Good things come to those who compact!

Back in January, just after starting the I'm Not Buying It Challenge naturally, I was making dinner for the family...chopping onion, mincing garlic, and dreaming about the days when kitchen gadgets were made to last. I was using Mr. Greenhab's metal garlic press -- by far the best thing he brought to our relationship -- and thinking "Now this is a kitchen tool! No plastic here. This is a metal workhorse, baby! I can't imagine Marc buying this though. I bet it came from his mom. I'll probably never have to buy another garlic press in my lifetime because this is a tool that was made to last a life..." --CRACK-- And as I squeezed the garlic press, a piece of metal snapped and parts went flying around the kitchen. Seriously. I couldn't make up a more ironic story.

So to Goodwill I went, in search of a new, used metal garlic press. And to Salvation Army, and to another Goodwill, and to ARC. After weeks of searching I meandered down the kitchen gadget aisle at the grocery store, resigning myself to buying a new press. But I couldn't find one that was all metal and, if I was going to break the compact, I wanted to at least avoid buying plastic. I looked at Target and Walmart, another grocery store and several more thrift stores until last weekend when I came across the tool of my dreams.

This time around, compacting has taught me patience and the importance of planning ahead (I also purchased a few things for the kids' Easter baskets at Goodwill last weekend.). Not being able to run out and immediately buy the things you want gives you time to think and decide if it's something you really need. Could I live without a garlic press? Sure. But I found myself reaching for it over and over again since January. Knowing how much it will be used, knowing that it didn't require any new manufacturing, and knowing that I'm keeping it out of the landfill makes it a good purchase in my book - and the $.99 price tag makes it that much sweeter!