The thought fills me with horror.
We have only been in the Fibro three years. I did a massive cull of all kitchenware when we moved here. Why am I so scared? It's not like I've been randomly buying homewares to fill the space. No new kitchen appliances have made their way into the house (because I already have the best). Except for Cornelius the Popasaurus, but he doesn't take up much space.
No, the problem is simply this. I remember how hard it was last time. Before I even accumulated the jar collection. Before the beer cooler collection began to breed under the kitchen sink. Before the nine Christmas melamine cups and plates (one for all the nieces and nephews) took up residence with the Tupperware and other plastics. Before I decided I needed a zester, an extra colander and eight large white bowls.
Where does it all come from? And, more importantly, where in the world am I going to put it all when it comes out of the cupboards?
[image: I wish my jar collection looked as stylish as this strand of Mason Jar Lights from sweetteaclothingco/Etsy]
Ask Kymmie from Day in the Life of Us. She managed to renovate her kitchen and replace all the floorbaords in the middle of a Melbourne winter. I think she just boxed everything up that she didn't need to get by?
ReplyDeleteRenovating ... uuuurggggggghhhh.
It is amazing how much 'stuff' we accumulate.
ReplyDeleteIt's also amazing how much of it we can easily live without.
Have fun!
:-)
I desperately need to sort through my kitchen cupboards. I think i still have toddler cutlery and plates in there (my youngest is now 7).
ReplyDeleteAs for appliances, I try to not add to my current collection (which isn't that large), but I really, really want a Thermomix and a Kitchen Aid. That's not too much to ask, is it? If someone offered to give me those, I would gladly cull what I already have to make room. (you never know until you ask).
Good luck. Maybe you can put all the plastic containers in the loungeroom and ask the kids to match lids to containers? If you've got as many containers with missing lids (and lids with missing containers) as I do that should keep them out of your hair for a while. :-)
i can't imagine having to find things for all my lovely kitchen gadgets. although i do need desparately to organize my cabinets.
ReplyDeleteArrgh! It is a big job with all the 'kitch' that collects in the kitchen. We were fortunate to have moved long distances many times. I always cut the contents by 50%. New place=new start . I would have needed a truck for kitch alone. I don't envy you . Those lovely old cupboards no doubt hold a lot.
ReplyDeleteIt is hell. I am still living amongst boxes. I want a box fairy to come and make it all right again. I'll send her your way if I can summon her up. x
ReplyDeleteAl,
ReplyDeleteWe did it int he middle of winter. Everything in boxes after a huge cull (and we'd only been in the house for 2 years...)
I set up a makeshift "kitchen" in our external laundry for the duration. (We had a wall taken out as part of the kitchen revamp...)
All sorted.
Until I realised we had a little extra "guest" in the laundry - in the form of a mouse.
The stuff remained in boxes whilst I laid traps and we ate junk food for a fortnight...
GOOD LUCK! xx
Rules: anything you haven't used for three months, bin it! Simple.
ReplyDeleteAm I right in assuming your new cupboards will be arriving and installed on the same day?
ReplyDeleteSo you won't need long term storage for your kitchen things. Put them all into your "green" environmentally friendly shopping bags and line them up along a wall near to the kitchen, for easy access, then once the new cupboards are installed you can pretend you've been shopping as you unpack each bag.
Am I right in assuming your new cupboards will be arriving and installed on the same day?
ReplyDeleteSo you won't need long term storage for your kitchen things. Put them all into your "green" environmentally friendly shopping bags and line them up along a wall near to the kitchen, for easy access, then once the new cupboards are installed you can pretend you've been shopping as you unpack each bag.
Emptying cupboards is urgghh, but it's only temporary. Think of all the extra space to fill in the new kitchen!
ReplyDeleteOver the almost 8 years we've been here, my husband has been slowly removing benches and cupboards. We had a HUGE very old retro kitchen, now it's pretty much a shell. I have no space and our kitchen stuff is in the kitchen...laundry...garage...awaiting the full kitchen reno. Like you, I'm terrified at the thought of having to take what's left out of the cupboards...where the hell do you put it??
ReplyDeleteAnd just read the rest of the comments....LOVE River's suggestion.
ReplyDeleteThere's no doubt about it. This is just one of those grit the teeth situations and curse! Loudly and with force, but all the while packing up. I often find the energy that swearing gives me in such situations helps me through the job:) First checking on the whereabouts of the youngsters of course. Otherwise you will have to do it under your breath. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteOh Allison, Karen is so right. Renovating - arrrgh!
ReplyDeleteJust been there and did that. But how do you define what you DON'T use in a kitchen?
I took books out of a bookshelf in the living room and turned that into my temporary pantry, then I put boxes along the bottom for my essential bits - a saucepan, frypan, basic utensils. I had a microwave and thermomix on the dining room table and made do. Turned out we didn't even buy take out. I was so pleased!
But our daughter's room (she was at Mt Buller at the time) was filled to the brim of kitchen stuff. I didn't use boxes. I just put it all on the floor in piles so I could get to it if I needed it.
A finished kitchen is pure delight, but the pain, oh, the pain of the in-between...
All the best as you work out where the hell it all goes. xx
It comes from the Crap Fairy. I believe that she stops by my house on a regular basis and deposits loads of crap that we really don't need. No matter how much I clean out and how little I purchase, the crap still accumulates. Bugger fairy. ;)
ReplyDeleteReally enjoyed this post. You might enjoy a book called, 'How I write, The Secret Lives of Authors' , published by Rizzoli. It reveals, the totems, superstitions and practicalities of their writing practise. But at the end of the day, they all write!
ReplyDelete