This is an evergreen tip worth repeating: Wash your clothes in cold water. Ninety percent of the electricity used for a washing machine goes toward heating the water. Opting for cold water is the most energy-efficient way to wash clothes, and almost all detergents are designed to work best in cold water anyway! Consumer Reports says you can save $63 a year on electricity bills just by taking this one easy step.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

If you decorate with outdoor string lights, the color of the light output from the bulbs can have an impact on wildlife. The whiter the light, the more confusing it is to nocturnal animals, since they can mistake it for daylight. Instead, opt for bulbs that cast a warm orange glow (like candlelight), which is less disruptive to animals. You can find these bulbs by looking at the Kelvin rating. The lower the rating, the warmer the color output.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Did some little ones take crayons to your walls to create a mini masterpiece? It’s easy to remove with just one thing: toothpaste. Because toothpaste has gentle abrasives to ensure teeth are polished clean without hurting them, it’ll do the same for your walls, removing crayon marks without harming the paint. Just apply toothpaste to the walls and use a damp cloth to rub it off. It takes a little elbow grease, but it really does do the trick.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION