Simplicity

I just received a catalog in the mail that exists to assist me in living with efficiency and simplicity. Their all-natural, green-living, environment-saving, and life-organizing products are a real catch for the eye.

There’s a cool picture of a serene-looking women using contraption that allows her to trap and hold many gallons of rainwater. Salivating, I think how nice that would be for my garden. But it costs $55.  I have to fill with air, then attach to one of my home’s downspouts outdoors in order to catch the water. The item comes with several parts, its own instruction booklet, and requires the use of pump.

 Oh, and I can only leave it outside in certain kinds of weather.

And what about the sleek kitchen trash container that doubles as a recycler/trash compactor? Are cardboard boxes in the garage not good enough? Oh, but then I wouldn’t have all that clutter, would I? Perhaps then I could use the everything-in-one adjustable garage shelf organizer to clean up that disheveled mess in a hurry. The guy in that photo – who hasn’t spent five minutes in a dirty garage – looks mighty happy in his polo shirt and khakis, setting a very clean basketball on the top shelf. For only $350, it can be mine!

For all my desire to live neatly, simply, and with organization – I have to ask myself:  How much should the simple life cost?

image credit: Flickr photo by Sarah Ratliff