Twenty-five percent of your home's heat can escape through cracks, crevices and leaks in and around windows and doors. One of the biggest culprits? In-window air conditioning units. Now is a good time to remove these units and put them into storage. If that isn't feasible, do the next best thing: Wrap them up. Cover the unit in insulation, wrap it in plastic sheeting and use all-weather tape to secure it in place. You can also buy air conditioner covers that are designed to fit snugly around the unit from your home improvement store.

You've heard of the idea of building a better mousetrap, right? Well, sometimes trapping these small creatures isn't humane, so why not repel them from your home? In lieu of poison, try to figure out where mice might be making entry into your home. Make a bundle of loose animal fur (from a cat or dog) mixed with dried mint. The combination of the two scents is a natural deterrent and may help prevent them from roosting in your home.

Did you know there's a right way to water houseplants? First, don't overwater; just stick your finger about 1 inch down in the soil. If it's very dry, the plant needs water. Then determine what type of tap water you have at home. If it's chlorinated -- most towns use chlorine to clean water -- fill your water pitcher with tap water and let it sit out for 24 hours to let the chlorine evaporate. If you have hard water at home, which leaves mineral deposits on your shower, get tap water from a filter and use that to hydrate your plants.