Heating Source Cleaning
During the heating season, stretch the life of the furnace filter and also help your furnace operate more efficiently.  Once a week or so I take my vacuum cleaner hose and suction off the accumulated dust etc from my furnace filter...you can use an attachment like the dusting brush, the furniture nozzle or just the curved nozzle on the end of the vacuum cleaner hose.  I then take my vacuum cleaner hose and suction out the fireplace ashes (of course, wait several hours after the fireplace was last used and remove any wood chunks first so you don't clog your vacuum cleaner hose!).   I dust out my fireplace this way a couple of times a week and then never have a large/messy ash accumulation to have to shovel out. (Jean-JGMCubs) 

A BEWARE NOTE: In regard to the "Heating Source Cleaning" I would advise the readers to turn off the power source before vacuuming or removing the filter.  We just had our furnace serviced and the service guy made a point of telling me that.  He said around our filter there are electric wires.  I don't know for sure if that applies to all furnaces. (Murdockhelms)

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Car Tip
With the weather getting cold finally, here is a tip for you...In case your car breaks down somewhere.. Keep in your trunk, an extra blanket, some gloves, heavy jacket, boots, motor oil, antifreeze, a cellular phone(for emergencies), jug of water, and some snacks. Enough for each person.

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Firewood
To help keep bugs from coming in your home, stacking your firewood up off the ground and away from your home.

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Warm Lotion
Before climbing into the shower or bath, fill your bathroom sink with hot water.  Then place your favorite body lotion in the water.  When you get out of your shower/bath, your lotion will be nice and warm...which is great during the winter months! (NMGIRL)

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Children
To keep a child's wrists warm in the winter while playing outside; cut the toe area off old socks and one hole for the thumb to the side.  Then slide them on before their gloves or mittens and it really keeps them dryer and warmer and happier! (Deb R.)

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Dry Air
You can run a humidifier. Hang up wet clothes to dry. Boil a big pan of hot water for a while. My dad used to do that one. (Wendy)

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Sweet Humidity
I had a friend who boiled water too to add humidity to her house... she added potpourri to the water everyday. Her house always smelled so good as well as adding the wanted humidity. (Ginger)

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Energy Saver
During a sunny day in the winter,  open your curtains/blinds to help heat your home. During the night or a cloudy day, close your curtains/blinds to help keep the heat from escaping from your home.

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Shoveling Snow
Before shoveling snow, spray the shovel with "Pam" or other spray. It will help the snow to "slide off". It will cut your work time because you won't have to stop and remove the now. (Adell)

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Car Locks
To help prevent car locks from freezing, place a small magnet over the lock. Best suited for this job is one of those round "refrigerator" magnets. (Adell)

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Slippery Surface
Walk with your feet pointing outwards when walking on a slippery surface to help yourself balance and minimize falls. 

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Refrigerator
Take advantage of the cold winter and free up fridge space by keeping your canned sodas outside the back door. This is also a good time to defrost your freezer if it is cold enough outside. Don't set the food in the sun though.

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Shoveling Snow
Use a curved shovel rather than a flat one. Don't use big heavy shovels as they get heavier when the snow gets on them. Don't twist your back to throw the snow off of the shovel as this will cause backaches. Bend at the knees when lifting the snow or anything heavy.

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Firewood
Burn only well seasoned hardwoods, such as oak, maple, beech, ash or hickory. 

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Grass
Don't walk on your grass. Frozen grass can break the crowns of the plants.

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Chimney
Have your chimney checked once a year and install a chimney cap to keep out animals and other items that could block  the chimney.

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Houseplants
Be sure to move your houseplants away from the windows so they don't get too chilled.

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Hats
Be sure to wear a hat as the head is where 50% of the body's heat is lost.

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Clothing
Layering loose fitting, lightweight clothes keep the body's circulation from being restricted.

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Hot Cocoa
Best way to mix powdered hot cocoa is to put the powder in the mug first and then stir in a little bit of  hot water - mix until creamy- and then slowly add more water until filled.

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Milk Jugs
If you find alot of space in your freezer in the winter, take milk jugs and fill then with water. Place them outside until they freeze and put them in your freezer. It will help with energy bills because there is less empty space to cool.

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Fireplace Glass doors
Clean the fireplace glass doors when cool with a mixture of 1/2 vinegar, 1 tbsp ammonia, and 1 gallon of water. Best to use cotton cloth or newspapers to wipe with.

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Smoke Detectors
Replace your smoke detector batteries and test once a month. If you have gas use a carbon- monoxide detector. Carbon- monoxide is a byproduct of combustion fueled by oil, coal, or natural gas furnaces, fireplaces and wood burning stoves. You can't smell it.

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Eaves
If you ever notice that your eaves have icicles, it could mean that your roof isn't properly insulated. Heat rises and melts the snow on your roof causing the icicles.

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Furnace
Replace the furnace filter once a month during winter. Be sure to look at the furnace for the filter size and how to install.

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Chimney
If you live in a house that's old enough to have perhaps had a coal or oil furnace at one time and it now has a gas furnace, have your chimney cleaned!! We noticed our windows steaming up for years (which we thought was great) and even though we'd had headaches and vomiting in the winters, I never thought about it until I smelled gas (and my husband wasn't home to tell me I was nuts). I called the gas co. They found no sign of gas but their carbon monoxide detector went crazy. All the buildup in the chimney from the coal and oil furnaces melted from the higher temp of the gas. Our chimney was blocked to a level of 7 feet from the ground. If we'd been able to put one the new storm windows we wanted and down the rest of the winterizing, we would have all been dead. A CO detector is a must, even if you don't think you need one!! (Pat)