Flush less water down the drain

Older toilets (made before 1998) use a lot of unnecessary water. We have an older toilet, and eventually, we will replace it. Until then, though, we've cut our water usage by putting plastic bottles filled with water in the tank. Some people used bricks in the past, but they will decompose and eventually cause plumbing problems.

The plastic bottles in our tank once held 64 oz. of juice, but now they hold 64 oz. of water. They are rectangular and fit perfectly inside the tank. (Be sure to clear all the moving parts, or the bottle will hinder the flush.) Since we have two in our tank, we are saving a gallon of water with every flush.

Some companies sell bags of water that hang inside your tank, which works the same way as the bottle, only they are mounted to the side. Using old plastic bottles works fine for us, and it's free. If you fill them with bathwater, you aren't even wasting water to do it. Or fill it with tap water and use it as emergency back up.