Gasoline Credit Cards

By Laura Milligan

Depending on where you live, shopping for eco-friendly items may be difficult. Residents in larger cities may find it’s too time consuming or tricky to track down special farmer’s markets, and those living in small towns don’t always have the same access to chic, environmentally friendly fashions that cities like San Francisco or New York offer. Internet shopping has been a popular way to find gifts and necessities for a while, and finding eco-friendly items online is getting even easier. Below is our list of 100 sites to find everything from organic baby food to rechargeable batteries to hybrid cars to organic vodka.

Fashion Finds Dressing eco-friendly no longer means wearing dowdy or rough hemp skirts and tunics. Look to these websites for beautiful clothing items, shoes and accessories, all with an eco conscience.

1. Beklina: Beklina is “a green boutique” that specializes in organic, sustainable, hemp, green and ethical clothing items and accessories. You’ll find a variety of fun going-out tops in bright colors, as well as neutral designs.
2. Greenloop: Shop for men’s and women’s clothing, as well as shoes, accessories and tote bags. Featured designers include Loomstate, Moonrise Jewelry, Tees for Change and more. Greenloop also offers special discounts, coupons and the opportunity to donate to the Project Green environmental awareness group.
3. Coco’s Shoppe: The eco boutique at Coco’s Shoppe has been featured in Lucky magazine and sells fun, adorable clothing, underwear, bags, and beauty items.
4. PlanetShoes.com: This site sells vegan shoes, and other animal-friendly and earth-friendly bags, slippers and shoes for women, men and kids.
5. BTC Elements: This site has clothing and accessories, as well as home items. Women will find tops, chic dresses, beautiful coats and even swimsuits. Men’s shirts are also sold here.
6. Patagonia: Patagonia’s dedication to the environment has helped launch several projects and campaigns besides producing eco-conscious clothing items and travel gear. The company supports a grants program, the 1% for the Planet Program, Common Threads Garment Recycling and others.
7. Fair Indigo: Find Fair Trade and organic clothing and accessories here.
8. Modify: You have two green choices at Modify: you can either shop ecofashion or shop vintage and feel good about supporting recyclable fashion. Modify also sells home decor and beauty items.
9. Earth & Wear: Search funky UK fashions like brightly colored hemp hi tops and wallets and organic t-shirts at Earth & Wear.
10. Green With Glamour: Read about green designers and meet celebs and featured guests who wear ecofriendly fashion while you shop for super stylish clothing items, home gifts and more.

Beauty Products Shop for organic and natural beauty products, sunscreen, makeup and more from these sites, where companies like Aveda use natural resources to power their facilities.

11. Beauty Gone Green: This site sells makeup, skin care items, aromatherapy and other beauty products from brands like Skinceuticals and Glominerals.
12. Green Spa Network: This site provides links and resources about “greening and sustainability for the spa community.” You can also “shop” for green spas near you.
13. Aveda: Aveda uses wind energy to offset 100% of the electricity used at their Minnesota-based plant, and the company has a long tradition of using environmentally friendly ingredients.
14. Drugstore.com: Drugstore.com features an entire shop for green and natural beauty products and personal care products.
15. Juice Beauty: Juice Beauty,”the organic solution,” makes all of its lip care, facial cleansers, sunscreens, and other items with certified organic ingredients.
16. Burt’s Bees: Burt’s Bees is more than just chapstick. Shop online for natural personal care items like anti-aging products, hair care items, sunscreen and baby items.
17. Weleda: The beauty and skin care line Weleda holds as its motto “in harmony with nature and the human being.” Weleda uses ingredients that are free of synthetic preservatives and come from organic and biodynamic sources.
18. Nude: The Nude natural skin care line includes products like age defense moisturizers, facial cleansers and travel items. All items are packaged in recyclable materials.
19. Village Green Market: This online store features brands like John Masters Organics, the River Soap Company, Tom’s of MAIne, Citrus Magic, Ecco Bella and other brands that produce “fine natural, organic, and environmentally preferable goods for you and your home.”

Baby Items Start your tot off early by wrapping him or her in chlorine-free diapers, buying organic baby foods and more.

