Four fresh ideas to start off your spring

(NC)—With springtime on the horizon, and old man winter's scorn fading into the rear view mirror, cleaning and fresh start plans are top of mind. However, sometimes, even with the good intentions, we have trouble getting the best laid plans off the ground.

While you may not get your attic entirely cleared, here's a list of simple and helpful ideas that you can put into place anytime:

• Save more paper and have less clutter: Sometimes the smallest steps can go a long way. By moving to electronic bills, like Paperless Billing from Enbridge, you can decrease the amount of paper coming through your mail slot each month and decrease your paperwork and filing tasks at home.

• Use energy more efficiently: From heating your home on that cold night to warming the water for your morning shower, natural gas provides great value for your energy dollars. But we're always looking for ways to take dollars even further, and using energy more efficiently is a great place to start. Try reducing your home's thermostat by 3oC at night or taking shorter showers.

• Keep safety top of mind: The start of spring is a great time to renew your commitment to safety. Set reminders to check the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms whenever the clocks change and ensure heating elements and appliances are turned off when they're not in use.

• Manage your energy costs over the year: Local utilities, like Enbridge, have plans in place to help you manage energy costs throughout the year. Enbridge's Budget Billing Plan helps spread out natural gas charges over 11 months, which can help make budgeting easier for customers. The total annual gas cost doesn't change—it just makes budgeting easier to manage.

More information is available at enbridgegas.com

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