I also had to make the switch from OE to Outlook in the past two or three years. Like you, I don't need all the bells and whistles. However, I was soon using it almost without thinking, largely thanks to tips from people on this list, along with CathyAnne's textbook. Now that you have it, I'd encourage you to stick out the learning curve, which I think you'll find isn't as grim as it seems at this stage. Most tasks are handled by keyboard shortcuts, so there's almost no need to dabble with the ribbon. The program is stable, and so far it hasn't limited by email storage load. And just think, you're learning version 2013, which means you should be spared from learning another email client for many years to come.