In 2008, my husband and I started a year long project to reduce our utility bills by what we though was a too lofty goal of 20% with cheap home improvements and new habits. We beat our original goal and reduced our electricity and natural gas our use by 32%!
We’ve kept our yearly average lower than comparable size energy efficient rated homes in our area for 10 years running and with all of the things that make life worth living: holiday lights, electronics, and toasty warm toes in the dead of winter.
So while my heating bill stayed low and the rest of the house is toasty warm (thanks in no small part to adding weather stripping like this to the bottom on my window sashes installing a programmable thermostat like this one and using it) my laundry room was always colder than the rest of the house. (Disclosure: I am including affiliate links in this post for your convenience.)
Showing posts with label tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tips. Show all posts
Sunday, October 28, 2018
Sunday, August 19, 2018
Small Space Garage Workshop Organizer Ideas for Short People
It is amazing how the size of an empty garage shrinks once you park the car. Or at least it felt that way after we bought our condo. I have to get really creative when it comes to carving out but storage space AND workspace in a small garage. Add to the mix that I’m short gal and most organizers are made for people much taller than me and really creative turns into super duper really creative.
Starting the right of my workshop is my shop vac (This is the exact wall mounted remote controlled wet dry vacuum I bought ) that is always right where I need it for dust collection when I’m working with power tools on the workbench. I thought I’d miss having the giant size shop vac like everyone says you are supposed to have but I really like the smaller size because it is much easier to empty (compost bins LOOOOVE sawdust!) and heft around the house. Not to mention, it won’t get buried under stuff hanging on the wall.
Starting the right of my workshop is my shop vac (This is the exact wall mounted remote controlled wet dry vacuum I bought ) that is always right where I need it for dust collection when I’m working with power tools on the workbench. I thought I’d miss having the giant size shop vac like everyone says you are supposed to have but I really like the smaller size because it is much easier to empty (compost bins LOOOOVE sawdust!) and heft around the house. Not to mention, it won’t get buried under stuff hanging on the wall.
Sunday, May 13, 2018
The Everything Guide to Sewing Jersey Knit Sleep Shorts
I need a new pair of summer pajamas for a marching band trip. A cute pair of sleep shorts fits the bill since I will be sharing my hotel room with roommates. An easy thing to buy, right?
Well not if I want a pair of pajama shorts that are long enough to cover my but, otherwise I risk a sleep wedgie. Have you ever been woken up by a sleep short creeper? Trust me, you don't want to if you can help it.
Well not if I want a pair of pajama shorts that are long enough to cover my but, otherwise I risk a sleep wedgie. Have you ever been woken up by a sleep short creeper? Trust me, you don't want to if you can help it.
DIY Music Summer Pajama Shorts
Sunday, April 22, 2018
7 Recycling Solutions for Small Houses, Condos, and Apartments
When we first moved into our condo my husband and I were looking forward to having room for a recycling center in the kitchen. I had my eye on this double pullout trash and recycling bins for under the kitchen sink but as luck would have it, it was too big for my condo sink cabinet.
I installed a smaller single pullout garbage can similar to this one (mine is discontinued) and I’m glad I did. (I can’t live without the products I mention in this post and believe in them so strongly I’m willing to use my affiliate links to do it!)
Little did I know that using a kitchen trash can smaller than our household recycling bin would be the incentive for my family to eventually start recycling and reducing waste in almost every way we can. In addition to reusing, and refusing, we starting recycling to the max using local businesses and organizations that recycle the items our curbside city recycling program does not.
How do I recycle in a small space while keeping the collection bins accessible and from cluttering up the house? Keep reading and I’ll show you how!
Let’s take a tour of my small space recycling centers!
I installed a smaller single pullout garbage can similar to this one (mine is discontinued) and I’m glad I did. (I can’t live without the products I mention in this post and believe in them so strongly I’m willing to use my affiliate links to do it!)
Little did I know that using a kitchen trash can smaller than our household recycling bin would be the incentive for my family to eventually start recycling and reducing waste in almost every way we can. In addition to reusing, and refusing, we starting recycling to the max using local businesses and organizations that recycle the items our curbside city recycling program does not.
How do I recycle in a small space while keeping the collection bins accessible and from cluttering up the house? Keep reading and I’ll show you how!
7 Small Space Recycling Solutions
Let’s take a tour of my small space recycling centers!
Wednesday, March 28, 2018
8 Zero Waste Lies
If you are trying to be a Zero Waste or Trash Fee home you try to reduce the need to use the landfill by refusing, reducing, reusing, repairing, recycling, and donating your household waste to get your output to as close to zero as you can.
