What I need to complete the kitchen is a large block of time. I won’t have that until tomorrow, so I do what I can, one drawer or cabinet at a time. On Day 6 I tackled the drawer under range.
It’s a nice, large drawer that could be a real workhorse in the kitchen if organized well. The problem, of course, is that it’s never been organized well. It’s been rearranged and decluttered in the past, but I never found drawer organizers large enough to properly utilize the available space. Eventually I learned to make do.
Second verse, same as the first. I took everything out of the drawer and put it in quasi-organized piles on the kitchen counter. Next, I vacuumed out the drawer and washed the ill-fitting utensil organizer with an all purpose cleanser. Then, my least favorite part: analyzing the contents.
I was one ladle short of a soup kitchen.
Almost all of the items in this drawer are from our wedding. Judging by the impressive number of ladles (at least 6), I can only assume that, at some point during our engagement, someone started a vicious rumor that I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with soup.
This is where it Day 6 became challenging. Challenging being relative, since I’m not talking about spelunking without a light. I’m talking about realizing I would have to put in the donate pile several serviceable kitchen items that take up little room and are of good quality.
That stings.
Also, what if one day I have a chili party? I guess I will have to stand there, shame faced, while my many, many guests fight over two stainless steel ladles. I can almost picture my tear streaked face turned toward heaven in supplication, my right hand curled in a gentle fist against my heart. Oh, if only I had 4 extra plastic ladles!
At the end of the day, logic won. The world waits to see if I will curb my enthusiasm for spatulas before the end of the month.
The current utensil organizer remains woefully inadequate. I’m curious to see how these work. At some point this month I am going to the Container Store, drawer in hand, to see what I can find. If I can’t find or create something that takes up the entire drawer, I’ll pick up cork liner to keep loose items in place. In the interim, simple sheets of paper towels get the job done.
I was ten seconds away from losing my temper when I realized, after 12 years of managing my own kitchen, that wooden spoons store easily and efficiently on their sides. What a revelation! Another revelation: time to oil those wooden spoons, William’s Girl.
My oven mitts are the only items of importance that didn’t make it back into the drawer. I’m hoping new drawer dividers allow for their return because this is the ideal place for their storage. For now, they’re in a small and unsatisfactory drawer to the left.
New here? For the next 31 days Im living according to the famous William Morris quote. You can learn more about the project here.
“I was one ladle short of a soup kitchen.” :)
“Was” is the operative word here.
Oh, that clean utensil drawer is a thing of beauty … let’s just take a moment, shall we? ….
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Now, if you do host that big chili feed, it can always be a BYOL {bring your own ladle}; chili always kind of reminds me of the good old days, barn raisings and all … and everyone pitched in then, right?! So. You’re totally good to go.
oh, I love a clean drawer!! Perhaps you could move utensils that aren’t actually used AT the stove (your rubber spatulas, maybe?) to that less desirable drawer, leaving you with space for your mitts in the good drawer??
I am so stinking excited about this project. I just caught up on the first 6 days. I have to do it. Have to. As soon as I am not busier than a one-armed paper hanger at work. Until then, keep going! You’re totally inspiring me.
I’ve decided that January will be “William Morris Month” for me…and I can’t wait. Thanks for the inspiration! Who knew that excessive soup ladles and fiesty carpet cleaners could be so intriguing?!
I am ashamed when I finally get to this drawer… I always find crumbs and dried veggie peels in the bottom.
I have an older home and the drawers are not standard. I cram the plastic organizers in and use the non-skid rug pads(?) in the bottom so items won’t roll or migrate.
I feel like I am always short one ladle…..
I’m not very comfortable with today’s post. It makes me antsy. When I get to that part of my kitchen I expect to act like a 6 year old girl asked to pick her 3 favorite barbies and a handful of accessories. I’m sure I’m not ready for that.
