First we will look at electrical savings. Replacing your light bulbs with the newer more efficient bulbs such as CFL and LED can save you hundreds of dollars over the life of a bulb especially if you use the new LED type. Another yet overlooked item is using spring wound timers. For instance, in a bathroom where you might have an exhaust fan. If you have electric type water heater you will find that sometimes the electrical usage can be up to 1/3 of your electrical cost. By cutting back on water usage and washing your clothes in cold water can help immensely.

Next we will look at heating and cooling, another big energy cost. Did you know my setting back your thermostat that you can save money while helping with environmental issues? You can also purchase a programmable thermostat which will allow you to set different temperatures for different times of the day. Say that you work during the day; you can set back the temperature and then set it at a different temperature when you arrive at home. The next time you purchase an appliance make sure that it has the energy star label. This will assure you that you have purchased a product that meets government standards for energy savings. Another way that you can cut energy usage is to take advantage of free cooling by opening your windows instead of running your air conditioning. This also is good for giving your house a fresh clean smell.

Have you checked your insulation in your attic to make sure it has the proper amount of cover for optimum heat and cooling loss? If you live in an older home then you might want to add insulation to your walls also. There are many companies that specialize in insulating older homes and bringing them up to current R value. R value is way that insulation is categorized by amount and type. Another energy-saving item I must not forget is the use of modern double pain windows that keep heat in during the winter and cold in during the summertime. Also modern-day shades and blinds to help keep rooms comfortable all year-long.

In what concerns redecorating your home, there are three simple steps you need to take to be successful. First step- the decision making. Redecorating with the help of an interior designer, or by yourself. There are pros and cons for both situations. If you decide to get help from the professionals, there are some things you need to consider. You have to pay him, but at the same time you can cut expenses in other areas. An interior designer knows what to buy and where to find quality things at very good prices. But on the other hand there are people who simply love to make all the choices and do the hard work by themselves.

Second step- redecorating to whole house, or just part of it. This is something that you have to think about after you find out how much time and money you can afford to spend on this project. Choosing the entire home project may be expensive and it will definitely take a longer period of time than, let’s say, redecorating a single room. Third step- what needs to be changed. After you have decided to go for either to whole house or for the single room project, you have to think what needs to be changed. First of all you have to repaint the walls. Fresh paint, in a fantastic color, can definitely transform the way a place looks like. Some people are afraid that fresh paint stinks, but this is no longer true, because innovations led to an almost odorless paint formula.

And painting is a crucial step you have to take for a successful redecorating project. Then there is the furniture issue. If you think it is too old, or you simply don’t like it anymore, and you have enough money, you can replace it all. But if you have to work on a low budget, then there is still a solution. You can simply rearrange it in the room, and together with the new color on the walls, you may get a totally new look. Whatever you choose to do, or have someone else do it for you the important thing is the result. And the result must be a wonderful place, where you can feel you can enjoy fantastic moments with your family, in one word a home.