21. KaiKids: Shop for bottles, pacifiers, bamboo fork and spoon sets, nursing pads, bibs, and other baby items that are made with non-toxic, organic or natural ingredients.
22. Seventh Generation: Shop for baby laundry detergent, chlorine-free training pants and chlorine-free baby wipes here.
23. Nature Boy and Girl: This company sells disposable diapers made of a corn-based material.
24. TenderCare Plus diapers: These diapers are made with unbleached materials from a sustainable, renewable Scandinavian forest.
25. Earth’s Best Organic baby foods: This company offers “the first complete line of organic food for infants.” You’ll find organic infant formula as well as snacks, dinners and baby body care products.
26. Terra Tees: Onesies and children’s t-shirts are made in the U.S.A. from 100% certified organic cotton. They are also sent in recycled packaging.
27. Baby Nut: Baby Nut sells organic baby clothes and natural products for babies and pregnant moms. The site also features an astrology section, special coupons, toys, and more.
28. Lola Babiez: This “eco-chic baby and nursing boutique” sells bottles, onesies, teethers, eco-friendly diapers and a lot more.
29. TaraLuna: TaraLuna sells organic and Fair Trade items, including child’s furniture and baby clothes.
30. Hazel Wood: Shop linens and bedding, toys, gifts and more for babies and children 0-6 years of age.
31. Mother Earth Nursery Designs: From baby carriers to burp cloths to shower gifts, this website sells natural and organic items for pregnant moms and babies.
32. Earth Mama Angel Baby Organics: Find gifts, personal care items and breastfeeding products at this organic site.

Toys and Gifts These websites offer eco-friendly gift solutions for all kinds of kids and sports fans.

33. Green Toys: This company website explains how their green toys help the environment, conserve energy and are made in and tested by U.S.A. facilities. Shop for tea sets, sand play sets and more.
34. Fat Brain Toys: Search for bamboo, organic, recycled and alternative-energy powered toys here.
35. Maple Landmark Woodcraft: Shop American-made wooden toys, gifts, ornaments and other products here.
36. Toxin Free Toys: Shop for natural and lead-free toys like bikes, baby bottles and more. The site also features a shopping guide to help you pick out toxin free toys in the store.
37. Fair Trade Sports: Fair Trade Sports sells sports jerseys, soccer balls, rugby balls, frisbees and other sports items that adhere to Fair Trade regulations.
38. Global Exchange Online Store: The items sold here are Fair Trade approved and range from bath and beauty gifts to Father’s Day presents to jewelry to books and movies to coffee and more.
39. Kate’s Caring Gifts: On this website, you’ll find gifts for the home, natural body care products, organic chocolates, natural pet care items, and more.
40. Northwest Nature Shop: Find educational toys, engineering sets, science kits, and games at this site, which donates 20% of sales to environmental and educational programs.

Food Who says you have to go to the grocery store or farmer’s market to find yummy organic and natural food products? Find seeds, fruits, trail mix, chocolate and other food products at these online stores.

41. Organic Kingdom: Food categories at this online store include snacks and treats, beans and grains, breads and cereals, pastas and noodles, personal care items, and more. There is also information about why eating organic is a smart choice.
42. Rock Creek Organics: Shop for organic nuts, flour and spreadables here.
43. True Foods Market: This online health foods grocery store sells lots of organic products too. You’ll also find recipe ideas and tips for eating right.
44. Organic Food Store Locator: Find an organic food store near your city by using this map.
45. Tengu Natural Foods: Shop for frozen food, herbal teas, natural sweeteners, pasta, soups, cereal, and Fair Trade coffee and tea at the Tengu Natural Foods store online.
46. The Natural Grocery Store: This UK-based online store sells Whole Earth products, spices and seasonings, canned fruit and vegetables, meats and meat alternatives, desserts and more.
47. Local Harvest: The Local Harvest community lets shoppers around the world order seeds, fruits, garden vegetables, dairy products, flowers, and other items from family farms.
48. Santos Natural Food Store: Find organic and natural food products from around the world, like coffee from South Australia.
49. Sun Ridge Farms: This award winning company sells organic trail mix, orzo, nuts and seeds, organic raisins and more.

Beverages Treat yourself to organic wine or vodka after browsing for more natural beverage products here.

51. Klean Kanteen: It’s up to you what you put inside these stainless steel canteens, but the bottle is more environmentally friendly than plastic.
52. Tru Organic Vodka: Browse the vodkas made from American wheat and packaged in eco-friendly bottles at this website.
53. The Organic Wine Company: Learn all about organic wines, join the wine club and shop for organic wines at this site.
54. Square One Organic Vodka: Square One is another company that manufactures organic vodka.

Household Items From pillows to home decor to furniture to laundry bags, you’ll find all kinds of attractive and practical environmentally-friendly home goods in this list.

