There Are A Few Things That Can Take Your Home To The Next Level And Prove You’re A Real Adult: A Bookshelf, A Bar Cart, And Perhaps Most Of All, An Indoor Plant. Plants have the ability to calm my anxiety and refocus energy into something more productive. Also, adding some green helps purify the air in your home by filtering out everyday pollutants. Add these indoor plants to your home, and you’ll start experiencing all the healthy benefits ASAP.
Snake Plant
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Don’t let the name fool or scare you, the snake plant simply gets its name from the thin, upright leaves with “irregular green banding” that look like—you guessed it—snakeskin. Besides looking cool, it’s a low-maintenance plant that’s known for surviving droughts, making it perfect for newbies living in almost any environment. Snake plants have also been shown to filter out nasty chemicals, like benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene, and toluene, so you can breathe easy having this in your home.
Monstera Deliciosa
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These trendy plants are everyone’s faves not just because their eye-catching look is oh-so-‘grammable, but because “once you get them going, they’re easy growing.” You only need to water a monstera deliciosa every one to two weeks, letting the soil dry out between waterings. Plus, it’s perfect if your place doesn’t get direct sunlight—all it needs is a spot that receives bright to medium indirect light. In general, large-leafed philodendron plants, including the monstera deliciosa, were shown to be one of the most effective at reducing air pollutants, like benzene, trichloroethylene, and formaldehyde, according to a NASA study.
Pothos
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Sometimes referred to as the ‘cubicle plant,’ the pothos is a great pick if you’re a self-proclaimed ‘black thumb,’. As an added bonus, this plant is super easy to grow, and propagates (translation: breeds more pothos) in water. While you’ll need to learn how to propagate a Pothos plant, you can basically get as many plants as you want for the price of one. And like the snake plant, the pothos filters benzene, formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene.
Dracaena
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If you live a high-maintenance life—always on the go, out at all hours—you need an “easy going, low-maintenance plant, like the Dracaena. The Dracaena is great, because it can easily adapt to different light environments, though it’s best to keep it away from direct sun. “It can deal with indoor temperature and season changes better than others.” When it comes to purifying the air, though, the Dracaena Marginata Plant is your best bet. It removes benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, and xylene.
Aloe Vera
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This plant isn’t just easy to care for, it’s also known as a healer. Aloe vera juice has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. So not only can you use this plant to brighten up your home, but you can also use it to heal wounds and different skin conditions. Put your aloe vera plant in a bright, sunny spot, and don’t worry about keeping it alive. “This guy likes to get its soil very, very dry before watering,” she adds. And even if you don’t use aloe vera for its healing properties, you can still reap all its air-purification benefits as it removes formaldehyde.