There are some in Internet Land who show you how they do it with Pinterest perfect photos of bamboo toothbrushes like these, stylishly minimalist rooms (you can learn about the minimalism movement here), and haughtily looking down their nose at people who – gasp! – follow low waste practices because their primary goal is to pay off bills, live within their means, or save money, with environmental concerns coming in a close second or even lower down the list.
Disclosure: I am including some affiliate links in this post for your convenience.
There are some in Internet Land who show you how they do it with Pinterest perfect photos of bamboo toothbrushes like these, stylishly minimalist rooms (you can learn about the minimalism movement here), and haughtily looking down their nose at people who – gasp! – follow low waste practices because their primary goal is to pay off bills, live within their means, or save money, with environmental concerns coming in a close second or even lower down the list.
Disclosure: I am including some affiliate links in this post for your convenience.
8 Truths of Trash Free and Zero Waste Living
In my over 10 years of blogging about green living and doing it in one form or another for even longer, I know there are some truths to Zero Waste Living and I also know that the reality is not always what you see in those Pinterest perfect Zero Waste Kitchens either.
Tuesday, March 6, 2018
6 Ways to Use Less Plastic without Going Crazy
Many folks in the United Kingdom are looking for ways to live plastic free or with less single use plastic for the 40 days of Lent. This is as part of a national Plastic Free (Less) Lent Challenge influenced by the BBC TV program Blue Planet 2: Seas of Life (this show has such gorgeous nature photography and information that I have no problem recommending it to you and using my affiliate links to do it!)
So far, the folks I’m working with are excited when they find a plastic free bamboo toothbrush (read more about it here) or their grocery store allows them to use reusable cloth produce bags and that's fantastic!
But as they have been living awhile with the low plastic challenge, there are many people who are becoming overwhelmed, or are too time poor to DIY plastic free everything, or worse, being shamed when they admit that they can’t afford the perfect plastic free option. That’s not cool.
I feel for ya, because I think I am the only person in the world who lives in an area where my farmer’s market, bulk food bins, and fresh vegetable summer CSA subscriptions are typically more expensive than a conventional grocery store. I want to do my bit but I don’t always have the time to regularly grocery shop at three or more markets every other week when one conventional grocery store has everything I need.
So far, the folks I’m working with are excited when they find a plastic free bamboo toothbrush (read more about it here) or their grocery store allows them to use reusable cloth produce bags and that's fantastic!
But as they have been living awhile with the low plastic challenge, there are many people who are becoming overwhelmed, or are too time poor to DIY plastic free everything, or worse, being shamed when they admit that they can’t afford the perfect plastic free option. That’s not cool.
I feel for ya, because I think I am the only person in the world who lives in an area where my farmer’s market, bulk food bins, and fresh vegetable summer CSA subscriptions are typically more expensive than a conventional grocery store. I want to do my bit but I don’t always have the time to regularly grocery shop at three or more markets every other week when one conventional grocery store has everything I need.
Sunday, February 11, 2018
10 Easy Ways to Lower Winter Heating Bills
In 2008, my family went on a year long experience to try lowering our heating bills by %20 thinking it was a lofty goal we may not meet. a slew of Greenzillas swore up and down that the only solution was to trash everything that came new with our house (and was working great) and replace it by buying new top of the time super energy efficient everything. Replacing working and still fairly new things didn't seem very eco friendly. Instead we focused on changing old habits and a few inexpensive home improvements.
And we beat our goal by reducing our use and bill by 32%.
10 years later and we’re still using less energy to heat our condo than comparable energy efficient rated homes in our area – and we’re toasty warm doing it too!
And we beat our goal by reducing our use and bill by 32%.
10 years later and we’re still using less energy to heat our condo than comparable energy efficient rated homes in our area – and we’re toasty warm doing it too!
10 Super Simple Hacks That Keep Your House Warm and Your Heat Bill Low
Tuesday, January 2, 2018
The 15 Best DIY and Green Living Ideas You Need to Try Right Now!
We’re celebrating the New Year by taking a look back at some of our favorite Condo Blues DIY projects for 2017.
From the looks of it, there are a bunch of you who like to garden but hating watering plant and like to decorate and make things with recycled materials and add green home improvements to our homes, myself included!
Pin this post for later and to share with your friends!
From the looks of it, there are a bunch of you who like to garden but hating watering plant and like to decorate and make things with recycled materials and add green home improvements to our homes, myself included!
Tuesday, April 4, 2017
What’s in Your Trash and How Do You Reduce it (or Not?)
