When you’re watching your favorite shows on a streaming platform, the way you watch it can have a profound impact on how much energy you use for your entertainment. Start by watching at a lower resolution; instead of the super-high res 4K or 1080p, try for 720p to reduce energy usage. If you watch shows on your phone, always stream over a Wi-Fi network instead of cellular, since the latter uses significantly more energy. And if you watch on a television, opt for an Energy Star-certified TV.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

With nearly 1.3 billion gallons of paint mixed and sold every year in the United States, a lot of paint ends up wasted because we chose the wrong shade. It can be hard to choose the perfect hue from paint chips, and when we pick something we like, it often appears too bright, too dark or just wrong on our walls. To help avoid this financial and material waste, look to other homes and spaces for color inspiration. When you find a wall color you like, you can use a number of apps to immediately color-match it on your phone, then order the exact shade so you have the perfect color in your soon-to-be perfect home.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

You probably have a box of old baking soda in your refrigerator that needs to be replaced, but don’t toss it -- you can use it to help clean around the house. Add 1/4 cup of baking soda to your empty coffeepot and fill the rest with cool water, dissolving the mixture, then run it through your coffee maker. The baking soda mixture will help disinfect and clean the inside, picking up mineral deposits and grime. Follow this up with a full pot of clean water to make sure it’s sparkling clean.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION