About the author: Katie Sanborn is a Product Manager at Offerpad and self-proclaimed houseplant enthusiast. At Offerpad she helps to craft an amazing experience and journey for our customers.
For years, I spent countless hours on my outdoor landscaping and vegetable garden in Arizona. Time and energy spent on any indoor plants was limited to one potted and very hard to kill philodendron. Today, my houseplant collection numbers over 50 plants.
That’s a big number, I know! I’m more shocked than anyone that I’ve managed to keep them alive for this long. So, why the sudden love for indoor plants and why are so many people joining the resurgence?
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The top decorators are using them everywhere.
Everyone loves Joanna Gaines from HGTV’s popular show Fixer Upper. Well, take a look at her work and you’ll see houseplants everywhere. And it’s not just my BFF Joanna, but all of the trendy retailers seem to have a green thumb. If you look at the catalogs of West Elm, Crate and Barrel and Pottery Barn, you can barely turn a page without seeing at least two to three houseplants in every photo spread. Clearly, I’ve been subtly brainwashed into buying not only plants, but $30 pots.
Millennial’s love them.
A few minutes searching online says the reason why this generation loves them, is because they are healthier than their parents and aren’t having as many kids. So, apparently houseplants are replacing kids. Now, this caused me to psychoanalyze myself and actually…there might be a little bit of truth to this theory. I have three daughters, all still in great need of the wisdom and attention of their devoted mother for certain. However, they’re getting older and don’t need quite the same amount of nurturing that they did a few short years ago. Is my nurturing instinct transferring from humans to plants? Hmm, maybe.
They are good for the air quality.
I get quite a few of my plants from a wholesaler in Phoenix and they do something smart, which helps me to justify many of my plant purchases. Next to their displays of each variety, they tell you if it is approved by NASA for air quality. I don’t know about you, but if it is good enough for the astronauts, it’s good enough for me. By the way, according to the experts, for optimum air quality benefits, you need one 8” plant for every 100 sf of your home. This means a 2,300 square foot home would need 23 plants.
Plants are stress reducers and improve concentration.
Seeing greenery and nature help us feel more relaxed. There is also some evidence that houseplants can help with loneliness and depression. It makes sense, because caring for another living thing gives us a sense of purpose. Also, from personal experience, I can say that I feel a great sense of accomplishment that my houseplants are not only living, but in some cases thriving.
Be part of the in-crowd and give it a try.
To make it easy, I have given you a list of my favorite (and easiest) types of houseplants below. Join me!
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