This Viral Indoor Gardening Hack Turns Your Home Into an Instant Greenhouse — "And It'll Help You Reduce Stress"

This indoor gardening hack had my jaw on the floor. Plus it takes less than 15 minutes to recreate. Could it get any better than that?

plant pot with mini wooden trellis inside
(Image credit: Etsy)

During January, in particular, I'm constantly looking for ways to refresh my space — literally and figuratively. Decluttering tips, storage hacks, revitalizing home scents, trendy new pillow covers ... you name it, I want to try it. Plus, a new space goes hand in hand with a new year, so it's a fitting time to make the switch.

Scientifically speaking, though, there's actually one great home decor tip that reigns high above the rest, for it quite literally refreshes your home and even the air in it. It's also said to improve your mental health, particularly during the darker, colder months of the year, and can even make you feel quite accomplished if you manage to pull it off. No, it's not a purchase from one of the best home decor brands. It's ... wait for it ... buying plants.

Indeed, among other benefits, indoor gardens are believed to reduce stress, increase productivity, and even help you recover faster from illness. And from a decor perspective, a little greenery really does go a long way in livening up a space. I know how dreary January can be, so I've been on the lookout for home hacks that combine the need for mid-winter dopamine hits with the new-year rush on health and wellness. At first, it seemed like it may have been an impossible task. But now, I think I've found the holy grail guidance I've been searching for. 

@houseplusplant

♬ Misty - Lesley Gore

This now-viral DIY from @houseplantplus is the answer to my deep-winter prayers. Using a simple tension rod shower caddy purchased off Amazon, a few LED plant lights, and a pack of cable zip ties, the creator managed to craft the perfect "grow tower" that fits in the corner of her room.

It's the perfect meeting of form and function. She gets the benefit of indoor gardening without needing to spend hundreds on a hydroponic garden, while also taking advantage of the plants as added decor. And she doesn't need to worry about limited sunlight during the darker months of the year; that's what the plant lights are for! It's truly such a genius idea. Now if only I had a green thumb ... 

Create your own 'grow tower'

Other indoor garden essentials

Brigid Kennedy
Style Editor

Brigid Kennedy is a Style Editor at Livingetc.com, where she scours the internet for the best and most stylish deals on home decor and more. After earning a degree from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, she spent the first 2.5 years of her journalism career covering U.S. politics and culture at TheWeek.com. She describes her design style as colorful and clean, and in her free time enjoys reading, watching movies, and curating impossibly niche playlists on Spotify. She recently relocated from Manhattan to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she's decorating and DIYing a new home downtown.