Using a vacuum is one of the best ways to create a healthy home. By vacuuming just once a week (or twice if you have pets) you can keep dirt, dust and other debris under control. But one more trick? Vacuum slowly. By going slow and moving the vacuum with overlapping strokes, you actually speed up the cleaning process by 85 percent. More dust, allergens, pollen, dirt and other debris get picked up with the slower motion of the vacuum.

If you like to keep a bottle of olive oil on your kitchen countertop, there is an easy step you can take to avoid having it go bad. When it comes to preserving olive oil, there is one major enemy: light. The more light the olive oil faces, the more free radicals are generated, which leads to oxidation and rancidity of the oil. To avoid this, choose a glass bottle that has a blue or green tint to it, which will act as a natural UV light barrier. You can also use a metal container, but choose a non-reactive metal like stainless steel, not iron or copper, which will react poorly with the oil.

Even though most of the country is inside shivering from the winter weather, you'll be gardening in no time. One way to give plants a better chance to thrive in your garden is to plant them at night, not during the day. Since the sun is strongest during the day, freshly planted seedlings and other delicate plants could literally fry if you plant them during peak hours. By planting at night, you benefit from the chill of the air, and the water won't evaporate. Plant as the sun goes down to gain the positive effects of evening gardening.