I’ve been thinking a lot about trash lately. The stuff in the bin outside your house, not about tawdry things. Lacey is a genteel lady who not tolerate dirty things in her home (unless it is something muddy or smelly to roll in.)
I’ve been mulling over ideas to share how to reduce your household trash since the New Year. I’m coming up short because every draft I write sounds like some big green guru sitting on a mountain top looking down her nose at the world thinking that my Swiss Army knife of low waste options are the Pinnacle of One Size Fits All Solution to reducing household waste.
Or at least it feels that way and that is not my intent at all.
I want to offer options not absolutes because, honestly, there aren’t any one size fits all eco friendly low waste living solutions. It all depends on where you live, how you like to live, family size, etc.
I love mud!
I’ve been mulling over ideas to share how to reduce your household trash since the New Year. I’m coming up short because every draft I write sounds like some big green guru sitting on a mountain top looking down her nose at the world thinking that my Swiss Army knife of low waste options are the Pinnacle of One Size Fits All Solution to reducing household waste.
Or at least it feels that way and that is not my intent at all.
I want to offer options not absolutes because, honestly, there aren’t any one size fits all eco friendly low waste living solutions. It all depends on where you live, how you like to live, family size, etc.
Tuesday, January 17, 2017
DIY Flannel Pajama Pants
My 2016 World of the Year was Hygge – the Danish concept of what loosely translates as a feeling of happy coziness which I had no idea Hygge became A Thing but it has.
Well, well, well lookit me being all bleeding edge hipster because I wanted to share the concept of Hygge with my family in the form of handmade pajama pants as Christmas gifts last year.
Well, well, well lookit me being all bleeding edge hipster because I wanted to share the concept of Hygge with my family in the form of handmade pajama pants as Christmas gifts last year.
I am including affiliate links in this post for your convenience.
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
7 Dog Owner Hacks: Number 3 Makes Life So Easy!
This blog post is part of a paid Megan Media and Petco Repeat Delivery blogging program. The opinions and ideas expressed here are my own. #PetcoDelivers
Being a rescue dog with a truck load of fear and anxiety issues makes living with Lacey sometimes a little difficult. That’s why I try to make the day to day dog owner stuff as easy as I can as we work with Lacey on her issues. Here are a few of my favorite dog owner tips and tricks.
1. Use two plastic bag dispensers to collect extra plastic bags for doggy duty. Keep the empty disposable bag dispenser in the kitchen to fill with plastic bags. When it is full of plastic bags hang it by the door next to your dog’s leash and put the empty grocery bag holder in the kitchen to fill with empty plastic bags. That way you’ll always have potty where you need them - before you walk out the door with your dog.
Being a rescue dog with a truck load of fear and anxiety issues makes living with Lacey sometimes a little difficult. That’s why I try to make the day to day dog owner stuff as easy as I can as we work with Lacey on her issues. Here are a few of my favorite dog owner tips and tricks.
1. Use two plastic bag dispensers to collect extra plastic bags for doggy duty. Keep the empty disposable bag dispenser in the kitchen to fill with plastic bags. When it is full of plastic bags hang it by the door next to your dog’s leash and put the empty grocery bag holder in the kitchen to fill with empty plastic bags. That way you’ll always have potty where you need them - before you walk out the door with your dog.
Sunday, June 8, 2014
30 Things to Carry in Your Car for Summer Emergencies
Summer means more road trips and time in the car. We visit family, go to dog parks with Lacey, and outdoor events. With all of that extra time in the car, we sometimes run into little emergencies (like my car accident last winter.)
More often than not, it is usually something like giving someone else a jump with our jumper cables, or just requires a band aid to fix. Either way it doesn't hurt to be prepared.
Most of the items on this list live in our car full time because they are useful to carry in the car in summer and winter. You probably already have most of the items on the list. The 22 basic summer items don’t cost a ton of money. Most are things you can use year round.
22 Things to Carry in Your Car for Summer Emergencies
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Friday, February 15, 2013
10 More Ways to Use Orange Peels
I always look forward to the winter citrus season so I can
stuff my face with sweet juicy oranges. I always end up with many orange
peels. I can’t
compost orange peels but didn’t want to throw them away. Orange peels have
to be good for something.
That’s when I did some research and found out orange peels
are very useful. I posted about 10 Easy Ways to Use Orange Peels (you can read the
post here) and I started to put those orange peels to good
reuse. Since that post I experimented, researched, and found 10 more easy ways
to reuse orange peels.
If I don’t have enough orange peels for a project, I either
store orange peels in a container the freeze or let the orange peels dry on a
tray for a few days (no oven or dehydrator needed!) and store them in a jar in
my pantry until I have the amount I need.
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