Tips & tricks that you can implement today to make your home more efficient!
1. Install low-flow showerheads – these have a flow rate of less than half the amount of conventional showerheads, vastly improving your home’s water efficiency. Them same can be done with your toilets replacing them with low-flow or dual-flush models.
2. Set up a shared online calendar between you and your partner – This will help you both organize your household from cleaning reminders to appointments or events to where the children are or need to be.
3. Open or close your blinds – to help keep your home cool in the summer draw your blinds, shades or drapes. The reverse is the same for winter, open them during cooler months to let the sun warm your home.
4. Clean one room or area a day – This is less daunting than cleaning the whole house, and gives you a clear goal, instead of the “one-more-thing” syndrome that strikes when you get a mind to “do some cleaning”.
5. Unplug Unused Chargers – Cell phone and battery chargers that are plugged in but not in use are often referred to as energy vampires. Alone, one charger won’t make much impact, but collectively energy vampires can be responsible for 10% of your energy bill.
6. Do a full Spring cleaning twice a year – This will enable you to get rid of junk that may have collected over the months. Consider using the keep, toss, donate method. Create piles of things you want to keep, get rid of or donate and purge away.
7. Give your devices a holiday – Before you leave on vacation, unplug as many appliances and devices as you can. You’ll save energy – and money – for your next getaway.
8. Organize your house by task – Put things most relevant to each job are where you’re most likely to use them. This might be obvious for things like laundry and crafts, but what about a mail station, homework area, or just storing linens in the laundry room?
9. Cooking with your oven – Don’t open the oven door while baking. Each time, the temperature can drop up to 13.8°C (25°F) and requires additional energy to bring it back up. Turn off the oven 10-15 minutes before cooking time runs out. Your food will continue to cooking without using the extra electricity.
