by Admin | Jan 12, 2017 | Household Info
Before you spend money on the latest energy-efficient gizmo that’s supposed to save you money, let’s look at some energy saving ideas that will really help you save home energy. The strategies that we will look at will maximize the effort you put in, and help reduce your home energy consumption.
First sit down and think about all the different ways your family uses energy around the house. Now put an approximate type and cost of energy used. You may have trouble breaking down the cost but try to do it. Now all you have to do is find ways to save on your resources at the same time cut your costs. You may have to think creatively but it can be done.
So here are some tips to get you started:
- Turn the lights off when you’re not using them. This is really simple and easy to do. Do you really need your bedroom light on when you’re in the living room? Do you leave lights on when you leave the house? Do you even need more than one light on in a room for what you are doing? Believe it or not it makes a big difference.
- Turn all electronics and other appliances off when you’re not using them. No one can do everything at the same time. Can you really listen to a radio, watch television, and use your computer all at the same time?
- Set your thermostat down a couple of degrees in winter, or up in summer, to conserve energy. And dress appropriately indoors for the time of year it is. For instance in winter, put on a sweater or some extra clothing, or may snuggle under a blanket to stay warm. In the summer, wear less and stay cooler naturally.
- Only turn an appliance on when you have a full load. This is true especially for the washing machine, dryer and even the dishwasher. It is amazing how much extra energy is used doing multiple small loads in comparison to one full load.
- Do regular maintenance on your appliances. Keeping them clean means they don’t have to work as hard. Changing filters reduces the energy needed to accomplish a task. Regular care will also mean any maintenance bills that you might come up against may well be cheaper.
- Be careful how you use your water. Like when brushing your teeth or washing your hands, use only the water you need. Don’t let the water run the entire time. Also, try and use less water if you take a bath, or control your shower times.
- Simply let your hair air dry, instead of using a blow drier every day.
- Lower the temperature on your water heater to 120 degrees F.
Don’t forget the bigger projects as well.
- Seal the cracks around your doors and windows. You are paying for your hot air that escapes through cracks all around your house. You need to make sure you are doing all you can to keep the warm air you’re paying for inside your house.
- You also need to check your house’s insulation. Though this has been done by many homeowners nevertheless you still need to do it before you pass it over. It is probably the biggest thing in reducing heating costs.
Now some of these things may seem trivial to you but let me assure you that even the small things add up over time. And really most of them you won’t even notice the difference to your life except your bills.
These tips and suggestions will make your home more affordable, and take some strain off of our world’s resources. Just think if all of us would make a few of these changes, it would make a huge difference.
by: Dave McIntosh
by Admin | Oct 5, 2016 | Household Info
Let me preface this post by saying…I like using chemical store-bought cleaners. I mean, I really like using them. I know everyone is jumping on the “all-natural, eco-friendly, chemical-free” band-wagon for cleaning products, so my stance is usually an unpopular one. Feel free to disagree with me, but I like the smell of chemical house-cleaning products. To me, it’s the smell of a clean house.
But yesterday I took the advice of a post I saw on Facebook. It told me how to make my bathtub sparkle. My bathtub never sparkles! My husband is a mechanic. And a volunteer fireman. And a part-time hockey player. I also have a 3 1/2 year old son who, like any other little boy, is like a magnet for dirt and grime and other sticky things. My bathtub never sparkles.
I do my best though. And the only thing I’ve found that helps me (somewhat) easily remove the grime from my bathtub is Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. They work wonders, but it still takes a lot of elbow grease to get my bathtub clean.
So a couple of a days ago I was scrolling through new Facebook posts and my friend Mikie had posted a video on how to make your bathtub sparkle, using only two ingredients found in your home. I saved the video, like I save many posts (usually to never see them again anyway). Then yesterday it came time to clean my grimy bathtub, and I remembered the post, and I looked it up and thought ‘hey, let’s try that!’
The instructions are to take 1 part dish soap and 1 part warm white vinegar, mix it together in a spray bottle, spray it on your tub, leave it for 20 minutes and then simply wipe away the grime. I have about 5 types of vinegar in my cupboards. White vinegar was not one of them so I used Apple Cider Vinegar (right, I know that’s weird). I didn’t have much faith that it would work. So I warmed it up and mixed it with the dish soap, wandered upstairs to my bathroom and spray the heck out of the bathtub. The smell was stifling (vinegar is never easy on your lungs). But as I didn’t have much faith that it would work, I didn’t bother waiting 20 minutes, I didn’t want to waste my time. So nearly right after I finished spraying my bathtub I grabbed my sponge to start wiping.
Despite the Apple Cider Vinegar, despite not waiting 20 minutes, one quick, easy wipe and that one little spot of my bathtub was so shiny white I just stared at it for a moment, almost wanting to believe I was seeing things. But no, less elbow grease and more sparkle than Magic Erasers!
For the record, it also works on toilets and sinks.
I wonder if I can add chemicals to make it smell better?
Anyway, here’s the video, found from here.
Do you have any favourite cleaning tips? Feel free to comment!!
Take care!
by Admin | Nov 9, 2015 | Organisation
Whether you have a huge walk-in or a tiny reach-in closet, rooting through wrinkled piles of clothes every morning isn’t a particularly soothing way to start your day. Here are some ideas on turning storage space that’s killing you into a “killer” closet.
Purge.
Go through everything in your closet and get rid of anything you don’t wear. Be relentless. If you haven’t worn it in a year, toss it.
Store your off-season stuff.
Put your summer clothes into airtight storage containers and stow them on a shelf, under your bed, or in your storage room, laundry room or attic.
Plan.
Understand what you need to put in your closet. Hundreds of shoes? Lots of long dresses? Work shirts and pants? Design for your needs with rods and shelves set at different heights:
– Rods hung at 64″ (162 cm) are good for floor-length gowns, robes and coats.
– Rods at 54″ (137 cm) work for shorter dresses and pants hung by the cuff.
– 38″- 42″ (96 – 107 cm) accommodates shirts, jackets and folded pants.
– Double your hanging space by using a rod that can be hooked directly onto the one above – no carpentry skills needed!
Think 360º.
Use every inch of available space. Add a shelf just below the ceiling to store extra blankets. Put hooks onto any open wall space. Install a shoe rack on the back of the closet door. Use roll-out storage boxes on the floor.
Customize.
Utilize every inch of space with a customized closet system. You can do it yourself with a range of options available at your local home improvement store – including expandable systems that don’t require cutting or installation tools. Alternatively, work with a professional or company that specializes in closets. They can be pricey, so be specific about what you want and shop around.
Design in visibility.
Instead of using closet drawers where you can only see the top layer of clothing, install wire baskets or see-through plastic bins. Stack sweaters and t-shirts on open shelves piled 3-4 high so you can pull out the bottom item without knocking over the whole pile.
Make a spot for shoes.
Keep the floor tidy and your shoes protected. Build in cubbyholes, slanted shelving, or use clear plastic boxes. Pocket-style shoe racks or canvas shoe “shelves” suspended from a rod are good options for quick and easy installation.
Go with good hangers.
Wood, padded or sturdy plastic hangers help keep the shape of your clothes. Avoid wire hangers – they do horrible things to shoulders and get tangled easily. Recycle wire hangers at your local dry cleaner.
Image courtesy of Rubbermaid.
