Older homes have very little or no floor insulation, which can lead to some chilly nights as the weather gets cooler. One way to add heat and comfort to your home is to take advantage of layering area rugs on bare floors. They help lock in heat that's being blown into your home from your heating system and significantly reduce draftiness, too. To boost the area rug's effectiveness, add a rug pad underneath to double the insulation properties and to protect your floors.

If have room in your backyard, consider making a wildlife brush pile habitat. It's exactly that: A pile of sticks, branches, twigs and other natural materials built up into a pile. It provides habitat during the cooler months for all sorts of wild animals. It's also a place for insects to call home; these insects become valuable food for wild animals. Even just covering your flower garden with raked leaves provides a warm habitat for smaller animals, all while insulating flowerbeds to be ready for next year.

With colder temperatures around the corner, many of us will look for firewood to keep our homes warm during the winter months. One way to make your firewood choice more sustainable and better for your home is to source firewood that's local. If you purchase firewood that was logged more than 50 miles away, you risk bringing in invasive insects that can damage your home and the trees around your house. Often, firewood bundles sold at supermarkets or chain stores are from trees cut hundreds of miles away. Buying locally also cuts down on the carbon footprint.