55. Vivavi: Shop Vivavi for unique eco-friendly furniture, storage and shelving, lighting, and even pet items.
56. Design Public: Design Public is a popular eco-friendly brand that sells furniture, wall art, pillows, items for babies, college dorm accessories, home office designs and more.
57. Pacifica: Pacifica’s soy aromatherapy candles “are the cleanest burning soy candles available,” according to the company’s website.
58. Seventh Generation: Seventh Generation’s line of Free & Clear home cleaners are free of fragrances and dyes.
59. Keetsa Shop: Keetsa is a company that supports sustainability and produces home items like mattresses and pillows from recycled materials.
60. Natural Collection: Besides clothing and office supplies, the Natural Collection sells cleaning products and eco home items like laundry bags, art work and more.
61. Abundant Earth: From composters to furniture to clocks to air purifiers, Abundant Earth sells all kinds of neat household items and contributes to environmental groups and causes.
62. Ethical Superstore: Cleaning and Household: Find eco-friendly cleaning products and laundry items here.
63. It Must Be Green: Shop for unique energy saving items here, like a green log maker, a can crusher and an eco-friendly air purifier.
64. Recycle Store: Household: All of the items sold here have been recycled. Products include furniture, picture frames, storage containers and dishes.

Cars/Automotive Supplies Search for hybrid cars and other alternative vehicles on these websites.

65. Green Car Depot: This website lets you search by hybrid, propane, biodiesel/diesel, commercial and fleet, ethanol, hydrogen and other green types.
66. HybridCars.com: Learn about industry news and trends, and browse hybrid SUVs, vans, sedans and other vehicles.
67. SoulTek.com: This site is all about hybrids, and you can find buying information and pictures of all types of hybrid vehicles.
68. ECAR Center: This company “is a ‘one-stop shop’ for all automotive dismantling and recycling operations and provides comprehensive and up-to-date environmental compliance assistance” for visitors.

Appliances Appliances like tankless water heaters and solar powered phone chargers will save you money on electricity bills and are good for the environment.

69. Global Towne Tankless Water Heaters: Tankless water heaters like this one can reward buyers with up to 50% in energy savings.
70. Lowe’s Energy Star Appliance: This guide helps buyers find Energy Star appliances like refrigerators, dishwashers and washing machines.
71. The Alternative Energy Store: Find hydropower, solar power, solar heating and other alternative energy-powered appliances and products here.
72. The Solar Power Store: Shop for solar powered cell phone charges, solar panels and more from this online store.

Tech Stuff From batteries to radios to computers, find recycled and eco-friendly tech stuff here.

73. Clean Air Shop: This blog sponsors a shop for energy efficient lighting products, solar ovens, thermostats, electricity meters, batteries and other tools that will help you save money and the environment.
74. RE-PC Online Store: This online store works through ebay, and you can search for recycled game cartridges, cables, input devices, laptops and more.
75. Green cell phone carriers: This About.com article lists several cell phone carriers that make donations to environmental groups, offer tree-free billing and use environmentally-friendly wrapping.
76. HYmini: This portable wind-powered tool charges your iPod, cell phones, digital cameras and mp3 players.
77. GreenBatteries.com: Turn to this site when you’re looking for rechargeable, reusable batteries and battery chargers.
78. Wind Up phone charger: This manual tool is lightweight and doesn’t require electricity.
79. GreenPrint: Shop for eco-conscious software here and find different versions of a product that eliminates paper wasting when you print.
80. BuildingGreen.com: This sustainable building and design group also features a product listings page where you can shop for windows, decking, lighting, electrical materials, HVAC systems and other green materials.

Gardening and Outdoor Weed out your supply of toxic pesticides and fertilizers and turn to these organic gardening goods and supply stores for a more natural approach to gardening and outdoor recreation.

81. Recycle Store: Garden and Yard: The California Integrated Waste Management Board’s Recycle Store sells recycled bird houses, BBQ systems, garden chairs and other outdoor items.
82. Real Goods: Find showerheads, bedding, composting systems, aeromatic ovens, camping supplies and other products from this solar living site.
83. Extremely Green: This fun site specializes in organic gardening supplies like fertilizers, fungicides, grass seed and pruners, but you’ll also find gardening books and unique pest control solutions.
84. GTC Hydroponics: This site shows visitors how to master container gardening the organic way. You can also shop for fertilizers, soil and more.
85. Eco-Gardening.com: Find sleek gardening and yard products at this site, including arbors and trellises, outdoor furniture, grills, garden lighting and composters.
86. The Urban Garden: The recycled and eco-friendly garden shop at The Urban Garden sells gardening supplies, composters, decking, window boxes and more.
87. The Organic Gardening Catalogue: This website sells everything an organic gardener needs, from seeds to weed killers to soil and plant care to books about organic gardening.
88. Planet Natural: This company has been selling earth friendly gardening items like seeds, soil test kits, pest control systems, fertilizer and compost bins since 1991.
89. Greta’s Organic Gardens: Greta’s Organic Gardens is located in Gloucester, Ontario, and visitors to the site can shop for organic seeds, vegetables and plants like corn, cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, grains and more.
90. Clean Air Gardening: Use this site to shop for “environmentally friendly lawn and garden supplies,” including pest control, garden gnomes, electric mowers, oxygenating watering cans and a lot more. You can search by category or by price range.

