Cold winter weather can impact the fuel efficiency of your car, reducing it as much as 30 percent, according to the United States Department of Energy. The reason? Tires grip onto icy roads, seat warmers and defrosters run at full blast, and friction with the engine and transmission is greater in cold weather. One simple way to help improve efficiency is to keep your car parked in a warmer place, like a garage. And allow your car to "warm up" for no more than 30 seconds, which is all your car really needs in order to be ready to hit the road.

If you take vitamins or supplements on a regular basis, you know buying them can be a pricey investment. In order to keep their potency, be sure to store them properly. Keep your vitamins in a cool, dark place. This means bathrooms, with steamy air that can quickly decrease the shelf life of vitamins, are a no-go. But also keep them out of the fridge, which is still too humid and can ruin the pills. Instead, the coolest cabinet in your kitchen is the best place for them.

The easiest way to protect your favorite pieces of clothing from fading, shrinking or getting damaged is to avoid the dryer. The high heat and tumbling action in dryers can shrink clothes and even weaken clothing by removing fibers that become dryer lint. Top fashion brands and stylists recommend washing clothes in cold water and then air-drying them. This does two things: It protects cothes and also helps them be wrinkle-free.