Simplicity Challenge Week

It's Monday, so let's have a Simplicity Challenge Week, shall we? Here are 7 challenges to simplify and be a bit greener this week. You can do these in any order!

Day One: Wrap a few of your holiday gifts today. Choose at least 5 gifts that you can wrap in something REUSABLE -- a cloth shopping bag, a dish towel, a wine bag, a blanket, a pretty box, etc.

Day Two: In preparation for the holidays and the new influx of "stuff", grab a bag or box and cull 20 items from your home, and drop the donations off at your local charity.

Day Three: Make a meal plan. Save food from being wasted and save cash from being spent on unhealthy fast food: go through your freezer and pantry and plan at least one week's worth of meals using what you already have as much as possible.

Day Four: Invest in a programmable thermostat if you don't already have one. If you do have one, set it. Using a programmable thermostat, you can adjust the times you turn on the heating or air-conditioning according to a preset schedule. As a result, the heater doesn't operate as much when you are asleep or when no one's home. You can save as much as 10% a year on your heating and cooling bills by simply turning your thermostat back 10% to 15% for 8 hours.

Day Five: For one day, avoid watching commercials and reading advertisements. You won't be as tempted to buy as much stuff, and both the planet and your wallet will thank you.

Day Six: Put a recycle bin next to the spot you sort mail. All junk goes directly into the bin.

Day Seven: Make a list of the minor repairs that are annoying you, such as the leaky faucet in the bathroom, the running toilet, and the burned-out light bulb in the closet. Get these things fixed.