Motion sensors for lights are easy to install and can help save electricity when people forget to hit the switch on their way out. These sensors are great in places like a laundry room or workshop, where lights tend to be left on accidentally for long periods of time. They are also a great solution if you rent out your home on sites like Airbnb; tenants are even less likely to turn off lights. New sensors are a breeze to install and will pay for themselves over time.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Warmer weather usually means small renovation projects around the house that involve paint, varnish and other adhesives. When shopping for these items at the hardware store, look for ones that emit zero or very low volatile organic compounds (VOC) into the air. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, these common home renovation items are the second-largest source of VOC emissions among consumer and commercial products. Choosing zero- and low-VOC options helps keep your home a healthy place to live.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Office paper is an easily recyclable and desired material, but if it's shredded, don't throw it in the recycling. Modern paper shredders do a fine job at turning sensitive documents into itty-bitty confetti, but those very short fibers make shredded paper a terrible recyclable. When shredded paper makes its way into a recycling load, it can devalue the whole load or, worse, contaminate it, forcing the recycling center to throw it out. Rather than shredding everything, shred what's actually private and recycle the rest.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION