Welcoming a new baby into your home is stressful and costly enough without adding a high energy bill into the mix. With the TV on more often while feeding, washing more, ensuring the little one’s room is the perfect temperature and flicking on the kettle – it’s easy to see how small things can quickly add up. In fact, a new addition to the household can lead to an increase of 25% in energy consumption. Our top tips will help you be as energy-savvy as possible while settling into newborn life.
Location, location, location
If you’re in the early stages of planning bubs nursery, and have a few rooms to choose from, try to opt for a room on the southern side of your home. Southern facing windows won’t receive too much direct sunlight during the day – helping you cut down on cooling costs during warmer days.
If you don’t have the luxury of choosing the position of your baby’s room, consider where you position the cot. Create a safe zone around it by placing it away from windows, heaters, lamps and cords. For your baby’s comfort, also try and ensure it’s not directly under an air-conditioning or heating vent.
Temperature control
Block-out curtains and blinds are a great investment that will help your baby sleep soundly during nap time and help keep the temperature more stable during summer and winter. When you do have to switch on the heating or cooling, make sure you opt for the most energy-savvy temperature. When cooling, this means setting your AC to 24°C or higher (each degree under uses 5% more energy) and when heating up the space opt for 18-20°C (each degree over 20°C uses around 10% more energy).
To get the most bang for buck out of your cooling and heating, keep the doors shut and curtains drawn – make sure you trap that air! Repair any faulty door seals and opt for door snakes and weather strips to block any gaps where air can escape.
Create stations
Feeding station
Have your remote and phone handy, perhaps have a charger nearby too. Pillows? Water? Entertainment? Tick! Remember you can be stuck there for a while. Whilst this tip might not save you energy on your bill, but it will help restore your all-important energy.
Bottled cleaning station
Try and keep the bottles needing to be sterilised, along with all the stuff you need to do it, set up in one easy to reach area. This will save you leaving the tap running while you try and find where you left the bottle cleaner – which could help reduce your gas usage too.
Washing stations
Have your clothes sorted into piles or baskets to clearly show what needs soaking, washing, folding and putting away. You’ll be doing a lot of washing with a new baby and an organised laundry is a happy laundry, it can also help you cut down on the amount of loads you’re doing.
Wash smart
Speaking of washing… washing in cold water is a simple way to take care of little one’s clothes and minimise your energy usage – all in one spin cycle. Cold water washing is better at preventing clothes from shrinking or fading in the wash (excluding delicates or woollens) and it also prevents colours bleeding.
Relying less on hot water cycles to wash your clothes also keeps your energy bill lower. About 90% of the energy used by your washing machine goes towards heating the water.
Take advantage of the sun
If the weather is nice out, opt for the clothesline over the dryer. Not only will you save – air drying just three loads of washing a week can help you save around $80 a year – the fresh air and sunshine on your face will do wonders for your wellbeing.
Opt for ambient lighting
Use as many lamps as you can around the house rather than overhead halogen lighting and switch the globes to energy-efficient LEDs. By installing energy-saving lighting options – like LEDs – you could save up to 80% on your lighting costs (that’s up to $16 per globe per year). As an added bonus, opting for ambient lighting will also help keep everyone calmer in the middle of the night.
Cook clever
If you need to reheat home-cooked that friends and family have prepared for you, and the microwave just won’t cut it, make sure you opt for the fan forced setting on your oven. This simple swap will ensure your meal cooks more evenly, and quicker – resulting in less energy.
If you, or your partner, are handling mealtimes consider opting for slow cooked meals. A legendary unsung appliance in the kitchen cupboard, slow cookers can assist in whipping up delicious stews and aromatic curries whilst you’re juggling parenthood. Slow cookers are also incredibly versatile and use less energy than standard ovens.
Whilst we’re in the kitchen, make sure you flick off any small appliances that aren’t in use. ‘Vampire power’ can end up costing you up to $100 per year.
Get outside when you can
Make sure you make the most of nice weather when it pops up. Giving yourself even a small change of scenery during the day can help lower stress levels during a very demanding time. If you’re a member of our energy-saving rewards program, Spike, make the most of your SpikeHours when they pop up by having a cup of tea with the sunshine on your back in winter (or a cool drink in the shade on a hot summer’s day). A break outdoors can feel as restorative as a nap. If you feel up to it, take the baby for a walk, a stroll can do wonders for your headspace.
Check your energy plan
A simple tip but one that can be overlooked while you’re planning for life with a newborn. Check your bill and make sure you’re on an energy plan that’s right for your household. Taking the time to check your plan could result in significant savings on your bills.While checking your plan, see whether you’re eligible for any concessions or rebates.
