Category: News

You’ve been hearing about “going green” and how you can help the environment while protecting your family from toxins. But too often, that has meant paying more for everyday necessities. Here are some ways to go green without breaking the bank.

Sweeten your house with beeswax. Many scented candles are made with chemicals that, when burned, emit toxins into the air, including cancer-causing carcinogens.

Experts advise buying pure beeswax candles. They have a sweet nontoxic scent, and create negative ions, neutralizing impurities in the air. They last five times longer than regular candles.

Filter air without a filter. Indoor pollution levels can be more than 100 times higher than outdoor levels, particularly when the windows are closed. While a HEPA filter can clean your air, they can cost over $100 each. The typical houseplant can remove up to 87% of indoor air toxins within 24 hours. The most effective ones are spider plants, mums and Gerbera daisies.

Plug in everything here. Your phone charger, computer, iPod docking station, DVD player; all sap electricity whenever they are plugged in, even if they are not in use. The average home has 30 of these devices consuming energy right now - padding the monthly electric bill as much as 15%.

Get back more than $100 a year just by plugging them into a power strip. Simply shut off the power strip with a single flip of a button.

These quick tips from the National Safety Council are geared to keep you safe in and around your bathroom.

1. 1. Use non-slip bathmats or appliques in the shower.
   2. Prevent trips by purchasing an adhesive, non-slip rug mat.
   3. Make the entrance to the shower or bathtub easily accessible with a bath step or a walk-in tub.
   4. Install grab bars by the toilet to assist in safely getting up and down.
   5. Plug in nightlights in and around the bathroom.
   6. Switch to liquid soap or soap-on-a-rope to avoid reaching and bending over.
   7. Add a hand-held shower nozzle.
   8. Make sure the shower door swings outward in case of a fall.

For more hsome maintenance tips and ideas, read our March 2016 edition of ePostNotes, ePostNotes.

Make these minor changes to save energy and money.

• Add weather stripping to doors and windows.
• Wrap your electric hot water heater with a blanket.
• Properly setting your programmable thermostat may reduce heating and cooling costs by at least 10%.
• A clean furnace filter will help your heating system work better, use less energy and last longer.
• A heavy duty outdoor timer will automatically turn your seasonal lights on and off.

Read more helpful tips in our March 2016 edition of ePostNotes.

The relaxing experience one gets at a quality hotel or resort is designed right into the rooms to make a stay as rewarding as possible. For those who like the feeling of being in a five-star hotel room and would like to re-create that experience in their own homes, here are a few simple tips.

Your bedroom is the room in your house you spend the most time in every day. You’ll love having a peaceful oasis to retreat to at the end of the day and wake up to each morning.

Bedrooms should not multitask. Banish all furniture beside the bed, a chair, nightstands and a dresser. No exercise equipment, desks, computers, sewing tables, etc.

Insulate for sound. Fabric or paper wall coverings and carpets help. Double-paned or triple-paned glass windows will minimize outside sounds.

Control the lighting for sleep and romance. Dimmable lamps create a warm, romantic environment. Layered window treatments give you options for both privacy and light.

Reduce clutter and make your bed every day. Seeing the tops of the nightstands and dressers makes the bedroom feel clean, and a well-made bed looks luxurious and inviting.

Give yourself some luxurious touches. Place a special robe or pair of cozy slippers at your bedside.