I am a cook. I love gadgets. I also have way too many. The thought of paring down my spatula collection or limiting myself to two ladle gives me a twitch. What if I have a drawer big enough to store it all? I’m sure this is me rationalizing, but at the same time I hear the voice of my mother-in-law in my head saying, “Wow, you have lots of big, spacious cabinets. Don’t worry, you’ll fill them all up!” and it makes me cringe. I need a new perspective.
I did not realize that one should oil their wooden spoons. This is a revelatory paradigm shift for me. I now know what I”m going to be doing while watching TV tonight!
Also… the container store? Sigh. It’s like Target times 3 for me. I am so grateful that the nearest one is more than an hour away. If it was closer it would be come a true problem.
Well done!
Wait, you’re supposed to oil your wooden spoons?? What happens if you don’t? ACK! Now I’m having a domestic kitchen crisis!
Yes, and I’ve never done it. Not once!
Ah yes, but now my selective OCD is tingling and all I can think of is how awesome my spoons will look when I go home and oil them! Spoons! Augh!
I have to agree with some of the others. This has been a surprisingly interesting series of blog posts. I love watching what you’re accomplishing daily. It really has inspired me to do same. To the point, I have 4 plastic ladles in the lower drawer lazy susan because I keep the two stainless ladles in the drawer under the range, like you. The more useful stainless, such as the salad tongs, sit in a holder on the counter. Today, I am throwing out the plastic ladles. Promise.
Wooden spoons? All I can think about is germs, as an ID doc–the equivalent of the wooden cutting board, only curved. Certain things ID people will never use: sponges; wooden cutting boards or utensils; eye contacts, tooth brushes, or mascara longer than a month (and that’s stretching it); and, just to be gross, a tampon longer than 4 hours. Enough said. Hope today is productive for you.
Hahaha! I’ll bet you and your fellow infectious disease physicians have a bunch of no-use rules. I would be the same, only much worse. That’s probably why my spoons are so trashed. I wash them at 1000� and let them air dry. I try not to think about it too much, or I’ll get freaked out by the germ.
And to be even grosser, I won’t even touch tampons. A close friend of a friend died from toxic shock syndrome over 10 years ago and the group of us who watched her die swore we wouldn’t touch those things with a ten foot pole ever again.
Sorry this comment just made me laugh. I don’t do tampons for that exact reason, and you should see the looks I get… (Not that I talk about it all the time, because goodness’ knows what would be odd too…)
So reassuring I’m not alone on the sponges. I watched someone use a sponge on a countertop and almost swooned (not in a good way). Stopped myself from asking how old it was. This makes me feel not totally nuts but I do need to pitch my mascara and toothbrush.
Am also loving this series. and you have inspired me. Am waiting for a used store guy to show up any minute and take two armoires off my hands. Adieu!!!
p.s. I am so happy (and surprised!) everyone is enjoying these posts. They are a great leap outside my comfort zone and every time I hit publish I cringe, wondering who on earth is going to find a post about a kitchen drawer or cabinet or desk even remotely interesting. Thank you!
I really really love this series. I love your before photos. I love your details and wit.
I’m loving these posts too (I think I probably already said that.) Problem is, my utensil drawers didn’t make it onto MY list, and now I’m thinking that they should have. I also just realized that I kept a marble lazy susan today when I was purging and organizing “just in case I might need it someday.” I haven’t needed it in the 12 years my husband and I have lived together AND I’ve never particularly liked it. (Doesn’t exactly fit with the Willia Morris quoted.) Maybe I need to ask him if he minds if I toss it. (It was his before we met and there are trivets to match that I have actually used a time or two.)
Jules, oh my! I just did this very SAME thing last week. The drawer to the right of my stove – I was ruthless. I only kept the the things I use over and over again on a daily basis. The others …. some I tossed and some were relegated to a less used, out of the everyday flow of the kitchen, drawer (like my pastry butter/flour cutter thingy – I need it, just not on a daily basis). My drawer is now beautiful and so is yours. :-)
Oiling spoons???? I’ve learned something new today…
When you visit The Container Store, check to see if they still have the cut-to-fit drawer dividers. They are GREAT for your situation. I sold those to more people when I worked there, because it’s the most customizable (new word!) solution. When I was there, they were in the kitchen section, hanging next to all of the modular drawer organizers.
