Like many people, I suffer from seasonal hay fever. And, like many people, I start stocking up on drugs, Kleenex, and eye drops in 
about March so I have enough on hand by May that I can survive until September. The medicine cabinet in my house looks like the allergy aisle in Walgreens.
Allergies, as a whole, are a pain in the butt. I have had them my entire life. I had them so bad that, from the time I was 5 until I was 17, I had to have shots weekly to help build up my immune system enough to where walking past a horse in a field didn’t throw me into a an asthmatic fit or cause my eyes swell shut from the histamine reaction.
On a side note...I once got a horse hair in my eye. I nearly died. I had to be given adrenalyn to stop the reaction before my airway shut off completely. I am still deathly allergic to horses. Not a good combination for a kid growing up in rural western Montana!
“Sanity” and “Happiness” can be difficult to achieve when you are coughing, sneezing, sniffing, wheezing. So, because of my severe allergies, I have had to learn all kinds of short-cuts and inexpensive changes to help eliminate my risk of having an allergy attack throughout the year, not just in summer.
Here is a short list of things that I did in my bedroom to help me become less likely to have an allergy attack at night (which is usually when I got hit because I didn’t take medicine before bed).
When planning your bedroom, or re-designing it to make it as allergy-proof as possible, you need to:
- Use low VOC paint (VOC is short for volatile organic compound)
- Get an allergen-free mattress, box spring, and bedding
- Use pillows and comforters that are filled with fiberfill, not down or feathers.
- If you want carpet, use something with a very dense weave to it. Better yet, skip the carpet and get hardwood floors!
- Avoid ‘stuffies’ like the plague!
- Add new weather stripping to all doors and windows. If you can afford it, replace your old, inefficient windows with new windows.
All of these steps will help eliminate your allergy risk by measured amounts. But, without proper maintenance, you will only be safe for a short period of time.
So, on a regular schedule, you should:
- Wash bed linens at least once a week to help reduce dust mites and skin particles (the number one cause of dust in your home)
- Use a micro-fiber dust cloth. Not a feather duster!!!
- When you dust, don’t forget your ceiling fans, walls, blinds, etc.
- Use natural cleaners to avoid chemical allergic risks
- Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter (HEPA is short for high-efficiency particulate air) and use it on all fabric surfaces including your mattress, curtains, and other fabric-covered furnishings.
- Keep a HEPA air filter running in your bedroom to remove dust and allergens from the air
A good night’s sleep is hard to achieve when you can’t breathe. And, these simple steps will nearly eliminate your restless nights.
Clint Miller is the Internet Marketing Manager for Real Estate Client Referrals. If you would like information about RECR, please do not hesitate to contact him at 800-977-7058
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