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What is simplicity?  Everybody has their own definition, but there’s one thing I can say for sure – “simple” doesn’t necessarily equate to “easy”.  In fact, many times they’re directly opposed to each other.  Let’s look at the difference for a minute, and then we’ll look at a workable definition for simplicity.

Let’s say we’re going to build a small shed.  This isn’t a complicated structure – a bunch of 2x4s for the walls, some plywood for the sides and roof, and a little bit of paint (if you want it to last awhile).  It’s relatively simple.  It is not, however, easy.

We’ll assume that you’re going to go to your local lumber yard and buy the wood, nails, and paint.  You trek out there, find some 2x4s that aren’t warped beyond usability, grab yourself some plywood, a box of nails, and a can or two of paint.  Let’s also assume you have no tools – all the tools you really need for this job are a simple hand saw, a claw hammer, and a paint brush.  You load all of this up in your cart, pay for it, and haul it home.

Now the fun begins.  Keep in mind, this isn’t a complicated project.  You have about 40-50 boards you need cut to length, plus several dimensions of plywood for walls, sides, etc.  You grab your wood saw, and get to work.  If you’re like me, about 20-30 minutes into the task your arm is about ready to fall off – and you’ve only got a couple dozen boards cut.  You’re really not looking forward to the 4′ cuts through the plywood.

This sure might have looked easy on paper, but it’s definitely isn’t easy in practice.  So what do you do?  You have a few basic options.

  1. You can trade time for time. You can call a bunch of your friends and have them come over.  If they each bring their own saw, you’ll have those boards done in no time.  The extra hands will also be incredibly useful when it comes to standing the walls up straight.  In return for your friends’ help, you agree to show up to help them with their shed they’ll be building in a few weeks.  Assuming you’re all equally skilled, this is a pretty much even swap.
  2. You can trade money for time. Same example, only you call your friends and offer them each $20 to come saw some boards.  They show up, and you don’t have to help them with their shed – you just have to give them each $20.
  3. You can trade money for technology. That same store where you bought your boards sells the SawzOff 9000, an ultra-cool circular saw with a rechargeable battery.  The SawzOff 9000 will cut all of your boards in about 5 minutes, and your arm won’t feel like it’s made of lead at the end of the day.  What a deal for only $150!  In this case, you’re investing in equipment to make your job easier.
  4. You can trade money to rent technology. Same as number 3, except you might pay $30 for the SawzOff 9000 and have to give it back at the end of the day.

The first two options involve trading your time for somebody else’s time.  Even if you’re spending money, that money represents some amount of time that you’ve spent earning it.  Time is a limited resource, so it’s definitely wise to spend it carefully.

But if you go any route that involves acquiring technology, there’s also a hidden trade you’re making – you’re trading ease for potential clutter.  That SawzOff 9000 may be the cat’s meow, but is it worth it?  Keep in mind what it’s replacing – a hand saw.

That hand saw is small, thin, and you can store it anywhere.  The SawzOff 9000, on the other hand, is basically around a 1 to 1.5 foot cube.  Still not huge, but it’s also not one item – it’s a saw, a box, two battery packs, and a charger.  Every time you use it, you need to recharge the battery.  This ties up a wall outlet and another square foot of counter space wherever you’re doing the charging.  Eventually those batteries wear out, and you have to replace them (let’s say $30 each).  That saw also needs to be maintained (cleaned, lubricated, etc.) if you expect it to operate properly.  This might require partial disassembly of the unit (requiring more tools), and certainly takes time.

The long and the short of it is that by trading your hand saw for the SawzOff 9000, you’ve exchanged one item for five.  You’re consuming 8-10 times the storage space.  You’ve also acquired additional mental clutter (remember to charge the batteries, remember to take the batteries off the charger).  You’ve acquired minor maintenance tasks.  This isn’t a big deal, but here’s the kicker:

It’s a huge deal if you’ve done this for 30 or 40 items.

What used to be a box of tools is now a wall (or sometimes a set of rolling containers) of tools.  Your household outlets are crammed with chargers for everything under the sun (saws, drills, shaving equipment, AA batteries, cameras, cell phones, you name it).  Sometimes you’ve got power strips plugged into power strips to accommodate all the cords.  Every one of those items that you’ve “improved” via technology acquisition is another cord, another charger, another set of accessories and/or maintenance equipment that’s tying up space.

If complexity is a range with the hand saw on one end and the SawzOff 9000 is on the other, living simply is the process of determining where you want to be in that range.  This helps you keep a lid on both mental and physical clutter, and makes time for the other things in your life that you value.

In the example above, you may know full well that you’ll never build another woodworking project again.  In that case either the hand saw would be okay, or you could always get a friend with a power saw to help you – you don’t need to own a SawzOff 9000.  If you’re the sort of person that just loves helping people (and is good with woodworking), you might realize that owning a SawzOff 9000 would allow you to help everybody in your neighborhood with projects – as well as help you build your own house next year.  Then the SawzOff 9000 may be worth the additional clutter and expense.

Either way, this is the sort of thing that nobody else can give you a concrete answer to.  How simplicity looks in my life and how it looks in your life may be two completely different things.  The ultimate goal, however, is usually the same.  Simplicity frees up more time/money/resources to invest in what really matters to each one of us – and that’s a definition I think we can all live with.

Next time I’ll be finishing up my three-part intro series with a discussion of frugality.  As always, if you agree with what I’m saying, disagree, or just want to vent, feel free to sound off in the comments.  See you next time!