits of indoor plants sound too good to be true, think back to the last time you took a stroll through the park or enjoyed a hike in the woods. There’s something about being close to plants that makes even the heaviest days feel lighter.

Have you recently moved? Let us know how you’re dealing with the transition (and what plants you’ve brought along with you) in the comments!

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