This fall, don't be haunted by rodents and insects trying to find a home for the winter inside your house.

Squirrels and other wild creatures are anything but cute if they've taken up residence inside your home, says Cindy Mannes, National Pest Management Association (NPMA) spokeswoman, based in Fairfax, Virginia.

"Animals have a job in nature. For example, termites break down dead trees so they can become soil again," she says. "It's great when that happens to fallen logs in the forest, but it's devastating when termites infiltrate your home."

A pest can be considered any insect, rodent or other wildlife that is an unwanted houseguest in your home. "Some people may not act if they see a single spider or mouse, but just know: If you see one, there's likely to be more," Mannes says. "Especially if a creature is venomous or carries disease, people want their home to be a sanctuary and their family to be protected."

In 2016, pest management was a $7.6 billion industry, with a projected growth of 4.5 percent every year, according to NPMA statistics. Mannes attributes some of this growth in pest management to consumer education and an intolerance of pests in and around the home.

As the weather turns colder, animals are also seeking the creature comforts humans can easily provide -- food, water and shelter. To help ensure that no creatures are stirring -- not even a mouse -- inside your home, know that an ounce of pest prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Audit

In order to keep insects, spiders and rodents from becoming unwanted houseguests, the NPMA recommends regular maintenance around the outside perimeter of the building.

-- Seal any cracks and crevices with silicone caulk, and larger holes with steel wool. Pay special attention to areas where the utilities enter a home.

-- Repair any opening in window screens and seal larger entryways under doors. Make sure attic vents and chimney openings are also capped and/or screened.

-- Replace weatherstripping and repair the fascia or any loose mortar around a basement foundation and windows.

-- Clean out gutters and remove other debris that encourages standing water near the house. Disconnect the outdoor hose and repair leaking faucets, water pipes and air conditioning units.

-- Properly landscape around the home to avoid providing a safe haven for pests. Keep shrubs trimmed, and keep mulch and thick groundcover away from the foundation. Store firewood at least 20 feet away from the home, and when bringing it inside, make sure to burn it right away.

-- Make sure basements, attics and crawl spaces are well-ventilated and dry.

-- Don't leave garbage cans outside without tightly sealing them.

Analyze

Mannes says most pest prevention is common sense, but requires a homeowner to see a structure through an animal's natural instincts. And you don't have to see a creature in your home to know that it has settled in for a long winter.

"If you have papers or books that have been chewed, or see droppings, you likely have a mouse in the house," she says. "Termites can leave what looks like sawdust under a window, or you can hear scurrying from other creatures in the walls or attic."

Act

If you suspect an infestation, Mannes says it's important to not freak out, but figure out the problem by hiring a licensed and insured pest professional who has the tools and expertise needed to inspect your home. By properly identifying the problem, a pest-management company can recommend the best course of action to rid your crib of unwanted critters.

"It's important to act, but not overreact," Mannes says. "Before contracting with a company, make sure the pest-control professionals have proper credentials, and get three bids, if possible."

Today's pest control isn't just one-size-fits-all; there is often an integrated pest-management plan based on the infestation problem and your home. "There has to be a level of trust with the pest-management company employees, because they are going into basement or attic storage that we, as homeowners, don't even venture," Mannes says. "When shopping for a pest-management company, it's important to not make a purchasing decision based solely on the lowest cost. Buy value, not just price."

All's well

Keeping critters outside can be as easy as implementing common sense inside, says Mannes. Be especially vigilant in areas that are dark and damp. "Don't store items in cardboard boxes, and use totes with lids that seal tightly," she says. "Keep a clean house, especially in the kitchen, where crumbs can be a critter's cafeteria."

Pest Professionals

To learn more about specific pests or find a pest-management professional in your area, go to PestWorld.org.

Having a well-heeled closet may be the first step to strutting your style at home.

Whether you wear designer shoes, sneakers or slippers, it's important to keep footwear organized and off the floor when you're not wearing a pair, says Carolyn Musher, sales vice president for California Closets in New York City.

"The shoes you wear say a lot about your personal sense of style," she says. "And how you store your shoes says a lot about your personal sense of organization."

Organized shoe selections don't hide on the floor or in hanging plastic shoe bags behind closet doors. One of Musher's most renowned shoe shuffles involved Beth Brenner, a New York City-based home design publication's chief revenue officer. Brenner's shoe collection stood out and began taking over her pre-war Manhattan apartment.

Musher's solution for Brenner's footwear affair was to build a floor-to-nearly-ceiling cabinet with built-in shoe cubbies and an adjoining nightstand for the corner of her bedroom. This custom-built cabinetry was placed between her bed and the wall, which meant getting rid of the stacks of shoes in her bedroom corner.

The first step to having a shoe closet is to clear out the clogs -- or other shoes -- that are no longer worn, Musher says. "Unless you have unlimited space -- and no one has that -- you have to purge shoes you no longer wear," she says. "By keeping only the shoes you love and wear, it makes it easier to move into the organizational phase."

Personalize

It's easy to become head over heels for a shoe closet when it is built to your shoe specifications. Shoes can be the eye candy in a closet en suite that resembles a personal boutique on display.

"For some, shoes are like pieces of wearable art," Musher says. "After spending a lot of money on, say, the red-soled shoes, why wouldn't you want them displayed in your closet when you're not wearing them?"

Shoes are accessories that can be style showstoppers and a closet's centerpiece. But even if you don't have a large walk-in closet space for shoe storage, the most important thing is to keep footwear off the floor.

