A clothing dryer at home takes up about 6 percent of your home’s total electricity usage. A very easy way to reduce that and save electricity is to line-dry your clothing. But that doesn’t have to mean running a line in the backyard at all. For smaller loads, wash clothes and spin-dry them to remove as much water as possible. Then simply hang the clothing on hangers and let it air-dry overnight inside. During the winter months, the warm, arid atmosphere inside expedites drying. One benefit: Most clothing will air-dry wrinkle-free.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

If you do just one thing this spring, spend $100 and plant a shade tree in your front yard. This one thing can help your curb appeal and landscaping look better over time, but it also cuts down on cooling costs during the hot summer months. Spending a little more on a mature tree to plant will mean you’ll recoup your costs more quickly. A mature shade tree can cut your air conditioning costs by as much as 40 percent. And every home looks better with a large, beautiful tree in the front yard!

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Sure, it’s great to upgrade your heating and cooling systems at home to be kind to the environment and reduce your utility bills. But did you know those investments can actually improve the resale value of your home, too? According to the trade magazine Remodeling, every $1 in annual energy savings your improvements provide equals up to $20 in home value at the time of sale. For a typical-sized home of around 2,000 square feet, that can be more than $30,000 in added value. The lower the costs to operate a home, the more valuable the home becomes to potential buyers.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION