4 Tips to Reduce Heating Costs at Home

(Feature Impact) Winter is coming, and if the thought of heating bills is making your wallet shiver, it may be time to get proactive with a plan. It only takes a few simple steps to reduce ongoing heating costs without sacrificing comfort at home.

Consider these tips to warm your home more efficiently, minimize heat loss and keep your energy bills under control this winter.

Get Your Heating System Inspected

No matter what kind of heating system you use, proper maintenance can help it operate more efficiently, thereby reducing costs. A technician can check for issues with your furnace, boiler or heat pump; clean the components; and ensure it’s performing as expected. You can also perform DIY tasks you feel comfortable with; even replacing a dirty furnace filter can make an immediate difference to airflow and efficiency.

Set Your Thermostat Wisely

To balance savings and comfort, keep your thermostat set to a reasonable temperature. Experts often advise aiming for 68 F as the sweet spot during winter days and lowering it closer to 60 F at night or when you’re away from home. Consider upgrading to a smart thermostat, which can learn your preferences and automatically adjust to energy-saving temperatures when you’re asleep or at work.

Add Insulation

Heat rises and a poorly insulated attic can allow warmth to escape and force your system to work harder to replenish it. Adding extra insulation can help keep the lower floors heated, so check your attic for any thin areas or gaps. Doors and windows are other common places where heat escapes, since glass is a poor insulator and weatherstripping can break down over time. Check for drafts, replace seals as needed and consider using heavy thermal curtains or window insulation film to further reduce heat loss.

Dress Warmly at Home

It’s a sentence often repeated by parents when a kid reaches for the thermostat: “If you’re cold, put on a sweater.” As it turns out, this is solid financial advice – it’s much cheaper to warm yourself than to warm the entire home. Dress in layers and keep cozy blankets nearby, including electric blankets or heated clothing for extra comfort on chilly days.

Discover more home and lifestyle tips at eLivingtoday.com.

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The House That Hosts: When Your Home Becomes Your Holiday Entertaining Partner

(Feature Impact) There’s a special pleasure in opening your home for the holidays to share the menu you’ve imagined, welcome guests to the glow of a room ready for company and enjoy the anticipation of familiar faces at the door. Every detail is an opportunity to make the loved ones you’ve invited feel especially welcome.

This year, make sure the house itself can lend a hand.

From the kitchen to the living room to the guest bathroom, residential technology offers new ways to turn a host’s imagination into a memorable experience. The best innovations don’t take over the occasion. They help the person bringing everyone together make it extraordinary.

Nor does a home need an elaborate network of connected gadgets. A few well-chosen technologies can make a difference. Explore these ideas from the bathroom design and technology experts at TOTO to level up the different hosting areas of your home as you prepare to gather with family and friends this holiday season.

The Kitchen: Bringing Something Extraordinary to the Table

The holidays invite a little culinary ambition, and today’s kitchens are borrowing a few tricks from professional chefs.

Imagine presenting a beef tenderloin cooked to a perfect rosy pink from edge to edge, thanks to the precision of sous vide cooking. Or bringing a platter of roasted root vegetables to the table, their edges beautifully caramelized and their centers tender, prepared in a steam-convection oven. On an induction cooktop, precise, responsive heat helps turn fresh mushrooms into a golden, savory accompaniment.

These technologies put sophisticated techniques within reach of adventurous home cooks, opening the door to new preparations and dishes worthy of special occasions. Experiment with new flavors and rich cuisines that fill your home with enticing aromas and your guests with awe at the first bite.

Nothing says “happy holidays” quite like watching guests discover what you’ve created for them.

The Living Area: Setting the Stage for Connection

Holiday gatherings have a rhythm all their own. The first arrivals are greeted with excitement, conversations pick up where they left off months (or years) prior, and before long, the room is filled with laughter and the pleasure of being together.

Today’s smart lighting systems allow hosts to create and schedule scenes that shift from the sparkle of a festive welcome to the softer, golden glow of an intimate evening. Multiroom wireless audio systems can bring lively music into the kitchen while keeping it a gentle accompaniment to conversation in the living area. Digital art displays can turn a television screen into a gallery of artwork chosen to complement the celebration, bringing holidays past to life as loved ones mingle in the present.