I just now finally caught on to what you mean by “William’s Girl”. (Is that her husband’s name?) Lordy, I’m slow these days. Keep up the good work!
I absolutely love these posts. I enjoy sitting on my butt reading about other people’s organized houses while mine is woefully cluttered!
Also, was the Twilight reference on purpose? Either way it made me snort. :)
YES!!! Totally on purpose. I do dorky stuff like that all the time for my own amusement, to gently poke fun (usually at myself), and also to see who will catch it. I had a Lord of the Rings reference the other day when I compared my cabinet to a gollum’s cave.
Of course I noticed that but thought it was so obvious I didn’t comment. Sorry. Most things slip past me, I’m not as smart as you are, sigh. But I won’t apologize for my utensil drawer; it’s a mess to anyone but me. I love having one drawer, everything I need right there. It’s perfectly organized to me. I know how to get things in there so they fit (there is a trick), but the drawer’s usually not hard to close. When I open the drawer, i know what I’m looking for and can (usually) find it in 0.5 seconds. But then I only have one ladle (and it’s plastic, boo)! What I love about this series is that every. single. day. there’s a new post waiting for me, yeah!
I don’t know if it’s that you’re not as smart as me…I think you’re just not as big a dork as me. :)
That would be “as I am.” ;-) (Soooo sorry, just couldn’t resist the temptation. I hope you will understand and forgive me. You are smarter than I am, and it’s not because you went to law school. I have a super intelligent father and brother, so I know smart people. I’m just good at hanging around them.)
Hah! Check you out, busting my chops for trying my hand at casual writing. ;)
That before drawer was making me twitch. It looks like every drawer that was in my mother’s house. Don’t end up like my mother, I’m proud of you for donating your spoons. If you ever have a chili party, I will overnight you a ladle.
I’m sure my mother has ten.
I’m really loving this series. It’s just so darn PRACTICAL. (Is it me, or do we not see that in the blog world very often?) These aren’t huge transformations, but they’re making an impact in your home and in what you use daily around your house. Also? Love that these are baby steps. I mean, I keep acting like I don’t have time to organize. What I’m realizing is, I don’t have time to turn my house upside down ALL AT ONCE. That doesn’t mean organization can’t be done. I’ve forgotten that it would be totally doable to tackle one drawer/closet/shelf/space at a time. Such a great reminder, and I can’t wait to see what you’ll be tackling next!
“Also, what if one day I have a chili party?” Love it. That’s the kind of random “logic” that gets me in to trouble with saving certain extraneous items. Also – I covet that rainbow spoon of yours. Love that little gem.
Not really related except in the ladle sense – while reading this, I just figured out why I received two tiny gravy ladles as a wedding gift – I must have registered for them online, not realizing that they were tiny and not soup ladles. Sigh. The lack of size comparison online defeats me every time. And I guess I need to return them now and buy an actual ladle. But what if I have a party with multiple sauces and need sauce ladles?
P.S. – LOVING watching you organize step by step. So vicariously satisfying.
Exactly, Rachel. EXACTLY. It’s our analytical planning side that gets us into these pickles.
I’m lovin’ your series of 31 Days. Thanks!
Thank you, Barbara! :)
I am loving this 31 days series. Even though I have seen and thought about this quote before, it just really struck me this time. I just a wrote a post today about some thoughts I had about it and mentioned that your blog was the inspiration. Thanks for the food for thought!
http://www.lovelyetc.com/2011/10/its-just-matter-of-time.html
Hi! I’ve just started reading your blog, and I had to tell you I’m smitten! The 31 Days of William Morris project is very inspiring …
Glad to see I’m not the only who didn’t know about oiling spoons. So, domestic godess, how exactly do you oil a spoon? Mine are desparately in need.