“Research shows that many homeowners don’t like clutter in the bathroom and seek storage at their fingertips,” says Steve Bissell, president of Robern, a Kohler company and leader in bath storage solutions.

For an innovative storage option, Robern has designed a new mirrored cabinet for people who want storage along with the aesthetics of a seamless mirror.

The Uplift cabinet isn’t like the standard medicine cabinet over the vanity that opens out and may block your access to the sink. The seamless mirror lifts upward, with a position-hold feature allowing it to stay partly open while you access everything inside. It is deep enough to safely contain medicine bottles, toiletries and a small radio and has an optional mount for an LCD TV. Interior lights and outlets for up to six electronic devices make the Uplift cabinet perfect for bathroom storage so you can have all those items you need at your fingertips. And, they aren’t cluttering the countertop anymore.

If you need additional storage space in the bathroom, try rolling shelves or pull-out baskets that can hide in the cabinets under the sink. You can include one basket for each family member and, since they pull out, you don’t have to crawl on the floor to reach a bottle way in the back of a cabinet.

If you don’t have cabinets under your sink, there are many options for creative storage including bins and baskets to hold items like extra toilet paper, perfumes and colognes or hair-styling accessories. Depending on how tight space is, you can put a cabinet above the toilet, or find a stand-up container to fit between the toilet and the vanity. Another option is to find containers that work well on top of the vanity, allowing you to keep items within close reach.

In the shower, don’t trip on loose bottles of shampoo, conditioner and soap. Find an organizer that fits over the shower head or attaches to the shower wall with suction cups so you can get those items off the sides of the bath or the floor. If you have more than one person using the shower, consider getting each family member a separate organizer.

To keep your outlets uncluttered, make your nightlight part of the vanity mirror. The Uplift cabinet has an interior light to illuminate items stored inside and an optional nightlight along the handle that allows you to see well enough to move about the bathroom safely.

“Sometimes the most inspired ideas are the simplest,” Bissell says.

Install Energy-Efficient Windows
Coated glass panes keep heat in during the winter months, and out during the summer. These windows cost a little more, but you can recoup the expense in energy savings, often fairly quickly.

Cool Naturally
Reposition windows to take advantage of natural breezes and cross-ventilation. Placing equal-size windows on both windward and leeward sides of your house encourages breezes to move through. Install ceiling fans to keep the air moving, which will help you cut down on use of air-conditioning.

Use Nontoxic Paint Removers
Biodegradable paint strippers and finishes are available in recyclable containers.

Salvage What You Can
If there is nothing wrong with your old cabinets, instead of replacing them, refinish them. A sturdy table can find new life as a kitchen island, a wardrobe as a pantry. Search salvage yards for recycled building materials. Old pine beams, for example, can be sawed for use as flooring.

Fabulous Flooring
Choose natural linoleum over vinyl for an eco-friendly kitchen. You’ll love the bright colors and custom designs available from Forbo and Armstrong. Also consider bamboo, cork, and eucalyptus — all harvested from rapidly renewable resources. If you want hardwood flooring, look for certification from the Forest Stewardship Council. Also see our earlier article about environmentally friendly flooring.

Cool Refrigerators
If your refrigerator was manufactured before 1993, it uses twice as much energy as a new Energy Star-qualified model. Replacing it will also give you style options such as stainless steel and oiled-bronze finishes. French door refrigerators with bottom freezers are popular, and they accommodate wider items than traditional side-by-side units.

Countertops and Backsplashes
If you like the look of wood and want an environmentally friendly countertop, try bamboo. It’s available from Totally Bamboo in countertop dimensions. Or choose solid-surfacing or quartz-surfacing from DuPont, Silestone, Cambria, Formica, or Wilsonart with the Greenguard seal. IceStone uses recycled glass in a concrete mix for a totally different look.