Do you place fresh eggs in the special compartment in your refrigerator that holds them nice and snug? It might be time to break that habit. Eggshells are porous, which means they slowly dry out and lose their freshness. Leaving eggs in their container helps them stay fresher longer, since they aren’t exposed to chilled open air. Bonus tip: You can coat eggs with a little vegetable oil to make them less porous. This will add days of freshness to your eggs.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Many of us use a small space heater when it’s a particularly cold day outside. Space heaters are a smart choice: They are energy-efficient, since they heat up a single room or space, and they have also gotten safer over time. But even as space heaters have improved, precautions should be taken when using them. If you need an extension cord, for example, don’t use just any extension cord. It’s important to use a heavy-duty kind (marked with “14 gauge wire”), which is the same variety you would use outdoors. This will ensure the power is properly grounded so your heater operates safely.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Not all of the essential oils available in the supermarket are actually natural. If the words “naturally derived” are on the bottle, that means the molecular structure of whatever flower or plant the oil is derived from was simply re-created synthetically in a lab; it’s not actually made using all-natural ingredients. Choose oils like peppermint or rosemary, which are plentiful, inexpensive and good choices for a healthy, natural scent at home.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION