Top Energy Conservation Tips for Your Homes Lighting

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Lighting in a home is just as essential as running water. Your home is your sanctuary and it’s important to have lighting that complements your aesthetic, decor, and energy conservation needs! Let’s take a look at some of the top energy conservation tips that you can practice at home.

Heating and Cooling Systems Maintenance

Practice cleaning or replacing your filters on a regular basis, at least once a month. When the filters of your heating and cooling systems are dirty, your system has to work harder to do its job. Letting your filters go without cleaning maintenance for too long can also encourage mold and mildew build up. So, in a nutshell, cleaning your filters often will save you money and time in the long run. 

If cleaning your filters is not a part of your regular routine, you can easily implement it by adding it to your list of other household items that need to be cleaned on a monthly basis. Clean your filters when you clean your ceiling fans, walls, windows, and other items of that sort. Once you start the routine, it’ll stick and seem like less of a chore.

Upgrade Your Appliances

Older appliances have a tendency to use much more energy than newer models. Refrigerators that are more than 10 years old may use up to 50% more energy! While you may think you’re saving money by holding on to what seems to be a perfectly working refrigerator, you may be losing money in the end. Upgrade your appliances when necessary to ensure you’re owning the most energy efficient models possible. 

Make Lighting Useful

There’s no need for a light to be on in a room if no one is going to be in it. Practice turning off lights while not in use to save energy. And while you’re at it, switch all of the lights in your house to LED lights. LED lights emit light much more efficiently than traditional incandescent light bulbs. 

This tip isn’t necessarily a conservation tip but it’s equally important. Use lighting in your home that you absolutely love. The truth is, your electricity bill will always have a tab on it, even if it’s a small one. Make sure that the lighting in your home is lighting you love seeing on a daily basis.

Are you happy to come home? Are you proud when guests stop by? If you’re not, definitely spend a little more time considering the lighting in your home. While lights are not a painting or sculpture, they are still artistic and can be used as decor elements. 

Mindful Baking and Cooking

If you love baking, you should also love keeping the oven closed while in use. Every time the over door is opened, temperatures can drop by an entire 25 to 30 degrees. Meaning, your oven will have to repeatedly work to remain at the temperature you originally set for it. 

Another great tip to conserve energy while baking is to avoid placing aluminum foil at the bottom of the oven to catch drippings from your tasty dishes. Foil can interfere with those magical browning powers that your oven has, as well as, block air circulation and heat. 

If you’re more interested in the stove top, we have some great tips for you too. Use pot tops as often as possible to bring liquids to a boil faster and cook food more quickly. Using a pot top will ensure all of the heat stays exactly where it needs to be to complete your dish at a fast and tasty rate. 

Water Heaters and Clothes Dryers

If you’re able to gauge the times you’re going to take showers, practice turning your water heater off when it won’t be in use for long periods of time. In the typical household, the shower is usually in use during mornings before school and work and evenings before bed time. There’s no need for your water heater to be on while your family is out and about during the day. 

If possible, dry loads of clothes back to back to take advantage of your dryer's built up heat. Another great practice is to clean your lint filter after you’re done with each load. This practice will help your dryer to dry your clothes more efficiently and also save you from having a heap of lint to clean over time. 

Consider Eco-Friendly Home Energy Solutions

When it comes to enhancing your home's energy efficiency, considering alternative solutions beyond traditional lighting methods can significantly impact your energy bills and carbon footprint. One such innovative approach involves harnessing the power of residential solar panel systems. These systems consist of solar panels that convert sunlight into electricity, allowing you to illuminate your living spaces and generate clean energy. Integrating residential photovoltaic systems into your home's lighting strategy allows you to tap into renewable energy sources while minimizing your reliance on conventional power grids. In this article, we'll delve into how these systems work, their benefits, and how you can seamlessly integrate them into your home, ushering in a new era of sustainable lighting and energy conservation.

Practice Makes Perfect

If you’re not accustomed to practicing most of these tips, there’s no need to worry. Practice makes perfect! You can always go the extra step and make daily energy conservation reminders for your family. Place your tips on the refrigerator or hallway so everyone can be aware of your new system. Cheers to saving energy and having a happier home!

