When wildlife rummages through your garbage, it can be more than just a nuisance -- wild animals can choke, get trapped and die. To help them, it's key to make trash as unenticing as possible and nearly impossible to get into. To wildlife-proof your trash bins, start by minimizing the odors. That means rinsing non-recyclables and placing food scraps inside old plastic bags or containers that you plan to toss. You can also use bungee cords: Wrap them around trash cans to keep the lids on tight.

It's more than just redecorating, it's rethinking how your home's heating system works: Take a walk through your home and make sure all the vents and radiators are unblocked. Move furniture like sideboards and headboards away to let warm air properly circulate through the home. The thermostat for your home should also be free from any obstruction; a piece of furniture that blocks it can give the thermostat a false reading that the room is cooler than it actually is, forcing your heating system to work harder to heat up your home.

Water can be a valuable resource for birds when it gets cold outside. Sure, there are electrical heaters and fancy devices that aerate the water, but why bother when you can use the sun? If you have a birdbath, now is the time to give it a few coats of nontoxic black latex paint for outdoor use. Let it dry and cure for a few weeks, then place it on the south or southwestern side of your property, where you have the most amount of sun during the day. The black-painted birdbath will absorb the heat and keep water from freezing.