You can use shower curtain hooks for lots of different reasons. Pictured we used the hooks for hanging of purses and jeans. But you can also use them in your closet for belts, scarves and many other items.
Once you go green, there’s no going back, and the final stop is residential solar power. However, you don’t have to implement all the green measures at once. You can start with small and simple changes, and then work your way up to major green updates. So, if you’ve entered the process of implementing eco-friendly measures that will help you decrease your bills, increase the value of your property, create a healthy and sustainable environment and reduce your ecological footprint, then it’s time for introducing solar power into your household.
Drying your clothes au naturel
Instead of wasting energy on drying your clothes, why not use nature’s gift that is completely free and environmentally friendly? You’re already consuming a lot of energy so even a simple habit like drying your clothes in the sun can help you reduce your bills, while simultaneously protecting the environment. Even if you catch an hour of sunlight at the most, it will make a difference in the long run.
Heating up your water
It certainly feels nice when you wash your hands with warm water or take a hot shower in the winter. However, this consumes more energy than you might think. Water heating systems account for about 18 percent of your household energy consumption, which makes them one of the largest electricity users. You can only imagine how much energy and money you can save in the long run by using a solar water heating system. More and more homeowners are having solar water heaters installed, which can meet their everyday needs. Although this might be a sizeable investment at first, there are grants and subsidies for green improvements, and you’ll eventually recoup your initial costs.
Keeping your home warm
Solar thermal power can keep your home warm even during the cold days. Before becoming sceptical, this is how it works. Solar panels that are installed on the roof gather sunlight and then store energy underground, so when the winter finally comes, you can rest assured that you’ll be warm. Still sceptical? Well, perhaps you won’t be when you hear that an entire community of 52 homes in Canada, called the Drake Landing Solar Community, is kept warm solely by solar thermal energy. The solar thermal energy industry in Europe is also developing plans for using solar power for heating 50 percent of all buildings, so why can’t you be part of a greener future?
Generating your electricity
By using solar power to generate your electricity, you can reduce your bills significantly, while protecting the environment at the same time. Since solar panels have become much more affordable, more and more homes are having them installed. Some of the benefits of having electricity generated by the sun are predictability and stability when it comes to expenses. You can always calculate your expenses and the amount of electricity that will be generated, which is not the case with regular electricity because there are frequent fluctuations in price. In addition, you have a range of different options, so you’re bound to find the one that is right for you. For example, an efficient 5kW solar system can meet your everyday needs and help you increase your savings. Just make sure that you fulfill all the requirement for the installation of a specific system beforehand.
Cooking your food
Just imagine how much energy could be saved if all the household appliances were powered by the sun. It might sound a bit far-fetched at the moment, but it’s not impossible, and it’s already happening. You actually cook your food using solar cookers that are based on either reflective solar boxes or parabolic discs. This type of technology can make a big difference, especially in developing countries where households still use wood-burning stoves. Solar cookers can even lead to a reduction in indoor air pollution that can cause respiratory diseases.
The power of the sun is a great one, so why not use it for your own needs? Just go step by step, start small and you’ll have a sustainable home in no time.
Packing when going away for the holidays is never an easy task. While the amount of luggage you need bring depends on many factors, keep in mind that you’re going away to have fun and relax, so pack only things you really need. Furthermore, the lighter you pack, the easier it will be to get around and enjoy yourself.
Choose a Suitcase to Help You PackMake sure you only bring essentials by picking a smaller suitcase than you would normally use. This way, you will limit the available space and you will have to decide what’s really important for your holiday. When packing your things, try to plan out your stay, and put what you will use last at the bottom. That will keep your suitcase tightly packed.
A girl’s worst nightmare just might be being limited to a few pairs of shoes. Pick out a few of your favourites and make sure you know which pairs will be useful and which to leave home. You won’t need a pair for each occasion on your holiday; try to combine your outfit with only a few pairs. Take into account how many days you’ll stay and where you plan to go – that should help you pick out the shoes to take with you.
You Need a Good Swimsuit or TwoYou cannot leave for summer holiday without a swimsuit, but choosing only one or two can be problematic. It’s often a good idea to pick out at least two sets of swimwear, and clean one while you’re using the other. Think along the lines of comfort and bring only swimsuits you feel comfortable in. That way, you can have fun, relax and enjoy the beach to the fullest.
If you’re going to think that one outfit can only be worn once, then you might as well prepare an extra suitcase. You need to get creative when it comes to clothes, otherwise, you might as well take your whole wardrobe. Floral tops, Sivana Spirit tunic dresses and harem-style pants are always a good choice. Plan an outfit for traveling to and from your destination, that should free-up some space in your luggage. If there’s a place where you can wash your clothes, you can make your suitcase even lighter, as you will be able to clean and reuse some of your clothing.
Just because you’re going away on holiday, doesn’t mean you should neglect your skincare regimen. However, you will have to make some alterations to it and adjust your skincare products if you want to both take care of yourself and pack light. Make sure that you make a list of which products you will need, and choose only the ones you really need. Keep in mind that you’re on a holiday to have fun, not to spend it in front of a mirror.
The summer holidays are all about having fun and enjoying yourself to the fullest. The best way to do so is to pack as lightly as possible. You definitely don’t want to drag a lot of your luggage around with you. The less you have in your suitcase, the more you can focus on having fun and creating wonderful memories of your amazing holiday getaway.
Who wouldn’t like to have a spacious and comfortable home? That would mean a huge tub or a walk-in shower, great dining room table, and a kitchen big enough for all your dreams. It is, however, virtually impossible to find an apartment with a spacious kitchen. Does that mean that you should give up on your dreams? Absolutely not! We offer you several easy, useful tips which will help you create more space in your small kitchen ‘out of thin air’.