Miscellaneous The websites in this list sell all sorts of green gifts in one spot, making it easy to shop for eco-conscious promotional materials, office supplies, furniture, jewelry, pet items and more.

91. GreenandMore.com: This website sells all kinds of eco-friendly products, from vacuum cleaners to kitchen supplies to battery chargers to baby items.
92. Resource Revival: Materials from recycled bicycles are turned into promotional items and gifts on this website.
93. BuyGreen.com: This fun-to-use website lets you shop in three main categories: Consumer, Commercial, and Gifts. Within those categories, browse products for your family, home decorating, leisure, office supplies, building materials and more.
94. Green Gift Guide: Shop for jewelry, pet items, garden and outdoor supplies, business gifts, toys, furniture and more on this website which finds the best green gifts on the web.
95. Buying Green Power: The U.S. Department of Energy helps Americans find out if they can buy green power in their state with this helpful tool.
96. Co-op America: This page lists twelve things you should always buy green and directs you to places where you can find items like appliances, showerheads, coffee, clothes and more that are eco-friendly.
97. Green People: Green People claims to be the “world’s largest directory of eco-friendly and holistic health products.” Search for pet supplies, beauty products, home and garden items and more.
98. Terra Pass Green Store: Terra Pass urges everyone to “restore the balance.” The Green store sells toys, energy saving products, chargers and other items. You can also use the site to calculate your footprint and learn about environmental projects.
99. Buy Green Guides: TreeHugger’s guides show you where to buy furniture, bikes, jeans, shoes and other products.
100. The Green Guide: The Green Guide appears on the National Geographic website and directs visitors to sites for buying green accessories, clothing, food and drinks, electronics, home items, bedding, personal care items and much more.

By Christina Laun

In an ideal world, you’d be able to balance work, family, friends, personal time, fitness and everything else in your life without ever breaking a sweat. In reality, sleeping with your Blackberry, trying to put on makeup in the car and never quite getting enough sleep is more of the norm. What you may not realize is that it truly doesn’t have to be. Even if your life feels like it doesn’t have any place where things can give, the reality is that if you want to maintain your health and not die young from stress-related illnesses, there has to be. Here are a few ways you can start scaling down your life, to give you more time to spend with family or doing all the things you love but don’t have time for.

General

Get some general tips on cutting back on things in your life with these helpful pointers.

