32 Ways To Make Your Home Energy Efficient and Cut Your Energy Bill

There are so many small changes you can make on a daily basis that will make a HUGE impact on your energy bill over time. Not only is being energy efficient beneficial because it saves you money, but it also improves your quality of life, puts less strain on the grid, reducing outages, and reduces emissions that can harm the environment. These are just some of the things that my family does…

IN THE KITCHEN

• Clean your oven regularly. A dirty oven won’t heat up as efficiently as a clean one!

• Clean your refrigerator coils frequently. It can get really dusty down there which will affect how efficiently it runs.
• Do full loads of dishes.
• Don’t overfill the refrigerator. The air needs room to circulate to even cool the interior.
• Fill up your freezer. The less empty space, the colder it all gets, so fill that sucker up with popsicles! 😛

• Use a lid when cooking. This traps the heat in… and minimizes messes.
• Use the smallest pot that you can when cooking. Larger pots take more energy to heat up.
• Use your microwave. Because a microwave cooks so fast, it uses a lot less energy than an oven, and it’s surprising how versatile it can be!

IN THE BATHROOM

• Fix leaks immediately. It’s a waste of water, obviously, but many times it’s also hot water that’s lost.
• Take a shower shower instead of a bath. You’ll use a lot less hot water.

IN THE LAUNDRY ROOM

• Clean the dryer’s lint filter before every load.
• Do full loads of laundry.
• Line dry your clothes. I know, I know… I don’t do it often enough.
• Use the fastest dryer setting you can.

• Wash and rinse laundry in cold water. I find it comes out just as clean!

THROUGHOUT YOUR HOME

• Adjust the thermostat. One degree may not seem like much, but it will save you money down the line. You can always wear a sweater!
• Change air filters regularly; dirty filters make the furnace and AC work harder.
• Close the air vents and doors of rooms that are not used often so you’re not heating or cooling a room needlessly.
• Close your curtains. In the summer, this will keep the hot sun out, and in the winter, it’ll insulate your room from the cold.
• Get your air ducts cleaned. This will keep the air flowing smoothly and makes the air in your home healthier!
• Install ceiling fans and keep them running even in the winter! On a reverse setting, the fan will move hot air down.
• Insulate the attic. Hot air rises… you want to keep it in!
• Paint your walls. This is a trick my contractor husband taught me! Lighter walls make rooms appear brighter, so you’ll likely end up using less lighting without even thinking about it.
• Purchase energy efficient appliances. That 20-year-old fridge is probably costing you a pretty penny every month!

• Replace your regular light bulbs with fluorescent. They last SO much longer, and provide more light while using less energy.
• Seal windows and doors… anywhere heat can escape.
• Turn down your hot water heater to the ‘low’ setting.
• Turn the lights off when you leave a room.
• Unplug appliances and electronic devices when they’re not being used.
• Use dimmers. Not only do they extend the life of light bulbs, but they make your bedroom more romantic! 😉

OUTSIDE

• Put lighting on timers or use motion-sensing light fixtures.
• Plant trees that provide your home with shade.

Am I missing anything? What can you add to this list? PG&E has some great energy-saving advice on their website as well.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.