Apr
10
My $14 Kitchen Makeover
Filed Under Frugal, Home Maintenance, Saving Money | Leave a Comment
I loathe my kitchen. It was apparently designed by a bachelor who did not cook and it’s ridiculous. We have tons of storage everywhere in the apartment except the kitchen. Every day, I yell “I hate this kitchen” while making dinner. But not anymore! Now that we’ve completed our $14 kitchen makeover, I don’t love it, but I hate it a lot less.
These are photos of my old kitchen and my new kitchen. See the difference? It’s subtle. It’s the wire cage shelving - we don’t need it in my new kitchen. No, we didn’t start buying less food. Instead, we installed this wondrous thing: the shelf. It’s a simple plywood shelf, but it’s made using our kitchen a lot easier.
What We Did
It all started with the new microwave. Our old one was shooting sparks, so I asked the manager to replace it. Rather than installing the new microwave in the same place under the counter, they installed it over the stove. My mom suggested that we remove the old microwave and install a shelf in its place.
Removing the microwave was easy - it was only held in by four screws. My dad and my husband then went to Home Depot to have a piece of thick plywood cut down to size. We already had a drill, level, and lots and lots of screws. I’m one of those people who saves every unused screw from every kit, package, or piece of furniture I buy, and I have for years. They also bought a small strip of wood to support the shelf.
The total installation time took less than an hour. Now we can freely access all our cabinets (few though they are), and open the fridge all the way.
Additional Kitchen Makeover Ideas
If you have a tiny kitchen and a full remodel is out of the question (whether it’s due to lack of funds or lack of ownership), you do still have several makeover options:
Pot Rack: I considered hanging a pot rack when I first moved in, but the ceiling is a giant, fluorescent light fixture. Hanging one from the wall still would have limited our ability to access the freezer.
Magnetic knife rack: If you’re short on drawer space and don’t want a knife block (or are short on counter spice), bolt a magnetic knife rack to the wall.
Magnetic spice rack: You can also buy metal spice containers and attach them to a magnetic wall strip.
Removable shelf: the shelf on our counter was part of set of kitchen equipment. We set it on the counter to double our counter storage space.
Hanging baskets: My best friend hung wire baskets from the ceiling in her tiny New York City kitchen. Rather than use it for fruit, she used it for plastic spice bottles, garlic, and onions. These are also handy for holding bottles in the shower.
Cup hooks: Screw metal hooks under your cabinet and hang your mugs, spatulas, or other lightweight items from them.
Relocate your storage: If you can’t do any of the above, you could buy a cheap bureau with deep drawers or buy a stand-alone cabinet and hutch. Put them in the dining room or just outside the kitchen to add more storage space. Just make sure the drawers have sturdy bottoms if you plan to put dishes, pots, or pans in them.
For now, we’re happy with the dining room cabinet and our new kitchen shelf. I will probably be able to tolerate the kitchen a lot longer now.
Jan
14
Reducing Winter Energy Costs
Filed Under Energy, Expenses, Home Maintenance, Saving Money | Leave a Comment
I’m blessed to live in Southern California. The shiny brochures advertise it as the land of the sun, sand, and surf. That’s true - in the summer. For those of us who live here, winter is cold. Visitors from say, Iowa, may be content to walk around in shorts in January, but Southern Californians are ready to crank up the heat when the temperature dips below seventy. (I never said we were a hardy people.) Certainly, our heating costs aren’t as high those for people who live in Minnesota, but thanks to California’s screwed up energy regulations, our costs aren’t small, either.
So here are my tips for reducing winter energy costs:
Install a thermostat with a timer. My heater is set to turn on about half an hour before we get home at night and half an hour after we go to bed, then to turn on again half an hour before we get up and ten minutes after we leave (to allow for running late.) That means our heat is on for approximately seven hours a day, but not continuously. It only warms the room when it falls too far below our preferred temperature. Since my thermostat is also somewhat broken, that’s 72 degrees. I know that some experts recommend 68 degrees, but our apartment isn’t well insulated and that doesn’t get the chill out of the air.
Dress warmly and use blankets. Before you go turn the heat up any further, put on a sweater and socks. You might even consider a ski hat. That will reduce the heat loss from your body and will make you feel warmer. If you’re just sitting on the couch watching TV, use a throw blanket to keep warm. We have two chenille throws in the living room so we can cover up when it gets a little chilly. As an added bonus, the throws are also excellent ways to cover gaps in the sofa slipcover from that time the dry cleaner shrank it. Just artfully drape the blanket over the gap in the zipper and now the damage is hidden from guests.
Seal pipes, doors, and windows. If you own your home, check the pipes, doors, and windows for leaks, and then do what you must to repair them. This could mean replacing old windows with new, more energy-efficient models, re-caulking, applying duct tape, or putting a film over the windows to lock in heat. If you rent, you can at least close the drapes at night to keep the heat in. Ask your landlord if you can film the windows.
Check your furnace. You should change your air filter at least twice a year. Mark it on your calendar. You may also want to vacuum the vents. The easier it is for the air to flow through the vents, the faster your home will heat. If you have an old furnace, consider replacing it with a new energy efficient model. Although a new furnace is expensive, over time it will more than pay for itself.
Close the fireplace damper. If you’re not using your fireplace, close the damper to prevent cold air from blowing in or warm air from drifting out.
Close vents in unused rooms. If you’re not using a room, close its vent. There’s no reason to heat an empty room.
Replace lightbulbs and old appliances. Remember, that although winter heating takes up about 50% of your energy bill, your lights and appliances still impact your energy bill. By using more energy-efficient appliances and buying Energy Star appliances, you can reduce your total energy bill. By the same token, turn off the lights when you leave a room and turn off any appliances you’re not using. The printer doesn’t need to be on all the time. Unplug your cell phone or battery charger. The little things do matter.
If you follow all of the above tips, you can reduce your energy costs without feeling cold. Visit the following sources for more tips:
For everyone: SmartMoney
For homeowners: Consumer Energy Center
For renters and condo-owners: Focus on Energy