1. Identify what’s really important to you. Chances are good that there are things in your life that you’re committed to or involved in that you really don’t have a true attachment or investment in doing. Evaluate your priorities and determine what things can fall by the wayside and what things you want to bring to the forefront in your life.
2. Appreciate simple things. It’s easy to get caught up in all the complications in your life, sometimes so much so that you forget to take time, slow down and appreciate all the little things that make your life great. Whether it’s finding a close parking spot or discovering a new favorite restaurant, make sure your life is designed to allow you to appreciate every good thing that comes your way, not just the big stuff.
3. Do what you love. Whether you choose to apply this to what you do for a living or just what you do on the weekend, it’s a key element to simplifying and paring down your life. By putting the focus on doing things that you love instead of drudging through things you hate, you’ll enjoy life more, be happier and much less stressed. Do your best to think of creative ways to make even the most painful tasks more bearable by integrating elements of things you love into them.
4. Make your time count. Perhaps one of the easiest ways to simplify your life and to have more time to spend doing things you want to do is to make the time you spend on anything, whether it’s with the kids or at work, count. If you’re present, concentrating on your tasks and getting the most out of the situation you’ll be able to finish more quickly or enjoy what you’re doing more fully.
5. Learn what’s enough. If you’re constantly in a quest for perfection you’re likely putting in more work, effort, time and important parts of your life into things that really could get by with less. Figure out what is good enough to get the job done but doesn’t leave you up all night, pulling out your hair and stressing over it.
6. Live deliberately. Once you realize that no one is in charge of your life except for you, then you’re ready to get the most out of every situation that’s presented to you. Make choices that help you find the greatest amount of happiness and that eliminate all the things that don’t really matter to you so you’ll have more time for the things that do.
7. Create routines. If you find getting ready in the morning is an uphill battle, you can help to streamline and scale back your life by creating routines. These will save you time, help reduce stress, and won’t leave you running around trying to get things together at the last minute.
8. Make time to do nothing at all. For many workaholics, sitting around doing nothing can be a hard thing to accomplish. But if you want to scale back, it can be just the thing to get you started. Time to rest and relax is important so don’t let the tasks in your life eat into it.
9. Turn off the TV. Studies have shown that most homes have more TV than people and that families spend hours upon hours watching television each day. While watching TV is fine, it also can eat into time that could be better spent talking, playing games or going for a walk with your family. Get the most out the time your family spends at home together by turning off the TV, even if it’s only for a few nights a week.
10. Slow down. Most people spend a good part of their day and their lives rushing from one place to another, trying to cram in as much as possible in one day. Besides not being healthy, this isn’t really fun either. Scale back by making sure your day includes a little bit of time to slow down, relax and simply be you.
11. Get rid of time wasters. The Internet is a great place to get all kinds of things done quickly and easily, but it’s also full of millions of great distractions. This, along with the dozens of other distractions that tempt us each day, can make getting the stuff we actually need to get done impossible. Try getting rid of a few of these time wasters. You’ll get more done, and feel much less stressed.
12. Stay organized. Want to scale down your life? Take the first step and get yourself organized. By knowing where things are and having a place for things at home and work you’ll save time, effort and stress and make it easier to figure out what’s important and what can get pushed aside.
13. Take control. You can’t scale back if you let others make decisions about your life, so step up and take control of everything that’s going on. When you’re the boss you’ll be able to figure out what really matters and cut out what doesn’t.
14. Ask for help if you need it. You don’t have to go through life trying to do everything on your own. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, don’t be too proud to ask for help. It can be a great way to get things under control without stretching yourself too thin.
15. Prioritize. Figuring out what is most important to you in your life is a big part of how you can pare things down. Spend more time doing the things that matter most, then let the rest get done if you have time. Don’t spend hours on tasks that don’t really matter to you when you could be doing things that do like spending time with your family.

Around the House

Having a messy, cluttered home can be reflected in the rest of your life. Here are some ways to clean out and minimalize your home.

16. Clear out the clutter. Do you really need all the stuff that’s filling up your closets, drawers and garage? Spend less time caring for things you don’t need and make your home and life simpler by getting rid of it all.
17. Get a smaller house. While having a lot of space is nice, it also requires you to spend more time cleaning, maintaining, heating and financing it. If you have more space than you need, consider getting a smaller home or apartment. It’ll save you money and time in the end and make your life simpler.
18. Keep only the essentials. If you’re like most people, your kitchen is full of all kinds of specialty gadgets that you rarely use. If you don’t use it regularly, there probably isn’t much reason to have it. Pare down the things around your home to the stuff you actually need, want and care about.
19. Find a place for things. Save yourself time and make your days simpler by creating a place for everything in your home.
20. Realize that even free things come at a price. Who would turn down an offer for a free printer or a complimentary t-shirt? While these things may not cost you anything out of pocket, they do cost you your space. Before accepting free things, determine if you really need them or if they’ll just be something else to dust.
21. Understand that bigger isn’t always better. SUVs, big houses, big TVs and super sized meals are all parts of the American lifestyle. But bigger things aren’t always better. Big things cost more, take up more space and sometimes cause you to waste what you can’t use. Simplify your life by buying things that fit the size of your life.
22. Borrow, don’t buy. You can scale down your budget and the amount of things around your house by borrowing or renting items instead of buying them if you only plan on using them for a short time.
23. Make your home a sanctuary. When your home is a relaxing, ordered place to be you’ll be happier and more able to de-stress no matter what your day has been like.
24. Go low maintenance. You may love fine silks and suedes but these fabrics and others like them can be difficult to clean and maintain. Try buying clothes and furniture that can be easily cleaned and maintained so you’ll be able to spend less time and money caring for them.
25. Buy classics. Save time and make life simpler by buying household items that are classic in design. Trendy items may be cooler in the short term, but you’ll get more mileage out of items that are designed to be stylish until they wear out or break.
26. Don’t get attached. If you’re looking to pare down your things, try not to get too attached to household items. While some things may carry memories, you may not always need to hold on to them to value those memories.
27. Simplify your wardrobe. Unless you’re working at a fashion magazine you likely don’t need a closet that’s overflowing with clothes. Create a basic wardrobe that you can work around. It’ll save you time getting dressed in the morning and space storing clothes.
28. Create a simple yard. Few people love doing yard work. By keeping your yard simple, you’ll be able to spend less time weeding, mowing and planting and still have a yard that looks presentable.
29. Stay on top of messes. Waiting days to do the dishes or letting papers pile up on your desk may seem like it’s saving you time, but in the long run it can make things harder for you. Spend a few minutes cleaning up each evening before you go to bed so things don’t pile up.
30. Minimize the time it takes to clean. One way to keep your cleaning time to a minimum is to create a cleaning schedule and process that minimizes that time you spend working. Try vacuuming all at once or cleaning one room each day.