4 Items for Your Home to Keep You Organized in the New Year

Many people consider the New Year to be synonymous with a fresh start. As it gets closer to January, you might also be thinking about ways to better organize your life. From actually putting events and appointments in your calendar to shopping for home organization accessories, there’s a lot you can do to make the big change. If you’re wondering about the best way to conquer an organizational resolution for your home, it’s time to look at some products that can help.

Check out this list of the top four home organization accessories that will ensure you’re taking steps in the right direction!

1. Catch-All Trays

Your first step towards better home organization might be a small one, like these catch-all trays. They’re such a versatile choice to organize so many things in your home. Leave one on the table at the entryway to hold keys and sunglasses, or put one on your bedside table to keep track of all your jewelry! You can even choose to use one of these trays to put out candies and treats while hosting! What ideas do you have for using catch-all trays? Makeup in the bathroom? Pills in the kitchen? Towels for the guest bathroom?

While you can find these trays in many different styles and materials, the ones that fold and snap into place at the corners are the best from an organizational standpoint because they can be stored flat when not in use. They also make amazing gifts for all your scattered friends who need an organizational boost. Personalize each tray when you add their initials, a meaningful phrase, or a special image! Find a catch-all tray that speaks to you and customize your organizational efforts in a fun, unique way.

2. Foldable Cubbies

For a little bit of a step up on your organizational journey, it’s time to talk about cubbies. Another foldable option that can be incredibly versatile, these small containers are available in so many different colors and patterns that you will definitely find one that matches your home’s aesthetic. Available in several sizes, you simply need to measure your existing shelves, drawers, and cabinets to see which ones will fit best.

Instead of storing craft supplies, cooking supplies, books, and toys in mismatched containers or in random disarray on the shelf, you can separate, categorize, and stack everything neatly in a cubby. These foldable cubbies also provide a more attractive facade to the front of any shelf, so instead of staring at clutter, you’re only seeing the smooth, matching colors of a cubby. Even better, your cubbies will keep out dust and debris, making your weekly cleaning routine that much easier!

3. Storage Chest

For homes that have bigger storage needs, it’s time to get serious. Upgrade your current chest of drawers with something bigger, sleeker, and fresher. You can find storage chests to perfectly fit the needs of your home with sizes that range from two-drawers to six-drawers. 

Walk through your home and measure possible spaces for a chest before you shop online to figure out which size and shape will work best for you. You should consider your bedroom, dining room, living room, and guest bedroom as appropriate spaces for an extra set of drawers. Explore tall, slim chests, wide, squat chests, and single drawer cubes that make perfect bedside tables. You might even find a chest that slides neatly under your bed or one that fits perfectly inside your closet to help you save even more space!

4. Vacuum Bags

A lot of your home organization has to do with seasonality. There are many items that you need for winter that have no place in your home when the weather heats up. Plan ahead for those warm, sunny days when you shop for vacuum bags and products that can compact even your biggest blankets and comforters. Once they’re sealed up and compressed, you’ll discover much more space than you’ve ever had before! No more cramming oversized blankets and throws into dressers and chests. Instead, everything fits just where you want it to.

Vacuum sealing is also a great option for holiday decor. You might have Santa plushies and soft Halloween pieces that can be squeezed flat in one of these bags.

Organized Home, Organized Life

Many people believe that an organized home is healthier for your state of mind, but they find it hard to actually stay tidy because there isn’t always room for all their stuff. When you have a space for everything in your home, it’s easier to keep your environment tidy. Cleaning up won’t be such a chore anymore, and you’ll be able to get it done much more quickly. Now, what will you do with all that free time and extra space?

5 Home Updates to Save on Energy, Time, and Money

It doesn't matter if your current home is a starter residence or a potential forever home. Wherever you live can stand to have a few updates that save your energy, money, and time while you live there. Putting a little work into your home can spare you even more hassle.

Automate What You Can

From smart fridges that help you generate grocery shopping lists to home security systems that let you lock and unlock doors via smartphone, there's practically nothing about your home that you can't automate to some degree. Every step you take here makes your life easier.

Install a Digital Thermostat

Utility costs are one of your home's biggest expenses. A digital thermostat is something you can program for specific settings for heat and cold at different times. Just swinging the thermostat a few degrees can generate big savings on your monthly utility bill.

Maintain Things as Long as You Can

Finding the right repair technicians can help you get more years out of your appliances. Professionals such as Northshore Appliance Repair Inc others provide services you can trust where you live. Effective technicians can fix up your appliances for a lot cheaper than replacing them. The longer you own them, the more money you save.

