Already dreading the summer A/C bill? The good news is that there are easy ways to keep the house cool without shelling out big bucks for the electricity. An air conditioner is a great thing, but it should be used sparingly. Not only is it expensive, it can also annoy those with allergies and it's not nearly as good as breathing in clean, natural air.

However, keeping cool will also take some effort and ambition to make it work. It should be a family affair, so make sure everyone--including the kids--is on board. Otherwise, one bill-minded person will be stuck doing the brunt of the work. Here are 5 of the easiest ways to keep a house cool during the sizzling summer months.

1. Take Advantage of Air Flow

A well-designed home has windows and doors that maximize air flow and breezes. Prop open windows, invest in some screens to keep insects out and take full advantage of natural air flow. Depending on home design and the heat, this might be all a person really needs to keep cool. Plus, the benefits of the fresh air help people feel rejuvenated.

2. Balance Natural Light With Shade

Too much shade, such as using heavy dark curtains, can turn a home into a heat box. Unfortunately, too much sunshine can do the exact same thing. Opt for white or light colored blinds or breezy curtains to maximize the good parts of shade. Don't go for a blackout approach--this will turn a home into a sauna. Instead, shop around and look for blinds that will filter light properly, and be sure to open and close them as the sun shifts during the day.

3. Close off Unused Rooms

If AC is simply a must, close off all rooms that aren't being used and put towels against the floorboard to keep the cool air in. It's much more cost effective to cool one or two rooms than an entire house. Also remember that heat rises, so ACs will have to work extra hard to cool those rooms upstairs. Think of it as a treat, not a 24/7 luxury.

4. Keep Vents Cleared

Again, if AC is being used, make sure the system doesn't have to work very hard. Vents that are covered with furniture, curtains, throw rugs or anything else aren't doing bank accounts any favors. The system will be working overtime to cool behind the couch and no one is reaping the benefits.

5. Avoid Cooking

Baking and oven-top cooking can quickly make a warm home a furnace. Depend on cool meals to help stay a little more chill and avoid unnecessarily heating the home. Fresh salads, fruits, veggies or even microwaved food are better options, especially in smaller homes. It's time to start getting creative with the meal planning and choose cool summer treats.

Staying cool in the summer can be a challenge, so make the most of it. Dressing for the occasion, taking room temperature showers and indulging in a little extra ice water can help the summer start off smashingly.

Most view the trend toward a paperless society as a positive one. The idea is to reduce waste and the environmental consequences of paper production by minimizing the amount of toner and ink cartridges, paper bills, unnecessary paper products, and so on in our lives.

Schools and businesses are increasingly heading toward this model. Making the home equally paperless is the next step toward a cleaner, greener existence. So let’s talk about getting what you need without killing more trees.

Pay bills online

The easiest way to remove paper from your life is to sign up for online statements with your banks and credit card companies, and to pay bills online.

The sites for these companies are quite secure. Connecting directly to your bank account, from which in the past you would withdraw cash or write checks to pay for bills through the mail, will simplify your life, reduce paper consumption, and save you postage money. It is also instant, and payments can be scheduled each month or billing period, which means ones less thing to have to remember.

One of the better apps for online bill payments, if you want to consolidate bills instead of relying on email statements, is BillMinder. At the very least, this app can remind you of deadlines and the cost of each payment. When used to its full potential, BillMinder can pay your bills through a password-protected AutoPay system.

Most banks and credit card companies also have apps for Android and iPhone that can be used to access accounts more easily when you are on the go.

Utilize your technology

Leaving notes and making lists will consume excess paper and notepads that didn’t need to be purchased in the first place. Use apps like Grocery IQ to create grocery lists on your phone or iPad. Chances are you’ll be much less likely to forget or lose the info if it’s saved there.

The same goes for to-do lists and planners: a whole slew of apps can be purchased (and many are free) to help organize life without relying on scraps of notes and book or paper agendas.

Digitize financial documents

Most of the unnecessary paper that exists in the home revolves around bills and financial documents that could easily be transferred to digital format. Documents like W2s are increasingly being sent via online employee accounts, particularly in large companies, and tax documents can be filed online, with the resulting tax return form saved as a PDF.

Another option is purchasing a scanner or a scanner/printer. When you scan financial documents that can be preserved on your computer, that saves space and de-clutters your home. After scanning these documents, track down a good shredder and shred the documents before recycling, to reduce the chances of fraud or identity theft.

It’s spring again and that means it’s time to engage in the age old ritual of spring cleaning. Though many people dread spring cleaning, it doesn’t have to be a miserable time and in fact, it can even be pretty enjoyable if done right (and even more enjoyable if you hire Welcome Home Maids to do the job!). By following this advice, you might even find yourself looking forward to this year’s spring cleaning!

1. Listen To Some Music: Music can be an excellent motivator, especially when performing tasks that require focus and movement, such as moving. Putting on some upbeat music while cleaning can turn a boring task into a much more upbeat and enjoyable one. Be sure to keep those endorphins pumping and keep moving in order to keep up the progress rate; exercise conscious people will be glad to know that intense cleaning can burn lots of calories.

2. Turn It Into A Game: When working in pairs or groups divide up cleaners into teams and compete against one another. Friendly competition helps keep people motivated and gives them incentive to work quickly and efficiently in order to beat the other team. Just remember that it’s all in fun and keep things friendly.

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1. We use non-toxic cleaning products so you can breathe easier and not worry about being exposed to chemicals. As more and more information becomes available regarding the health hazards of toxic chemicals, there is a growing concern regarding exposure to them. With our company, you won't have to worry about that. We use the most natural, yet effective products available- Better Life Cleaning products (www.cleanhappens.com. We will make your house sparkle and shine without harsh chemicals. This can be especially helpful for people with asthma, allergies, chemical sensitivities - or anyone concerned with the impact of chemicals on their health or the environment.
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We’ve tested them all. Seventh Generation, Mrs. Meyers, Earth Friendly, Ecover, and Eco Discoveries to name a few. We were finally introduced to Better Life’s line of cleaning products after two years of experimenting.

It’s time to start believing in natural cleaning ingredients like baking soda and lemon juice, versus the harmful, cancer causing ones found in commercial products that line the aisles of supermarkets. Green cleaning isn’t just a fad. It’s here to stay thanks to the popularity of effective cleaning products now on the market from responsible companies like Seventh Generation and Better Life. If you’d like to save money AND be greener when you clean, you can make your own products. Here are just a few of my favorites:

If you’ve ever tried to find a recycling center that accepts styrofoam then you know it’s no easy task. If you’re interested in turning that hard to recycle styro into household adhesive, check this video out! All you need is a bowl of acetone…

Okay, this is just a guess but I would bet that most of you are not thinking about cleaning your windows and those dusty baseboards simply aren’t bothering you so much these days. Chances are you are more preoccupied with college football and thinking about the upcoming holidays which are already nipping at your heels.

We have partnered with Peggy Whitlow-Ratcliffe of Living Green Pages (www.livinggreenpages.com) to select individuals who are interested in a greener lifestyle. We start by giving them the products, tips and general information specific for their homes and lifestyle. They will begin transforming their lives into greener ones, sharing their experiences good and bad, and giving honest reviews and opinions.

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You don’t have to use harsh chemicals to get rid of dirt, germs and bacteria in your kitchen anymore. There are some fantastic eco-friendly products on the market that work just as well, without perpetuating your asthma and migraine headaches. Here are some tips on green cleaning your kitchen and some earth friendly products that will get the job done!

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