During the winter months, we start to feel the effects of the Earth tilting further away from the sun. In our attempts to stay warm during colder months, energy costs tend to inevitably rise. However, even though the sun is not as effective at warming most of us in the winter, we can still do our best to take advantage of its rays in our homes. Take a look at some practical tips from The Daily Green:

• Work From Home?: if you work from home, decrease the amount of daily heat you use by setting up your office in the room that gets the most daytime sunlight and close the door so the heat doesn’t disperse.
• Clean Windows: make sure windows are clean on both the inside and outside. Even the smallest dust particles and can block light and prevent heat from entering.
• Clear Away: be sure to remove branches or anything else outside that blocks full exposure of your windows so you can get the most out of sunlight.

Check out more great ideas over at 8 Simple Ways to Get Free Heat from Winter Sun.