"You don't want to start your day by digging around for a pair of shoes that match," Musher says. "The best organizational plan involves making a place for everything and keeping everything in its place."

Visualize

Most-used shoes should be placed at eye level, with lesser-used or out of season shoes placed in a closet's upper shelf storage space. "Your shoe closet should evolve with the seasons," Musher says. "Sandals shouldn't occupy prime closet real estate when it's winter and you're wearing boots."

While shoe closets might be more closely associated with female footwear, men and children are having shelves built for shoes in their closets. "Being able to choose a pair of matching shoes quickly is desirable -- no matter who or how old you are," Musher says. "The key with children's closets is to take stock of shoes regularly, because they grow out of them quickly."

Musher says to move too-small shoes down the road by putting them into storage for younger siblings or by donating them.

Customize

When it comes to organizing shoes in your closet, group similar styles together, whether it's by color, season or heel height. Shoes can be placed on shelves, in cubbies or stacked in see-through containers with lids.

An organizational system that utilizes the boxes in which the shoes were purchased can also be implemented, just make sure you don't become lazy with your loafers by not putting them in the box and back on the shelf. Taking a picture of the shoes and affixing it to the outside of the box makes seeing your shoes a snap.

Musher says while it's easiest to build a shoe closet from the ground up, homeowners can also organize footwear on a shoestring budget. With nearly 80 California Closet locations throughout the United States, Musher says shoe closet costs can start around $500 and go up from there, depending on size specifications and finishes.

Footwear closets should be as accessible and comfortable as an old shoe, but shouldn't look like one. Higher-end closets can have shelving units or shoe displays with glamorous lighting.

But the closet isn't the only place that should be a clutter-free zone for shoes. People entering the home -- either through the front-door foyer or side mudroom -- should have shoe storage that is as well-ordered as private shoe closets, Musher says.

"Have a place to stow shoes by the door, whether it's under a bench, inside a cubby or into a basket," she says. "People entering a home shouldn't be tripping over a field of footwear deposited by the door."

Professional Put-together

Go to CaliforniaClosets.com or call 888.336.9707 to request a free closet consultation.

The time is right for clocks to be an integral part of a home's design. The household clock has become less of a necessity and more of a personal choice, says Markus Harris, communications director for the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors in Columbia, Pennsylvania.

"Though long-ubiquitous in our society, these days, the household clock is much less necessary than it was," he says. "Many modern appliances have digital time displays, as do our ever-present cellphones ... so the household clock is an expression of style and decorative taste."

With contemporary lines and retro Sputnik-like shapes inspired by mid-20th century design or modern-farmhouse styles with distressed wood and metals, today's clocks have looks that stand the test of time. Form follows function as modern-style clocks are hitting the mainstream, says Karen Sullivan, Wall Decor Buyer for Omaha, Nebraska-based Hayneedle Inc., an online home store since 2002.

"The clock is a natural focal point on a wall," she says. "And, while it should stand out, a wall clock shouldn't conflict with the other wall decor and furniture in the room."

Sullivan says that an oversized clock with a floating dial is a timely timepiece, especially when hung on an expansive wall in a modern home with an open-floor design. "The clock should be the first piece up on a wall," she says. "Then, frames and artwork surrounding the clock should follow. There also needs to be a unifying element to the clock and surrounding pieces, whether it's a color, a metal or wood stain."

Today's timepieces are entering a time warp with the resurgence of interest in mid-century modern clocks, Sullivan says. "You don't have to be a clock collector to appreciate the styles from the 1950s and '60s," she says. "George Nelson clocks have been reissued with the Sunburst, Star and Atomic Age designs for a new generation."

George Nelson (1908-1986) has been called one of the founding fathers of American modernism and was known for applying his design to practical household items, such as clocks. Original collectible George Nelson Clocks can start around $500, whereas the reissued designs are less than $150. Reproductions of his original electrified clocks are easily detected because they require batteries to operate.

While modernistic timepieces have a cool vibe, clocks with rustic or distressed finishes add character and warmth to a room. Sullivan says today's timepieces are generally less ornate and made to match a casual lifestyle. "The clock in your home has to make YOU tick, and we're finding that floor clocks -- or Grandfather clocks -- and fireplace mantel clocks are capturing smaller and smaller segments of the population," she says. "The wall clock with the floating dial is popular, because the backdrop is the wall itself, so there's nothing to match."

The numerals on a clock face run the gamut from stylized Roman numerals to nonexistent numbers, but Sullivan says more people are searching for clocks that also have a digital calendar and day-of-the-week features while also telling the time.

More than just a way to tell time, a household clock can evoke memories and recall a simpler time, while also making a style statement. Harris recently purchased an emerald green Kit-Cat Clock for his wife, Charlene, to hang in their kitchen. Made on the West Coast since the 1930s, the Kit-Cat Clock was a fixture in Charlene's grandmother's home, with the movement of the large eyes and tail also keeping time. "Now our own Kit-Cat Clock ticks away on the wall of our kitchen, adding the perfect nostalgic touch to our decor," Harris says. " A really great design always holds up."

Harris also says modern hipsters are rediscovering a well-made clock's mechanical complexity. "Millennial steampunks are inspired by the beguiling fusion of past and present that is so perfectly signified by the intricate complexities of mechanical clocks wrought of wood and brass," he says. "Entire decorating schemes have been inspired by such horological works of art."

Second Time Around

For more time-styling ideas, go to: Hayneedle.com.