National Houseplant Appreciation Day: Benefits of Adding Plants to Your Home

After looking at plenty of homes for sale in Raleigh, you've found the one that's perfect for you. Now all you need to do is decorate it. What's something simple you can do to add your personal touch to the house? January 10th is National Houseplant Appreciation Day. Why not get some foliage to brighten up your new home? Houseplants make great decor, but they're also much more than that. Here are some of the benefits of adding houseplants to your home.

• Clean Air
  A number of plants remove toxins and impurities from the air. One of the most effective is English Ivy, which removes benzene, formaldehyde, xylene, and more. Aloe vera, meanwhile, can cleanse the chemicals from cleaning products and paint fumes. Other great air-purifying plants include spider plants, peace lilies, bromeliads, and a variety of others.
  
  
• Energy
  The main thing plants do is take carbon dioxide and turn it into oxygen. By improving the oxygen levels in your home, houseplants can give you more energy and help you feel less fatigued. 
  
  
• Increased Cognitive Ability
  Tending to or even just interacting with plants can have a positive effect on mental acuity. A study of dementia patients showed they had a marked improvement in short-term memory after spending time around plants. Another study showed that students with live plants in their classroom were able to pay better attention and retain more information than students given the same lesson in a classroom with fake plants or photos of plants. A few houseplants around your new home can have a similar effect, helping you think more clearly and remember things longer.
  
  
• Mood Improvement
  Everyone knows gardening is a great mood booster, but even if you're not working in the soil, a few houseplants that you water and care for regularly can decrease depression, reduce anxiety, and provide a general sense of well-being.
  
  
• Productivity
  Having plants around your home can increase your productivity. Houseplants have been shown to boost your creativity, stimulating your mind as you perform various tasks, thus helping you get more done.
  
  
• Health Improvement
  We've seen that having houseplants can relax you. That relaxation, in turn, leads to a healthier heart rate, lower blood pressure, and improved cortisol levels. This not only makes you happier but healthier. Additionally, studies have shown that merely looking at plants can help you recover faster from illness or injury, with less need for pain medication. Plants can likewise reduce muscle aches and headaches. In fact, employees who have plants in their workspace take fewer sick days than those who don't. In general, having plants around your environment leads to better health, a better mood, and a more fulfilling life.

Besides houseplants, there are plenty of other simple ways to brighten up your home's decor. But first, you need to find the home you want to decorate! Our real estate agents can help you with that. Contact us to find a home that meets your needs in a Raleigh neighborhood you'll love.