At Work

You spend hours at work each week, so finding ways to scale back and simplify it are important. Here are a few ideas to get started with.

31. Work smart. Spend less time at work by streamlining your processes. You’ll get less done in more time and be much less stressed.
32. Manage your time. If you’ve got a lot on your plate, make time management a priority. Learn what works best for you and make it work to your advantage.
33. Make the most of your commute. If you’re stuck on the train for an hour each morning, don’t spend your time just idly watching the scenery. Catch up on emails, write letters, read a book, study or anything else you are interested in doing.
34. Don’t take on more than you can reasonably do. A new project may seem like the ticket to getting recognition around the office, but if you’re already swamped don’t take on more work. Pare down your work schedule to what you can reasonably do in a given time period.
35. De-stress. Scale down your busy work day by allowing yourself time throughout the day to de-stress and relax so you don’t get overwhelmed.
36. Assess career goals. It can be easy to get caught up working at a job simply because it pays the bills or because it doesn’t give you time to think about getting another one. Take a step back and assess if all the hard work you’re putting in at your current job really meets your ultimate goals. If not, think about cutting back on hours, working towards a job you really want, or finding a different job altogether.
37. Create systems. You’ll save time and scale back the hours you’ll be spending at work by creating simple systems for getting things done at work. Have specific times to reply to emails, organizers on your desk, or anything else you need to keep things moving smoothly.
38. Take breaks. Working nonstop at your desk can be overwhelming and can actually make you less productive. Make sure to take breaks throughout the day to keep you fresh and ready to tackle anything that comes your way.
39. Say no. You don’t always have to say yes to any projects or tasks that come your way. If you’re spending too much time at work, just say no if someone asks you to stay late or take on more work so you can maintain a balance in your life.
40. Unplug. The constant influx of email, instant messages and other information can wreck havoc on your workday productivity. If you can, unplug for a little bit each day to keep constant contact from taking up all your time.
41. Take tasks one at a time. Make things simpler when you’re working by doing one thing at a time instead of trying to multi-task doing a million things at once. You’re less likely to get off track and you can check things off as you accomplish them.
42. Live close to work. If you can, cut out the commute by living nearby your workplace. It’ll save you time and money and make your day less stressful overall.
43. Clear off your desk. There’s nothing that will stress you out quite like clutter. Keep your desk clear of random clutter. It will be easier to find what you need and keep you from feeling overwhelmed.
44. Simplify your tools. Computer apps and Web tools can be great ways to make things quicker and easier, but you may need to evaluate if these tools are really making your life easier. Find out what tools you truly need to do your job and eliminate the rest.
45. Reduce distractions. Life is always full of distractions and work is no exception. Try to pare down the number of things that are able to distract you on a daily basis so you can get your work done and go home on time.
46. Set boundaries. If you’re not careful, work can overwhelm your life. Set hours when you’re available and when you’re not. Everyone deserves to have a personal life and ensure your work isn’t stealing yours.

Personal Life

Make your personal life easier and less messy with these tips.

