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If 2011 felt like a bone-wearying, thank-goodness-it's-over slog to the finish, resolve to make things easier on yourself as you flip the page to a new year. We culled 50 tips from colleagues and our favorite magazines and websites to help you get started. From decorating to entertaining, gardening to DIY projects, you'll find ways to save energy, time and money in 2012 -- and who can't use more of all three?

1. Buy two or three four-way screwdrivers and leave them around the house where you might need them. Beats spending time searching for them.

2. Don't be afraid to edit your garden. Remove oversized shrubs that block windows, walks or drives and can't be kept to size by annual pruning.

3. Fond of a paint color but fear it's too intense? Paint the insides of cabinets or a laundry closet. You'll enjoy the hue every time you open the door, but it will be your splashy little secret.

4. Here's a creative way to display art: Visit tinyurl.com/3uhl36u for a quick and cheap guide to making chalkboard frames with bulldog clips -- especially great for a kitchen or kid's room. (creaturecomfortsblog.com)

5. Trendy color palettes can be found on all kinds of things. Don't worry about decorating with the inspiration object: Just steal its colors. (HGTV.com)

6. A portable docking station lets you and friends crank up your playlists anywhere, great for adding variety to parties. (Better Homes & Gardens).

7. Use construction adhesive to affix a sheet of precut galvanized steel to the interior of your medicine cabinet. Use magnetic hooks to hold scissors and a mirror, and small plastic cups with magnetic bottoms corral small necessities, such as rubber bands and hair clips. (Martha Stewart Living)

8. Troll antiques and consignment shops. If you make the rounds once a month, you're more likely to score good stuff. It can also be a great way to save money.

9. Don't try to grow grass where it simply won't perform well, such as slopes and under the canopy of large trees. Consider natural areas and ground covers instead.

10. Spruce up your mailbox. If it's tilting, straighten the post and tamp the earth firmly. Scrub off dirt and mildew, and paint as needed. Add bright new numbers to welcome visitors. A design tip: If your driveway runs near the edge of your yard, put the mailbox in the narrow, outside strip of lawn closest to the lot line. That way, it won't visually break up the expanse of the main lawn.

11. Pay attention to the backs of chairs, Mitchell Gold of North Carolina-based Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, says. "The best ones float in a room like pieces of sculpture." (Elledecor.com)

12. Get something new: This spring, promise yourself you will try at least two new kinds of annuals or perennials for your flower beds.

13. To protect smartphones, tablet computers, calculators and other electronics in your home workshop, seal the device in a plastic storage bag. It will keep glue and dust out and allow you to use the touch screen or keys through the plastic. Attach binder clips to the bag, then hang it near your workbench. (dannylipford.com)

14. Dinnerware comes in all styles and colors, from casual to formal, so you can find a color story for every room in your home. Take a sample plate along when you shop for paint colors, furniture and accessories. (HGTV.com)

15. Feeling more energetic? Buy a new canvas tool bag -- good ones can be had for less than $20 -- and start filling it with basic tools over the coming year. Small projects go quicker and easier when you don't have to stop repeatedly to go get a hammer, etc. One option: Check flea markets for used tools. You can find lots of good basics for just a few bucks.

16. Sprinkle wet tea leaves on fireplace ashes while scooping them out to help reduce blowing dust. (Hometalk.com)

17. Look for spots in your home where light fixtures are dated or provide too little light. In the bathroom, for instance, replace that simple four-bulb strip over the mirror with a stylish fixture, and perhaps add sconces beside the mirror. The side lights are much more flattering. The room will be brighter -- and you'll look better.

18. At the paint store, ask about a color's Light Reflectance Value, or LRV. "The higher the LRV, the more light will bounce around the room. The lower the LRV, the more the color will absorb light, which will make the room seem moody," designer Kelly Berg says. (BH&G).

19. Hoe the tops off tiny weeds in the morning of a hot day (they'll be dead by dark), then soak the ground. The next morning, hand-pull large weeds; their taproots will slip out of the moist soil. (Sunset magazine)

20. To coordinate colors quickly, add an accent piece such as a painting, pillow or throw that incorporates most of the colors in your room. (HGTV.com)

21. Nothing puts a fresh gleam on your home like a newly painted door. If the door is steel, repair with auto body filler and sand smooth. Prime, then paint with high-quality 100-percent acrylic semigloss. If the door is varnished wood, touch up faded stain and finish with marine spar varnish.

22. A long, narrow foyer poses special decorating challenges. Treat it as your personal art exhibit, hanging meaningful pieces on the walls, gallery-style.

23. Stay on schedule: Fertilize your fescue grass at the right time, mid-February, mid-September and late November.

24. Have a door that swings closed by itself? Remove the pin from the top hinge, lay it on a scrap of wood and tap the middle of the pin with a hammer to create a gentle curve. Replace the pin in the hinge. The extra tension should hold the door open. If not, do the same with the middle hinge.

25. If you e-mail a party invitation, send it two weeks in advance so guests have time to plan and RSVP. (Elledecor.com).