Successful holiday entertainment engages people not merely as observers, but participants. A short film could start an inspiring conversation, the right music might get people dancing and atmospheric visual-audio experiences, like a crackling fireplace or soft snowstorm, can create a relaxing seasonal backdrop for shared activities.

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With the atmosphere changing quietly in the background, no one needs to interrupt a favorite story to adjust the lights or lower the music. The host can simply enjoy the company they’ve brought together.

The Bathroom: The Art of Personal Comfort

The most gracious hosts think beyond the rooms where guests gather. Fresh towels, fragrant soaps and a few unexpected comforts can make the guest bathroom feel every bit as welcoming as the rest of the home.

Technology adds a new dimension to that hospitality. Consider a TOTO WASHLET bidet seat, which offers the welcome warmth of a heated seat, the refreshing pleasure of warm-water cleansing and the soothing comfort of warm-air drying. It’s an unexpected luxury that makes an everyday experience feel special.

Hosts can choose an option that complements their home’s character. The S2 offers inviting simplicity with convenient side-panel controls. The sleek S5 pairs contemporary elegance with a wireless remote. Meanwhile, the S7A adds a touch of theater with a lid that opens automatically, a softly glowing nightlight and personalized cleansing settings.

Even the housekeeping benefits from a little ingenuity through automatic PREMIST and EWATER+: One mists the toilet bowl before use to help keep it cleaner, while the other cleans the cleansing wand and, on select models, the bowl itself with electrolyzed water.

It’s another way a thoughtful host can anticipate guests’ needs and make them feel wonderfully welcome.

Long after the last guest has departed, what lingers isn’t the sophistication of the house. It’s the meal that inspired compliments, the conversations no one wanted to end and the little surprises that made everyone feel at home.

Those are the moments that make holiday entertaining special. Behind each one is a host whose warmth, creativity and attention to detail made it possible, with a little help from the house. Explore more sophisticated bathroom upgrade ideas for the holidays and beyond at TOTOUSA.com.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock (holiday table)

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Easy Furniture Upcycling Projects You Can Do in a Weekend

(Feature Impact) Giving secondhand furniture a new life is a creative, satisfying and budget-friendly way to add personality to your home. Upcycling doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive – all it takes is a little imagination, some basic supplies and a free weekend.

Next time you’re in the mood to spend time working with your hands, try these simple DIY furniture upcycling ideas.

Give a Worn Dresser a Fresh Look

Dressers have a way of accumulating scuffs and scratches over time, but it doesn’t take much to refresh their look. Clean the surfaces, sand away any rough spots then apply a fresh coat of furniture paint. To turn it into a stylish statement piece, choose a classy, on-trend color like sage green, deep navy or a warm neutral and replace the drawer pulls with modern hardware to match.

Transform an Old Coffee Table

The coffee table is a natural centerpiece of your living room, so give it an update that fits your preferred aesthetic. Sand it smooth, choose a new wood stain for a more natural look or paint it to match or create contrast with your walls and seating. Adding a protective clear coat can help the surface withstand everyday use and look new for longer.

Turn Wooden Chairs into Stylish Accent Pieces

If you have a collection of mismatched or worn-out wooden chairs around the house, try your hand at refurbishing instead of replacing them. Give them a good wash, repair any broken rungs, update the seats with fresh fabric or new cushions or unleash your inner artist by giving the chairs fun new designs with paint or peel-and-stick contact paper. If they aren’t a good fit for your main dining area, use the chairs as porch decorations or extra seating during parties.

Repurpose an Old Bookshelf

Bookshelves don’t just have to be for books. Give it a fresh design using paint or decorative wallpaper then transform it into a display cabinet, pantry organizer, entryway cubby for shoes and school supplies or whatever else your imagination sparks. Stave off clutter by adding visually appealing bins or baskets to help the shelves stay clean and organized.

Create a Unique Side Table

You can turn a variety of old furniture into side tables, from nightstands and end tables to stools and chairs with the backs removed. Consider adding decorative trim, stenciled designs, patterned tabletops or vibrant paint colors then give the finished table a new life as a plant display, bedside stand or porch accent piece.

Discover more home, lifestyle and crafting ideas at eLivingtoday.com.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

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