HERE COMES THE SUN! THE PROS AND CONS OF HOME SOLAR PANELS
Solar power has been all over the news, and odds are good that at least one door-to-door salesperson came knocking this summer to sing their praises. Celebrities like Tom Hanks, Brad Pitt, and Pierce Brosnan have invested in solar or installed it on their homes to convert to green energy — but is following in their famous footsteps the right move for your family? The Pros of Powering Up The biggest selling point for solar panels is that they’re a quick, easy source of green energy. They can reduce or replace fossil fuels in your home, decrease your family’s carbon footprint, and help fight climate change. They’re also a proven technology dating back to 1954, and individual panels can last 25–30 years before they need replacing. Switching to solar also increases the independence of the whole U.S. electricity grid, and covering your roof with panels can boost the value of your home by as much as $15,000. The Cons No One Talks About The biggest downside of solar is that it simply doesn’t work for every home. If your roof is consistently shaded by trees or poorly oriented for panels, or you live in a rainy
Goodbye, Shoe Chaos! 3 Storage Ideas That Will Save You From Tripping
It’s that time of year again: The kids are charging inside, kicking off their shoes wherever they please, and tearing into the house! If you’ve already tripped over a dozen pairs of sneakers, it’s time to create and enforce a better shoe storage solution. Here are three functional and attractive methods to try.
1. The DIY PVC Pipe Shoe Cubby
This shoe storage project is all the rage on Pinterest! It turns out that when you cut a large PVC pipe into sections, paint them your preferred color(s), and glue them together with PVC glue, the honeycomb effect looks both fun and elegant. You can try this in your mudroom or in your kids’ rooms to make putting away their shoes feel like a game. Check out the video “PVC Pipe Shoe Rack” by Home Made Simple on YouTube for a step-by-step guide to building a floor rack or Instructables.com for tips on mounting your rack to the wall.
climate, your panels might only generate 10%–25% of their energy potential. If you have the space, ground-installed solar panels may work to avoid some of these issues, but they won’t solve weather problems.
2. The Over-the-Door Shoe Bag
Solar can also be expensive. Installing it will cost you $15,000–$20,000 on average. For some homeowners, this investment is offset by lower long-term
If you don’t have the floor space for a traditional shoe rack, consider investing in an over-the-door shoe bag. These fabric, clear plastic, or upscale mesh bags hook over the top of a door and are covered in pockets for shoes. Many can hold up to 36 pairs! Best of all, when they’re hanging on the back of your mudroom or closet door, your shoes will be both easy to access and tucked out of sight. You can find affordable racks on Amazon.com for less than $10 or fancier models at Walmart for under $20.
electricity costs, but it might not be affordable for you or make sense if your electricity bill is already low.
3. The Hanging Closet ‘Shoe File’
CO2-Saving Alternatives If you want to dip your toes into the world of solar but can’t afford to power your whole home, you can start small with solar lights for your yard, a solar oven, or a solar-powered water heater. You can even explore wind power! Small wind energy systems cost under $500 on Amazon.com or at Home Depot and can lower your electricity bill by 50%–90%.
Speaking of closets, the “shoe file” is the perfect storage solution for a coat closet or any other closet near your main door. Instead of hanging on the door, this pocket-filled organizer cascades from a hanger! Many of the pockets are conveniently located at eye level; you can load up your closet with as many files as you need, and each file can hold up to 18 pairs of shoes. ContainerStore. com sells elegant shoe files starting at $12.99.
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