Plant Some Trees

If you can grow trees where you live, then it's worth considering. They add serious beauty and charm to a property, and they provide shelter for animal life that makes your yard delightful. Those animals are also likely to contribute a lot to pest control on your property. Better yet, trees can provide shade and absorb humidity to keep your home cooler during the summer. They might even break up the wind enough in winter to spare you from frigid blasts.

Embrace the Sunlight

While the shade of trees is something great, so is direct sunlight on your property. You can go big with solar panels on the roof to generate electricity for the whole home. You can also think small with solar-powered yard lights or solar panels you can mount in the windows to help recharge mobile electronics.

Updating your home does take some time, energy, and money. However, the right updates can also save you all three. Knowing specific home updates that accomplish this helps you make the most of your home now and in the future.

Guest Post - How to Protect Your Home’s Exterior From Christmas Decorations

The holidays wouldn’t be the same without festive decor. There’s nothing quite like hanging ornaments on a Christmas tree while seasonal music plays in the background! But what about those outdoor decorations waiting in your storage bins? Read on to learn how to protect your home’s exterior from Christmas decorations, no matter how you prefer to express your holiday joy.

1. Check Your Electrical Outlets

Most Christmas decorations require electricity. Your yard might quickly become covered in snaking extension cords hooked up to outlets around the outside of your home. Although the cords are weatherproof and able to withstand changing temperatures, the outlets may have become damaged over the past year.

Check each outlet to ensure the covering is secure against the wall of your home and that nothing shows signs of wear or tear. Chips along the outlet or visible burn marks may require a visit from a professional electrician. You won’t have to worry about burns along your siding or potential house fires if your outlets get a thumbs up from an electrical expert.

2. Use Removable Mounting Equipment

Instead of nailing lights or other decor to your siding, look for removable mounting equipment that doesn’t make holes in your home. Sticky hooks can hold signs and gutter clips can hold various types of light strings depending on the cord size and bulb weight. Find your decorations before buying mounting equipment so you can feel confident you’re getting the best hanging tools.

3. Rethink Your Lawn Care

Inflatable snowmen and wired reindeer take up lawn space, so they’ll leave brown spots behind when they go back into storage. Brown spots indicate dead grass, but they can also reveal fungal problems. If you have zoysia grass, it’s susceptible to the Rhizoctonia Solani fungal strain that spreads outward from a single point and quickly takes over a yard.

Spray your yard with antifungal solutions now and you’ll prevent outbreaks through the spring. If you’re unsure what will do the job, professional lawn care teams can locate signs of fungus growth and make your yard look perfect for holiday parties.

4. Wear Soft Rubber Shoes

If you want to put decorations on your roof, you can combine your safety with additional home protection. Wear rubber shoes to avoid slipping while positioning decor and you’ll stop your footwear from potentially damaging your shingles. It’s an easy fix that prevents numerous types of damage.

5. Find Decorative Ties

Traditional string lights and garlands look fantastic when they wrap around porch banisters. Unfortunately, they might scratch the paint or crack the wood if they hang by nails or harsh metal wires. Decorative ties are the perfect solution for this problem. They often use soft rope or ribbons to tie decorations to banisters without damaging anyone’s home. You can also use them throughout the year to pull curtains back or hang indoor decorations after the holiday season ends.

6. Use Wire Hangers

When someone puts a wreath on their front door, the wreath might scratch the paint. It happens when wreaths use small hooks or nails to stick closely to a door. Removing the hanging equipment could strip the paint away, but not if you use a wire hanger.

It’s easy to cover thin wire hangers with garlands, a wreath, or ribbons. Use one to hang decorations you already have or make a wreath at home before using the hanger to place it on your door knocker or a nail in your siding. The decorations will hang gently against your home and won’t tear the paint away when it’s time to take everything down in January.

Protect Your Home From Christmas Decorations

Your festive decor doesn’t have to create costly repair projects. Use these tips to protect your home’s exterior from Christmas decorations, and your property will look great without risking any damage.

Author bio: Rose Morrison is the managing editor of Renovated, where she offers advice on home renovation, maintenance, and organization.nd slow-paced lifestyle now, because your little ones will be back in school before you know it!