You never have enough space in your cabinets, no matter how many of them you’ve got. One of the things you can do to fully utilize the storage capacity of your cabinets is use stackable shelves for your plates. Also, undershelf baskets are great because you can put bigger items such as jars or bottles in them. The space above your cabinets should not be wasted either, and you can place baskets here as well to hide other stuff. If baskets are not an option, you can mount a small additional shelf above your cabinets to place empty jars, and the things you don’t use often. Also, mount a file holder on the inside of the door and use it to stash trash bags, foil, and saran wraps.
If your kitchen is small, you can work ‘small miracles’ in the cabinets, but the space will be limited nonetheless. This is why you can think outside the box and use your vertical space. Larger kitchen utensils can easily be hanged on pierced corbels, if you want to avoid making a mess in your drawers. You can even add small ladders to your kitchen so you can reach even higher. Opt for a simple sliding ladder which will allow you to reach ceiling-height cabinets where you usually keep blenders, bread-maker and other things you don’t use every day. For finishing touches, choose some decorative wall clocks, some nice pictures or inspirational quotes.
Another great space saver is bar and counter stools. Instead of using your kitchen solely for cooking, and choosing to eat on the couch or in the living room, you can eat on your kitchen counters sitting on bar stools. You can also choose to bring in brightly coloured stools which will add texture to the space. If you don’t have enough space for seating, you can try to create some by making a small, makeshift counter which will separate your living room from your kitchen area, which you can use as a dining table.
No matter how tiny your kitchen actually is, you will always have some small, unused spaces. A good example of such a space is the gap between the fridge and wall. Use this space to create a pull-out faux pantry where you can keep dry goods, cans, and jars. You can also make two cabinets which can slide out above the countertop, and you will not have a problem to find anything you need. Also, try placing trash cans and bins for recyclables below the sink, so you can pull them out when you need them.
Cabinets are filled, pantry is full, counter space is too precious to be wasted, and drawers are well organized. Is there any other space to use? Your walls can be used and turned into a great storage space too. You won’t create an unnecessary mess on your work area if you just use hooks and shelves to hang pots, pans, and cups. Making a wall rack for your platters is incredibly easy and it will serve more than one purpose: you will get extra storage space, and get some new, great wall art.
Your tiny cooking area doesn’t have to be a nightmare anymore. You won’t feel like your kitchen is bursting at the seams anymore if you improvise a bit, and come up with some innovative solutions. Small spaces are a bit more difficult to organize, but you can create a beautiful kitchen if you maximize your storage space.
The 21st century started years ago and one of the most important things it brought with it is ecological awareness. Today, houses are built to be eco-friendly and energy-efficient which is definitely a great thing. However, that doesn’t mean that we should bring down historic houses built with no intention of saving energy or any of the Earth’s resources. That means that we should use all of our knowledge about energy and water preservation and to apply it in greening up old houses without affecting their unique aesthetic. Here are some ways to do that.
Houses built before the 1940s were rarely insulated. If they were, the materials originally used may have deteriorated over time, allowing the cold air to creep in. Fortunately, today there are plenty of eco-friendly and efficient insulating materials that can significantly reduce your utility bills. Before you even begin insulating them, you should seal the air gaps around the doors and windows. Also, don’t forget to insulate the attic and ducts.
There’s no point in preventing heat or the cool air from leaving the house by insulating the walls if it will eventually go out through the windows. When installing new windows you should check their energy ratings. Triple glazed windows are the best option, but double glazed ones are much more cost-efficient. If new windows would disturb the aesthetics of your old home, the combination of storm windows and good window treatments should do the trick.
If your house still uses old incandescent light bulbs, consider replacing them, since they’re spending a huge amount of energy. Compact fluorescent light bulbs can save a lot of energy, but if you’re in it for the long haul, you should install LED lights throughout the house.
Have you ever stepped foot on the cold hardwood floor? It may look nice, but it feels freezing. Area rugs are a rather cheap way to prevent that awful feel, but also to save a couple of dollars when the energy bill comes. Besides, you’ll get an instant stylish punch.
The way most people uses their bathrooms today speaks a lot about our disregard for Earth’s most precious resource – water. Almost 30 percent of the total water use in a household is flushed down the toilet and 10 percent is leaking from the pipes and faucets.
There are ways to decrease that consumption. The first step would be addressing the biggest problem – toilet. By installing a low-flow toilet you will cut down your water expenses, and the costs of buying a new toilet and hiring professional plumbers to install it will pay off in a couple of years. Unlike the toilet, installing a low-flow showerhead is in the DIY domain.
You may think you’re saving money by keeping your old refrigerator and indefinitely delaying the purchase of a new one, but you’re not. Old appliances are not only using more electricity, they also require frequent fixes and replacing of some parts. Switching all the old devices for their new Energy Star rated counterparts is, eventually, much cheaper.
Ceiling fans are a great investment since they’re reasonably priced and they can, in the long run, save a lot of money. If you think that ceiling fans are useful only in winter, you’re wrong. They can be very beneficial during the heating season when they spread the heat throughout the air and make your heating system more efficient.
Toxic chemicals your house is filled with may not have a damaging effect on your wallet, but they are certainly harmful to your health. Paint colors that don’t contain VOCs (volatile organic compounds) will prevent toxins from entering your body while using homemade cleaning products (e.g. any kind of DIY product with apple cider vinegar or baking soda) will minimize the number of chemicals you are inhaling and save you money at the same time.
“Greening up” is much more than just a buzzword. It is a practice that will not only minimize your negative impact on the planet but also benefit your health and budget.
Country & Victorian Times 