I seem to have a love/hate relationship with Real Simple magazine. I enjoy reading it but find it frustrating when they show various dresses for every body type and they are all over $200. I certainly do not spend that kind of money on a dress but I guess I shouldn’t be offended; maybe I’m not their target market. Real Simple magazine is full of great ideas to organize and simplify your life. But for every great idea they offer an equally complicated idea too! Sometimes it seems as though Real Simple is real difficult!

Here are a few Real Simple suggestions that seem to over complicate what already has a simple solution. Or to simplify things…these ideas are just dumb! I find myself wondering over and over again – who takes the time to do that?

Here are a few such examples:

In January Real Simple magazine suggested using candy wrappers to gift wrap small presents.

Really? That seems like a lot of work to remember to open the candy carefully without tearing the packaging and then saving the wrapper for when a small gift might come along that needs wrapping. For a better idea, use scrapbook paper to wrap small packages or put the gift in a special gift bag.

On the website, Real Simple shares reusing a plastic bag as a mit and storage container for picking up Rover’s droppings while on a walk.

Really? This is a new use for an old item. News Flash! If you have a dog and you’re not reusing your plastic shopping bags to protect your hands while picking up droppings then you might want to consider a class on how to care for your dog.

Also online, Real Simple suggests putting a cotton ball in tip of the fingers of rubber gloves so you don’t poke a hole in the glove with your nails.

Really? Is this a problem for most people? I have long fingers and long nails and I’ve never tore a hole in the glove. It sounds uncomfortable to me.

Finally, Real Simple shares that you can use salt as an egg clean up.

Really? If I break an egg and spill some on the counter, I wipe it up with a dish rag. Why complicate it by getting out the salt. Seems to me the salt would just create a bigger mess.

Keep things organized by being patient and keeping things simple! I am a fan of Real Simple but as you might be able to tell I get little value out of the pages title “new uses for old things” each month! Nonetheless I read, laugh, and try to keep my life simple!

If you enjoyed this blog post, then you’ll also enjoy Sometimes Real Simple Magazine isn’t so Simple.