I came across this article by Consumer Reports and thought I’d share it with you. The article is titled Cut Costs by Making Things Last and it’s about ways to prevent replacing things more often than you should. Some of the information was a little too obvious so I only included what I felt to be most beneficial. I’ve added some comments of my own as well; they are annotated below with a sub-bullet…

• Carpeting: Unless your carpet comes with a cushion attached, be sure to install one, ideally no more than 7/16-inch thick. Vacuum often, especially in high-traffic areas, to prevent soil from becoming embedded in the fibers.
  • The soil in your carpet acts like sand paper to the fibers and causes premature wear and tear.

• Hardwood Floors: Wipe up wet spills immediately. Dust mop or vacuum (ideally with a brush attachment or one designed for bare floors) at least weekly to keep dirt and grit from scratching the finish.

• Mattresses: Buy a washable, protective cover. Pull back the sheets and blankets, and let the bed air out for 20 minutes or so each morning. Avoid sitting on the edge of the mattress or allowing kids (or overly exuberant adults) to use it as a trampoline.
  • Another way to extend the life of your mattress is to flip it over every time you change your sheets.

• Clothing: Wash clothes in cold water whenever possible. Line-dry if you can. Consider a front-loader for your next washer. They cost more, but are more efficient to operate. The higher your utility rates, the sooner the payback. Also, front-loaders are less punishing to clothes than top-loaders, although they tend to cause more wrinkles.
  • This will also prevent you from shrinking or fading your clothes.

• Clothes Dryers: Empty the lint filter after each use, and clean the entire air duct yearly. The first step will allow the dryer’s air to flow freely; the second will do the same and also help prevent a house fire.
  • Clothes dryers were involved in an estimated 14,800 U.S. home structure fires, 16 civilian deaths, 309 civilian injuries and $75.8 million in direct property damage, annually, during 1994-1998 (learn more about appliance related fires here).

• Cell Phones: To prevent the battery from overheating and possibly ruining the phone, don’t stow your phone in your car’s glove compartment, especially during the hot summer months.
  • Leaving your cell phone plugged in all the time can cause permanent degradation to the battery making it hard to maintain a charge (the same applies to anything with a rechargeable battery).

• Digital Cameras: Suppress the urge to reach for a regular tissue or your shirttail when the lens is smudged or dirty. Use a lens-cleaning cloth or special lens tissue (with or without lens-cleaning fluid).

• Laptop Computers: Do your computing on a hard, flat surface rather than a soft, cushy one such as a bed or carpet. The latter can block airflow to your laptop and lead to overheating.

• LCD TVs: Clean the screen gently with a soft cloth. If you need to use a liquid solution, make sure it’s one designed for the purpose. Avoid regular glass cleaners and ammonia-based ones.

• Refrigerators and Freezers: Vacuum the dust off the coils, usually under or behind the unit, every few months.

• Tires: Keep them properly inflated. Consult your owner’s manual or the sticker on the driver’s side door jamb for guidance. Don’t go by the number on the sidewall of the tire; that refers to the tire’s maximum pressure. Both under and over inflation can cause premature wear, as well as handling problems.
  • Rotating your tires every other oil change and keeping them properly inflated can also save you gas mileage.

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