simply put

do you ever find yourself racking your brain for a good solution to something, only to realize that the simplest solution is probably best and, well, simplest?

throughout the winter, i've amassed quite a collection of the recycled coffee trays from my local coffee shop. every time i get to my desk, the idea of throwing out the carrier just bugs me - it seems too significant; too much material to use just once and get rid of. so i got to work on thinking of what i could do with them to make better use of them and create less waste. i considered the following:

-a place to start seeds inside
-a bracelet holder, since i have so many beloved bracelets
-a countertop fruit holder
-an art project involving children and markers

as i thought about these concepts, the carriers continued to pile up. and when i can't decide on a course of action, sometimes (and only sometimes, truly), i think about the concept of occam's razor which, more or less, translates to the notion that the simplest answer -- or the one which makes the fewest new assumptions -- is often correct.

so i brought all the carriers back to the coffee place i got them from so they could be used again. DONE.

and they gave me a free coffee to thank me.