Summer is coming in hot...literally. Just hearing the word 'summer' might have you daydreaming of running through the sprinkler with the kids, basking in your air-conditioned room, or harvesting your fresh veggies for dinner tonight. These are just a few of the joyous delights of summertime. And we want you to enjoy them ALL.

We also want you to save some cash so you can enjoy the summer that much more this year. That's why we've outlined some easy adjustments you can make to optimize your days and your wallet. 

How to save on your water bill

Use a Rain Barrel

If you're a green thumb you may already know how advantageous this is. If you're just getting into gardening, however, you might not have thought of how you will water your seed babies. 

You can buy a rain barrel at any home improvement store, hide it in the corner of your yard or alongside your house, let rainwater drain into it, then water your plants with the water. You will save tonnes of water and money by not using a garden hose or filling up your can with tap water. You will also be kind to the environment by doing so, which we can all agree on is more important than ever,

Optimize Your Sprinkler

If you have kids, they probably love jumping through the sprinkler stream on a hot day. Hey, even if you’re an adult you might still love it! Make sure you’re placing your sprinkler in a spot where the droplets are landing on the grass or in your garden, and not wasting water on the pavement.

Go a step beyond that and place buckets along the outskirts of your sprinkler’s perimeter to collect some of the stray droplets. Use this water to fill water guns, hydrate the dog, clean your patio furniture…the possibilities are endless. 

Tank Bank

This suggestion has nothing to do with summer, as you can utilize it all year round, but we think it's pretty clever. Your toilet doesn’t need all the water in its tank to flush your business. Place a tank bank in your toilet tank to take up some surface area and trick it into thinking it is full. On average, save 0.8 gallons per flush. Depending on the number of people in your household, the savings can add up quickly!

How to save on your energy bill

Blackout Blinds

Are you a basement dweller in the summer; avoiding heat like it’s your day job? By replacing your curtains with blackout curtains, you could have access to the rest of your house at a comfortable temperature. Blackout blinds will block suns rays and heat throughout the day, helping keep your rooms cool into the evening. This could cut down on your air-conditioning use or need for a fan.

Air Conditioner Presets

Air conditioning…one of life’s luxuries on a sweltering day. If you’re lucky enough to have a unit in your house, you know how good it feels to open your door to a crisp temperature when the outside thermometer is reading 35 degrees.

We aren’t about to take that away from you. We’re just going to suggest that you can do it smarter-both for the environment and your bank account. During days that you are away at work, pre-set your air conditioner to turn off when you leave and turn back on an hour before you plan to arrive home.

If the average person works away from home for forty hours per week, the savings are exponential if you add up all those hours throughout the summer.

Sooooo, you want to renovate!? You might have bought yourself a fixer-upper or are looking to give your property a facelift before listing it. Whatever your renovation goals and inspiration are, our tips will help you get there! 

Overestimate Your Time

It's easy to fall into the thinking that you can renovate your entire bathroom over the weekend. While that might end up being true, it's always better to overestimate how long it will take you to complete your vision. This allows you to focus on the end result without rushing the process.

A wrench might get thrown into your timeline when you lift up the flooring to find some water damage or realize the plumbing needs to be rerouted for your double vanity. 

Plan & Track Your Budget

This might seem obvious, but once you get started, it's easy to forget to track where your dollars are spent. This makes it way more likely that your project will come in over budget once it is complete.

With that being said, it is also a good idea to allocate a bit of extra cash for unexpected expenses, like dealing with the water damage or plumbing issues mentioned above. If you don't have the cash to give yourself a bit of wiggle room, wait until you do. There is nothing worse than feeling forced to buy cheaper materials or not completing your vision 100% because your bank account says so.  

IKEA For the Win

We LOVE IKEA. The showrooms make it easy to envision the products in your own home. Need some inspiration? Head to IKEA. 

You don't have to be a professional to install anything IKEA, which is wonderful when you're wanting to do the renovations yourself. IKEA's price tag is also a nice surprise.

When looking for cabinets or countertops, it's worth mentioning that the "As-Is" section can be a gold mine. Often times showroom models or discontinued pieces are sold there for a fraction of the price. Use IKEA pieces as the "bones" of your project and personalize them with unique or more expensive finishings. 

Repurpose & Use the Leftovers

Hate the color of your cabinets? Paint them! Are your hardwoods floors a bit outdated? Sand and stain them! You don't need to replace these features of your house with all-new-everything...unless you want to. A new coat of paint on your wooden cabinets adds character and can also revitalize your kitchen at a fraction of the cost. 

You can also use the leftovers of your new installs in interesting ways. For example, create floating shelves in your closet with the ends of your butcher block countertops. 

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