47. Merge personal and work calendars. Save yourself the time of switching between two calendars and possibly double booking yourself by keeping your personal and professional calendars synced.
48. Make time to spend alone with a spouse. Spending time with those that you love is an incredibly important part of building a healthy relationship and staying happy. Make this a big priority in your life and don’t let work or school overtake it.
49. Let things go. You could spend the rest of your life being mad at a spouse, friend or family member for some wrong they’ve done against you. Learn to let little offenses go and you’ll be less stressed and happier.
50. Enjoy quiet time. Everyone needs some time just to have quiet to read books, do a crossword or just enjoy doing nothing. Try to simplify your life by incorporating a little quiet in each day.
51. Get active. You’ll feel better and maybe even look better too if you use a little of your free time to get up and move around whether you’re working out or just doing work around the house.
52. Evaluate your commitments. Is your dedication to organizations, sports or hobbies stealing time away from things that are more important to you? Take a look at where you’re spending your time and figure out if it’s prioritized according.
53. Be present. Make the time you spend with a spouse or other loved ones count by being fully present when you’re together. Filter out all those thoughts about things you have to do at work or around the house and truly enjoy the moment.
54. Enjoy small things. Making yourself happier and simplifying your life doesn’t always have to be about the big things. Enjoy a long bath, walk around the blog or the smell of fresh sheets on your bed.
55. Carry around less stuff. While women with huge purses may be more guilty of this, men with huge wallets and addictions to technology may also want to consider paring down what they bring with them each day. Bringing less with you means less to worry about and less weight to lug around.
56. Express yourself. Whether you love to write, paint, garden or any other hobby make sure you have time to express yourself creatively especially if this is an important priority for you.
57. Stop trying to keep up with the Joneses. Expensive purses, new cars and the latest technology may be nice, but they likely won’t buy you any lasting happiness. Letting this desire to keep up in material processions go will make your life simpler and maybe even happier.
58. Try something new. Keep your life new and exciting by trying out new things every once in awhile. Whether its sampling an exotic food or running in a marathon, these simple new experiences can truly enrich your life.
59. Indulge in small luxuries. You don’t always have to buy big or expensive things to make yourself feel pampered. Treating yourself to a fancy coffee or a favorite dessert is a great, simple way to make yourself happy.

Kids

Having kids can make everything chaotic and time-consuming. Here are some tips for scaling down life with kids to the basics.

60. Help kids become self-sufficient. Taking the time to do every little thing for your kids can eat up a lot of your day. Help kids learn to do little things like get dressed, brush their teeth and get ready for school on their own. This will save you time and give your kids a sense of accomplishment.
61. Make clean up easy. With kids, toys are going to be lying around no matter what. Make clean up a cinch by keeping organization and storage simple. It’ll save you time in cleanup and keep your home clutter free.
62. Prep the night before. Don’t make mornings a hectic experience. Scale down by getting lunches together the night before, laying out clothes and other tasks that can save you loads of time in the morning.
63. Don’t over schedule. It’s natural to want to enable children to pursue all their interests but when there are too many you can spend far too much time shuttling kids to and from lessons and practices. Scale down to the things they love the most.
64. Set aside time for each child. Make sure each of your children feel special and valued by you by setting aside time to spend alone with each one.
65. Come prepared. Parents will quickly learn that it pays to come prepared for any situation. Save yourself hassle by creating kits that allow you to meet the majority of needs your kids will have.
66. Spend less, do more. You don’t need to take your kids out for a night on the town to have a good time. Arrange times to play games or watch a favorite family-friendly movie together. It can be just as fun at a fraction of the cost.
67. Create routines. You can cut back on the time it takes to get kids ready for bed or off to school if you create a routine. Kids will learn what to expect and things will be streamlined and easier for everyone involved.
68. Dress kids simply. Kids grow out of clothes so fast that there’s no sense in buying them complicated or fancy outfits. Get kids simple clothes that they can mix and match, so they can dress themselves.
69. Celebrate traditions. Make the time you spend with your children special and memorable by paring down the holidays to traditions that truly matter to you. Whether it’s putting up a Christmas tree or baking special holiday treats, make the holidays super special for your children.

Finances

A lot of time is spent on paying bills, saving and worrying over finances. Make things a little simpler with these tips.

