Reduce Energy Use in Your Home

Taking the time to reduce energy usage in your home is very easy. I’ve found that in the realm of reducing bills, reducing energy is a great way. There are some pretty simple habits that you can start to help yourself reduce that energy bill!

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Short-Term Habits

• Get a humidifier: Humidifiers are so important in the winter! The drier it is, the more uncomfortable you will be. They also work wonders for sore throats and preventing sickness. We run ours only at night right by our bed. This humidifier from Amazon is awesome. 12-24 hour run time, plus it’s quiet.

• Bundle up & use nature: Blankets, sweaters, and other warm things. I am totally against electric blankets (they’re bad for circulation), but they can be cozy. Also, if you have a fireplace, light that baby up!

• Insulate in the short-term: We love our blackout curtains because our apartment is in the city. Lights everywhere! The bonus is that our blackout curtains also keep in heat! Check out these curtains from Amazon that come in many sizes and colors! In addition to the curtains, we also do the classic plastic wrap. This Amazon insulation kit is a cheap and easy solution.

• Bake & use the energy: There’s nothing quite like warm baked goods at home. Using that oven is a great way to warm up the house. Plus, it’s cheaper to bake things at home. Extra bonus? You can leave the oven open when you’re done and enjoy the heat.
• Close vents or close off rooms: If you’re not using it, close it off! We have a second bedroom that’s mostly storage, so we close the door in winter. Obviously, you need to be careful that you don’t get it too cold or you may burst some pipes, but you can keep it cooler.
• Save gadget batteries: We shut down all our gadgets when we aren’t using them. That includes laptops, power strips, iPads, and anything else that runs! That’s not going to save you a ton, but it does help.
• Replace your bulbs: Obviously using LED bulbs is better. Saves you lots. Lasts forever.

Long-Term Solutions

Now, in addition to the simple habits and hacks I mentioned above, there are some solutions that are a bit more long-term. These things do have some cost involved, but it’s worth it! It will increase the value of your home, and save you thousands!

• Get your windows checked: We currently live in an apartment, and our windows are awful. You can literally feel a breeze coming in through the cracks. In addition to that, when it’s cold, we end up with frost on the inside of the windows. Obviously, we can’t get new ones in our apartment, but that will be high on the list when we buy a house.
• Check your doors: Same idea. Breezes are bad.
• Get a programmable thermostat: These things are so worth the price. Set your temps to lower at night and when you are out, like at work. Then, you can turn it up when you are home. You can even go as far as to cater it to specific rooms. Worth it for sure.