My family and I applied about 7 months ago for a federal grant for a weatherization program. This program is designed for energy conservation. The gentleman that came to my home today was there to inspect the home to see where we might be losing energy and thus causing our utility bills to be expensive. He went through my house with a fine tooth comb, looking at the attic, the basement, and everything in between. I would like to share with you some of the wonderful tips he provided me with. (He was very informative.)

1. Only 20% of homes built before 1980 are/were insulated well.

2. If you are going to add insulation, spend most of your insulation budget filling the walls and the attic, then around the windows and doors. Insulating the open air underneath your home, provided it is only crawlspace, is handy, but unless you reside in a very warm climate, is low on the priority list. Heat rises, therefore, it is not going to sink and escape.

3. Ventilation is key in reducing your cooling costs during the hotter months. Warm air and cool air cannot occupy the same space at the same time. So, the warm air must be expelled for cool air to effectively chill your living space. Range hood exhaust fans, bathroom exhaust fans, as well as attic fans should be installed to create proper expulsion of moist, warm air. Heat+moisture=mold and mildew.

4. The duct work in your home is vital to keeping it warm in the colder months and cool in the warmer months. If there are leaks present, you are spending a huge amount making the attic or lower crawlspace comfortable for all the spiders and creepy crawlies that take up residence there.

5. Super-Savers: 10% of your energy bills can be saved by caulking or sealing around all windows, doors, and seams. 10% can also be put back in your pocket by shading your air conditioning unit outside. Shaded units work way more efficiently than ones that must work in the sun all day. Another 10% can be chopped off using a programmable thermostat.

6. Double paned windows reduce heat loss by 20%-50%.

7. Replacing 25% of the lights in areas where heavy lighting is needed most will reduce your lighting energy costs by 50%.

These tips will not only put money back in your wallet, but also help to keep our environment healthy.

Chaos.(n) chaos, pandemonium, bedlam, topsy-turvydom, topsy-turvyness (a state of extreme confusion and disorder)

This was my life. I knew in order to be able to write more, research more, and have the time to do so while I stay home with my two beautiful kids, I would have to end this.So I spent the weekend cleaning out the clutter, if you will.

I don’t know about you, but I’m the kind of person that will sit down to write, or work, or read, and within a few moments, I will get the overwhelming urge to go straighten my closet, or know the toy boxes are over filled and in my living room now.

Then starts the mad dash, run around, tidy this, do that, make another pile for later, then I’m too exhausted to really get back my creative energy.So I stopped it. I made the choice to streamline our house over the weekend, and throw the gunk away, started in closets, then drawers, then piles. In the meantime I had my 7 year old Daughter start making piles in her room, so I could make my way into the den of craziness and help her get more organized as well.

Some tips for others, I have a hard time collecting mags, I mean we adore them, we get all sorts, writing, literary, political, kids mags, home mags, handyman, you name it, we read it, they were taking over our lives and space.So I sat down over a period of days and went through them, any with content that will be great to look back on, like our current political messes, and Iraq War I saved and put in magazine holders like these:http://www.amazon.com/Rattan-Magazine-Holder-RTS-320F-Beige/dp/B000FRYI9M/ref=sr_1_15/103-2932174-1405413?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1189438032&sr=1-15

The others I paged through and tore out recipes, crafts, decorating ideas, tips, and all the goodies I like to save for ordering special gifts on line for friends and family, and I used old photo albums and 3 ring binders to file away what I wanted, tossing the rest out of my life.

For now on I’ll do just that as they come in the mail, and then let my kids go through and do the same for future crafts and collages.

Then we hung a few things to make life easier, a spice rack we’ve had sitting cock eyed and taking up needed counter space in the kitchen, I went through the bathroom and tossed all the half bottles of crap I never liked after I bought, or saved for who knows what. I then did the same to our desk and work area, and we switched out manuals and how to’s for our more creative and meaningful books and mags to inspire us.(My husband is a writer,an artist, an IT guy, and an SEO among many other things!)

We sorted all mail, files and piles of stuff into the kitchen into a file bin where everything is clearly marked, making finding, saving or tossing a much easier task.

Already I feel more flow, and already I can sit down and be busy without worrying about piles and chaos in the house.

If only I could organize my two and a half year old son now. ;)

Do you have any tips for streamlining and organizing your homes? How about tips to help writing and blogging be more efficient? What do you do to save or make time for friends, family and working at home?

Today,I got this bright idea to start painting my 2 year old son’s room.

My husband has a 10 day vacation coming up, and I thought, being the adoring
housewife I am, I’d go ahead and start and even try to finish our boy’s room
so he can actually enjoy his time off, rather than knock down the “honey do” list.

The kids are comfortably watching Annie together for the time being, and I hope to get in at least a steady hour before they start trying to tear each other’s hair out.

Wish me luck!