70. Cut up some credit cards. Do you have more credit cards than can even fit inside your wallet? Simplify your finances by only keeping the cards that you use the most and getting rid of the rest.
71. Decide what expenditures are really needs. Chances are good that you don’t really need that cup of coffee and a bagel on your way to work each day. Figure out little ways that you can cut back on your spending and focus on the expenses that are really needs, not just conveniences.
72. Trim the fat. Your budget is probably full of bloated expenses that you could cut out if you took the time to. Get rid of memberships you’re not using, subscriptions to magazines you don’t read and anything else that’s unnecessarily eating up your cash.
73. Buy on need. Stores are set up to entice you to buy all kinds of things you don’t really need. Try to start only buying things that you truly need. It might be challenging but you’ll have loads of savings to show for it in the end.
74. Stop shopping. Shopping may be a fun way to spend an afternoon and a great way to bond with friends, cheer yourself up after a bad day or just pass the time, but can be tough on your wallet. Cut back on the spending so less stuff is coming into your home and more money is staying in your accounts.
75. Eliminate debt. Before you start making any financial decisions, come up with a plan to eliminate your debt. You may only be able to pay a little bit each month, but that little bit moves you closer and closer to getting rid of the burden od debt and making your life simpler.
76. Protect your future. Take a big weight off of your shoulders by ensuring that you look out for your future when you’re doing financial planning. Start a retirement fund or just start saving and you’ll thank yourself in the long run.
77. Live within your means. Keeping up with friends that are big spenders can be a tempting and easy thing to do but if you’re living outside your means you’ll regret it in the long run. Keep things simple by saving up for indulgent purchases and not buying things you can’t afford.
78. Be frugal. Being frugal doesn’t mean you have to give up everything, but it does mean scaling down your spending and helping yourself save whenever you can.
79. Try living without a car. With gas prices at an all time high, not to mention insurance and maintenance fees, having a car can be expensive. If you can get by without a car, try it. It will save you money and it’s good for the environment too.
80. Buy things that are high quality. While cheap might seem better in the short term, the reality is that money is better spent on a high quality item that will last longer and need fewer repairs. Simplify your life by looking for quality, not just the price tag.
81. Keep track of your expenses. Don’t just assume that your credit card statement is in order or that you’re spending a normal amount each month on food and gas. Keep track so you’ll know where every dollar went and if you’re well over budget on expenses.
82. Set up automatic bill payments. Save yourself the trouble of mailing bills each month. Set up automatic payments for credit cards and utilities and have your statements sent to your inbox instead of your mailbox.
83. Consolidate your accounts. If you’ve got accounts at multiple banks you can save some time and effort by combining them into one account.
84. Use direct deposit whenever possible. Don’t make unnecessary trips to the bank every time you get your paycheck. If your work offers direct deposit take advantage of it to save yourself time and make sure you get your funds right away.
85. File efficiently. Don’t let your financial records pile up on your desk. Set up a system to put them away once a week or at the end of the month. This way you’ll never get too far behind and you’ll always be able to find what you need.
86. Use online account management tools. The Internet makes it easy to keep track of your finances. Use online tools to track investment performance, write checks, transfer funds and much more so you almost never have to go to the bank.
87. Keep materials together. When it comes tax time you can be stuck hunting around for the records you need if you don’t keep them in order. Ensure your life is simple and stressed is minimized by keeping all your financial records in one safe, secure and organized place.

Health

Make taking care of yourself a simple and rewarding task by using some of these suggestions.

88. Slow down and enjoy your meals. Eating can be a major pleasure in life and a simple one that you can enjoy if you take the time. Slow down and savor each of your meals. You’re likely to eat less and you’ll get a chance to relax.
89. Make workouts fun. Want to make working out simpler? Make it fun for yourself. Find a partner, make a great workout mix, or workout during your favorite TV show so you can watch and work.
90. Eat healthier. What could be simpler than eating basic fruits and veggies? Make these a major part of your diet for a scaled down and simple way to stay healthy.
91. Sleep. Most people aren’t getting nearly enough sleep. Scale down on all the distractions that steal away from the time you should be sleeping and put that time towards getting some extra z’s.
92. Do double duty on fitness. Not all workouts have to happen in the gym. Working around the house and doing yard work can also be a workout. Instead of going to the gym, tackle your project of cleaning out the garage and you’ll get two things done at once.
93. Meditate. Nothing could be simpler or more scaled down than meditation. If you’re feeling things are too hectic or overwhelming take some time to meditate and regain your zen.
94. Get rid of the workout equipment. Do you really use that treadmill that’s taking up a whole room in your house? Get rid of the workout equipment you don’t need and use your own body as a workout tool through running, playing sports and simple exercises.
95. Cook simple meals. Don’t make cooking at home a huge deal. You can make simple, healthy meals without investing too much time and effort.
96. Get outside. Getting outside can make you feel good both physically and mentally, so make time to get some rays of sun for at least a few minutes each day.
97. Cut back on drinking. Scale down the partying by drinking less. You’ll feel better and likely have a lot more money in your wallet after the weekend.
98. Pay attention to your mental health. It’s easy to ignore mental health but it can have a big impact on pretty much everything in your life. Don’t just take care of your body, but your mind as well.
99. Stop worrying. Worrying about things isn’t going to make them go away or even solve them, so give your brain a break from the worry and take things as they come.
100. Stay in motion. You can burn loads of extra calories by staying in motion as much as you can during the day. Don’t just slump on the couch when you get home, take a walk, clean your house or play with your dog.