26. Hang a zippered mesh bag in your closet as a delicates-only hamper that you can toss right into the washing machine. (BH&G)

27. Organize your pantry: Store serving trays, platters and cutting boards with tension curtain rods. Measure the vertical distance between two cupboard shelves. Position appropriate-sized rods between the shelves, then twist to tighten. Use two rods on both sides of each item, spacing them according to the dimensions of individual pieces. (Martha Stewart Living)

28. Leave perennials such as coneflowers, black-eyed Susans, asters, goldenrods and Joe-Pye weed standing when they've finished blooming. As fall arrives, finches, sparrows and cardinals will cling to the stems to harvest ripening seeds, while towhees and juncos will pick up seeds on the ground below. Other birds will glean insects, pupae and eggs from the stems through the winter, and when spring comes, the weathered stalks and stems will be easy to cut down and compost. (Organic Gardening)

29. Give your bedroom a quick and affordable makeover. Have your favorite photo blown up (try your local Kinko's or online sites such as shutterfly.com), then follow the step-by-step how-to at tinyurl.com/cgujn3 to create a one-of-a-kind headboard. (Poppytalk.com)

30. Party time? Download a free party-planning checklist at tinyurl.com/c2obc56. It will guide you from one month before the event to an hour before guests arrive. (HGTV.com)

31. The tannins in black tea can help shine and color hardwood flooring. After your regular floor-cleaning routine, carefully rub some brewed tea into the floor (use water sparingly) and let it air dry. (Hometalk.com)

32. Raise the scent. Plant something permanent, such as daphne or viburnum, that will bring great fragrance to the garden.

33. Living in a small space? Go vertical. Remember: Your home is three dimensional so use every inch of wall space you can. Hang knives and utensils from a kitchen wall; consider cabinets above a desk for additional storage; and a wall-hung vanity mirror will help declutter the bathroom. (apartmenttherapy.com)

34. Create a miniature greenhouse-style planter box by reusing inexpensive paned glass ceiling fixtures (available at salvage yards or ReUse stores). A simple version can be made by resting the gutted glass fixtures atop a wood slab. For a more custom look, see the tutorial at tinyurl.com/7xarokg. (StudioChoo via designsponge.com)

35. Replace old-fashioned, recessed floodlights with modern LEDs. You'll save money, and if the recessed cans are in raised, hard-to-reach ceilings, you won't have to replace them as often. If the lights are on dimmers -- and most lighting should be -- make sure to choose dimmable LED bulbs.

36. Hire an expert: If your landscape doesn't suit you, bring in a landscape design pro to evaluate, make suggestions and offer a plan that can be implemented over time.

37. Old egg cartons make ideal storage containers for delicate holiday decor such as heirloom ornaments. Reuse leftover tissue paper to wrap delicate pieces.(re-nest.com)

38. Need a desk or other piece of basic wood furniture? Buy an ugly, used one that's been painted and get it stripped. You can stain the naked piece yourself. You'll love the look and feel good about your "rescue" mission.

39. Brighten up a faded tablecloth with a do-it-yourself project using textile dye and special salt. Find the directions at tinyurl.com/7nwrvpn. (ohhappyday.com)

40. To cut down on clutter in your child's room, put some toys away and rotate them. We trade "old" toys for "new" ones from a lockable metal storage locker from Ikea (tinyurl.com/7hlg3ua). This cuts down on clutter and keeps our favorite preschooler excited about her toys.

41. Got some old mason jars? Readymade.com shares 10 reuse projects including on-the-wall storage, pies-in-a-jar and herb planters (tinyurl.com/6s99wnt).

42. For advice on everything from growing your own vegetables to fighting an invasion of stink ants, the experts at N.C. Cooperative Extension Services can help. For services and resources in your county, visit www.ces.ncsu.edu.

43. Remove the batteries from an old remote control and stuff the empty compartment with emergency cash, a spare key or anything else you need to keep handy but hidden. (Real Simple)

44. Keep plastic wrap in the refrigerator and it won't cling to itself when handled. (The Creative Home Organizer)

45. To make your windows sparkle, mix one part distilled vinegar to nine parts water in a spray bottle. Spray it sparingly onto the glass and buff dry using a paper towel, or a scrunched-up newspaper. (BBC America's "How Clean is Your House?"

46. Look for less-than-perfect merchandise. You may be able to snag super deals on slightly damaged items, floor models and seconds (such as towels from a dye lot that was slightly off) so be sure to check stores' "as is" areas or ask the manager about fire-sale items. Or buy stock items. Order that sofa in a neutral, ready-to-ship fabric and use the money you save to splurge on colorful throw pillows.

47. Use an electric mower. Gasoline-powered lawn mowers can release as many pollutants into the atmosphere in 30 minutes as a car does in 90 minutes. Electric mowers don't dirty the air and cost only about $10 per year to operate.

48. Put your cut holiday tree to use! Cut the branches and lay them over perennials to protect them from the cold. Shred small branches to make mulch.

49. People who feed pets outdoors should not be shocked by the appearance of opossums, skunks and others waiting for the free buffet. Feed your pets indoors or pick up and remove any uneaten food after 20 minutes of offering it outside.

50. Remove cigarette burns from carpets by sanding them away. If black fibers remain, remove the tips of them with scissors. If there is still a small stain or gap evident, snip a small amount of fibers from an inconspicuous area and glue them into the gap. Only you will know.

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(c)2011 The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.) 

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