Its been over 8 months since I started the Lagom project with IKEA and its finally coming to an end, I really didn’t expect the project to be so life changing but I’ve loved every minute.
Back at the start of the project I looked at areas of my life where the project could make a difference and created 3 aims
Reduce turning on heating– My flat is small but there is a large window which creates a breeze, the floor was always cold which meant the heating was always on, to help with this i got the IKEA curtains, rug and a mix of soft textiles and warm lighting, the benefit has been immense, I hardly ever have to turn on the heating and when I do the room stays warm for hours thanks to the curtains, the space feels much cosier and has really made a difference to my heating usage.
Improve my Recycling- I did recycle however most of my flat mates didn’t making it hard to keep the bins right, we also didn’t have enough room to store our recycling, from IKEA I got lots of new bin and storage to help make recycling easier and it really has! we have separate bins for our bottles, paper and general recycling as well as general waste and food scraps. It’s made the process so easy and we don’t even have to think about it now, another benefit has been we actually have lot less waste as everything is recycled correctly and we also are also more considerate when buying items with a lot of packaging.
Reduce Food waste- Before the project I was really bad at managing my weekly shop and always had a lot of leftovers which I had to bin each week, from IKEA I got loads of storage and cookware which means I have ways of keeping food fresher for longer, we also now cook together as a flat sharing food and leftovers making dinner time a social thing as well as saving us all money, it had huge benefits to our health as well as we try to eat healthier together.
Living Lagom is a lot less of a project now and more a lifestyle, the benefits of improved sustainability and saving money are unquestionable and I’ve really enjoyed sharing tips with my friends and family who may not have realised the benefits of these IKEA products. It has also brought us a flat a lot closer and it really feels like a home now.
The most exciting thing from the project was getting to create the short film about my journey and having a photoshoot for the IKEA magazine, this is something I’ve always loved and I can’t wait to share it with everyone. thanks so much to everyone I’ve met through the project, Linda from IKEA Belfast, Matt and Duncan from Nice & Serious and all the girls from August Media,
Its been so fun and I can’t wait to continue living LAGOM!
Tgavy