Living on the third floor is taking some getting used to. Aside from the obvious difference — having to walk upstairs — there are some changes I didn’t anticipate. The biggest one? It gets hot up here!
We previously lived on a first floor apartment with few windows, so it was relatively cool all the time. Even during the hot Georgia summers, we could get away with turning off the air and opening windows some days. Not the case here. Even if I turn the air conditioning down to a chilly 68 degrees, I’ve only seen the internal temperature of the apartment dip below 75 at night. Because the sun in beating right down on our roof with no buffer, it takes a lot more electricity to cool our large apartment. I really don’t want to have a sky high electric bill at the end of the summer because we’re not used to the heat. :: READ THE FULL POST
Remember a few weeks ago I shared with you that my washer stopped working? Well, we’ve been saving up for a new one and simultaneously trying to find a used top-loading, high-efficiency model on Craigslist. Since that hasn’t happened yet, we’ve been going to the laundromat across the street. The cooler fall weather has also meant that most days, we turn off the central heat/air. We usually do this every fall and spring, but the reduction in our electric bill is usually only about $20-30. :: READ THE FULL POST
OK…so the photo above isn’t really our laundry room, and definitely not our basement. But it accurately sums up the way I feel at the moment.
It’s been a long time since my husband and I have had to make a major purchase for our home. With all the moves we’ve made in the past few years, we’ve done our fair share of washing clothes at the laundry. As much as I hate doing laundry at home, there’s little in this life I hate more than having to do it all at once in a hot, often crowded public laundromat. So when our washer inexplicably quit last week, I almost shed some tears. :: READ THE FULL POST
Today’s the day! We’ve finally come to the end of our 6-week journey to make our homes more energy efficient by making one simple change: Unplugging items that we didn’t need to have plugged in all the time. Phantom power may sound fictional, but it’s a real source of unnecessary energy use and a simple problem to fix. So you have one last chance to participate and unplug! The 40th anniversary of Earth Day is tomorrow, and the Energy Gauntlet giveaway winner will be announced. In other words, if you wanted to participate, there’s no time to hesitate! :: READ THE FULL POST
Earth Day is fast approaching, and we’re getting down to the wire on the Energy Gauntlet. The Sylvania Earth Day Challenge, 40 for the Future is in full swing, but we still have a good way to go to get to 40 million Kwh. So what are you waiting for? If you haven’t yet, head over to the challenge website and take a look at the small changes we can all make between now and Earth Day, and really every day. Then make your pledge! These changes may seem small, but all of us can collectively have a tremendous impact, and these are changes that will have a lasting impact, far beyond April 22. So make that pledge! :: READ THE FULL POST
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I’m Jennae Petersen, and I’m a lot of things. A mother, a graphic artist, a connosieur of beautiful interiors and a purveyor of all things design. Green Your Decor was borne of frustration in my attempts to find eco-friendly housewares that were also beautiful, and inspiration to do something to reduce my own carbon footprint and help others do the same in a beautiful way.
