If you have a wood-burning fireplace with an uncapped chimney, there is a chance wild animals may have moved in. How do you know? Listen carefully: You'll hear scratching, movement and even yelping from babies. Animals like raccoons, squirrels, bats and birds are all candidates to take nest in your chimney. If you suspect you have an animal living inside, don't start a fire. When you lift the damper (where they often roost), you risk having them fall down the chimney and into your home. Instead, contact wildlife control to help you safely remove the animals. Then cap the chimney so this doesn't happen in the future.

Many of us use space heaters to stay warm on cool days, especially if we're chilly at our offices or in a poorly heated room of the house for extended periods of time. But we're also under the misconception that space heaters are energy-efficient alternatives to our overall heating system. The reality is, they use more energy than, say, a gas furnace, which only uses 43 percent of the energy of a space heater, according to the Department of Energy. To keep you feet and legs warm at your desk, skip the space heater and think heating pad. Rest it on the floor and put your feet on top. It'll keep your feet warm, and the heat will rise to the air above it, all while being more energy-efficient.

Many people have old (but totally usable) life jackets hanging in their garage or stashed away in the attic. Since 1997, the BoatUS Foundation has been working to collect lightly used life jackets and make them readily available to use for free at over 575 marinas and fuel docks around the country. The goal is to educate boaters -- many of whom are on the water for the first time -- that wearing and using a life jacket is a necessary part of going into the water. The program also helps families borrow life jackets when they don't have them or simply forgot to bring them from home. Learn more at boatus.org.