These home items made my life better, and I want to recommend them to you!
“You get what you pay for!” This is a phrase some of my friends used to tell me every time I bought something cheap and then whined about it breaking and becoming useless in a week.
If you think about it, this adage is very true, and indeed, when you choose to pay more, you will generally get better items. I know, I know, that there are many of you out there who will tell me that this is not the case for you and that you have a lot of items from the dollar store that are perfectly good, but today I want to talk about some specific home items.
When I am thinking about a mattress, let’s say, I know for sure that if I decide to try an upper tier that is more expensive, I will have a better sleep experience. There is no way you can deny this.
Some home items are real investments that will change your life, and in the end, you will notice that they pay off. These pay-offs manifest not only in financial savings through durability and energy efficiency but also in enhanced well-being, improved comfort, and a more sustainable household.
Here are some of the best purchases that I’ve ever made. These are the home items I will not stop recommending!
Quality LED light bulbs
One thing I was not aware of for a long time, and Bill made me more cautious about it, is how much light bulbs consume. Yes, one light bulb is not a big deal, but you don’t have just one light bulb in your home. Add them up and you will see the numbers from your energy bill rising!
The transition to LED lighting is one of the most accessible and impactful upgrades for any home. At first, you might say that LEDs have a higher upfront cost compared to traditional incandescent bulbs, but in the long run, they are the real winners when it comes to consumption and durability.
What I like the most about LEDs is that they don’t need that warm-up period before emitting the bright light. Some other energy-efficient bulbs require this, and I find it incredibly annoying.
Then you can find them in a myriad of color temperatures, and this allowed me to create the perfect ambiance in my living room. I am a big fan of lamps, and I have more of them with light bulbs of different intensities and colors.
But most importantly, LEDs consume up to 90 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs. For instance, a 9-watt LED used 4 hours a day at an electricity rate of $0.12/kWh costs only about $1.57 per year to operate. This is why I think LEDs are some amazing home items that are great if you want to save some money.
Energy-efficient appliances
Refrigerators, washing machines, and dryers are indispensable for any of us, or at least I can’t imagine my life in their absence. The only problem is that they can also be significant energy consumers if you are not careful about what you buy.
These home items can be really energy hungry, and this will show up on your bill. So, a good idea would be to invest in energy-efficient models, especially the ones that have the ENERGY STAR label. Believe me when I tell you that the splurge when it comes to these home items is a good idea!
These are the home items that often incorporate advanced technologies that improve performance and convenience. For example, right now, we have a modern refrigerator at home, and it features improved insulation and more precise temperature control mechanisms.
An ENERGY STAR refrigerator uses around 15% less energy than the government minimum standard. This may save you up to $75 a year or about $1,000 over the course of its 12-year lifespan.
What I’ve done is to gradually replace my old appliances with ENERGY STAR appliances, and over time, this has led to a much more acceptable energy bill.
High-quality mattress
Having a good night’s sleep is one of the most important factors you need to consider when you want to have a long and happy life. I was always a person who had sleep problems, and I struggled to find a solution to this.
Well, now purchasing a new and better mattress didn’t fix the problem, but the difference is significant. You can relax so much better on a good-quality mattress, and even more importantly, this is one of the home items that will last you for years.
Restorative sleep is necessary for many physical activities, such as repairing muscles, growing tissues, boosting the immune system, enhancing memories, controlling mood, and keeping cognitive skills, including creativity and decision-making. A decent mattress helps these things happen by giving you the support and comfort you need for deep, undisturbed sleep.
Since I’ve decided to change all the mattresses in our house, I can assure you that this is not just marketing. Right now, I can swear I wake up feeling more refreshed, experience less pain, and have better energy levels. Jake, my son, who was still living with us back then, was very happy about the change, and so were his friends who were visiting. And if you are mad because your mattress keeps slipping, don’t worry, and try this.
Smart thermostat
The smart thermostat that I have today, a Honeywell T6 Pro Series Z, was a significant upgrade that made the whole house an overall better living environment. When you have the right temperature inside, you feel full of life, and you can easily see in front of your eyes how your life changes.
The thing is that if you plan to get a new thermostat, you’d better choose a smart one. Bill and I got this one from Home Depot, and the clerk advised us to choose the smart version because, besides helping us save money on energy, it will also be more efficient at controlling the room temperature. So, we did just like he advised, and now we don’t regret it.
One thing I like about this new Honeywell thermostat is that I can control it remotely, and during the hot summer days, I can power it on before getting home or in case it seems too hot for our dogs to bear. A true lifesaver.
Many smart thermostats also provide detailed energy usage reports, offering insights into heating and cooling patterns, and this can help you learn how to conserve more energy. The average (ENERGY STAR estimate) is around $50 per year (or 8% of the HVAC bill).
So, what do you think? Do you feel ready for some new home items that can change your life? There are many more out there, but these are the ones I personally tried, so I feel safe recommending them.
If you have any experience with them, I am curious to discover your story in the comments. Also, if you have questions, feel free to ask!
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