right now

right now

May 24, 2010

Go Go Gadget, Kitchen!

Ok, I've done all I can do! My day went like this...

Finally got the rest of my seedling trays and pots washed
Notice I did have a dining room table in there that was useless since nobody could slide their chairs in and out to actually sit at the table!

A gazillion trays and pots take up considerably less space when not strewn about the house!

Then I turned a tiny linen closet into my canning closet. I can't believe it all fit, the shelves are only about 9 inches deep. All my jars, pickling junk, freezer containers, dehydrator and food saver fit and still had the bottom 2 shelves for seed starting paraphenilia, or should I say "growhouse paraphenilia"... it sounds so much more exciting that way, teehee! As for the linens? Who needs linens anyways?

Right across the little hall from the canning closet is my wicked cool poster that has everything you need to know about starting anything from seed and companion planting - bonus is that it's a nice conversation item for anyone standing in the little hallway waiting to use the bathroom during a party! (See how the rule of dual purposes plays out everywhere?!)

Next the kitchen table got the boot back into the living room...

But now all my appliances are actually in the kitchen! Major victory, unless there are those of you who like the college feel with the kegerator in the living room... I am not one those! And getting my deep freeze out of the living room? I might actually look in there now...

What you see above is a stainless prep table (I cannot live without this table during tomato season) with 2 stools brought down from the attic, deep freeze is behind there, cart with appliances, & kegerator - all previously not in the kitchen! I find that when my appliances and tools are hidden in cabinets or away in closets I completely shut down and cease preparing anything that resembles a nice meal. I am one who likes a very unfitted, moveable kitchen with all my tools within reach, and now my breadmaker is out - yippee! Maybe I will start using it now...

Showing the right side of the kitchen, the shelves on the back right hold all our cereals, snacks, baking ingredients, serving dishes, and my sushi barware addiction. When I look at the picture, it looks bigger than it is, that area in the back, the "eat-in" area is only about 4 ft by 9 ft, so not much!

I am completely exhausted now, (I even cleaned the tops of the cabinets- yuck!), but now I can say, bring on this weeks' strawberries and peas, it's time to make jam and freeze garden goods, and now I finally feel that I'm ready! And hubby, good news... I have staged the dehydrator in an easy to get to location and I think I will now be able to make you some jerky and dried strawberries!


17 comments:

  1. I need to amend my comment of earlier today. About the 60" farmhouse table: too funny you removed it already. :>)

    I must say, I'm bowin' down in honor: you ARE the Queen of Make-it-all-Fit! Your kitchen looks awesomely organized now.

    You Rock and Rock-out.

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  2. It looks great Erin! I like having the appliances out and in reach too.

    Stuff does look bigger in photographs, I was thinking that when looking over my blog post today- I was like 'Dang! My house is not so stately in real life!'. Wide angle from the camera?? My little saltbox and your little kitchen have taken on square footage one way or another, lol. But really, as Conny said- you (and your kitchen) rock!

    Did you ever get that ice cream maker? ;)

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  3. I forgot to say that I really like your poster.

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  4. Now that's a kitchen I could live with! My kitchen is quite large, but my freezer is in the garage. That bugs me to no end! I do utilize my eat-in area of the kitchen as a place for my computer desk, bookcase, TV....MY stuff. Two people do not need a dining room, a breakfast bar and an eat-in kitchen.

    I lust for your poster!

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  5. Looks very nice. And I, too lust for that poster. Do you have a source for it?

    Garden On.

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  6. You've got a knack, girl. If I tried to fit all that stuff in the same space, it would just look messy! But your kitchen looks great!!

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  7. Conny, I just visited your blog, I'm jealous you have chicks! I wonder how many of those "nothing's happening" posts we will have for the kindergardens update - same thing here!
    *
    Kelly, your "little saltbox" really does look stately and Martha Stewart-ish! I may have to figure out that wide angle lens thing, LOL!
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    Granny, someday I want a kitchen I can fit my computer in, it seems like the perfect place for my blogging, looking up recipes, shopping lists, etc!
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    MamaPea, I seriously doubt that you are messy, lol, except maybe that quilt studio, but isn't it supposed to be that way otherwise it means you aren't using it? LOL
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    Hi DaBeardedOne! I got the poster at Bountiful Gardens (http://www.bountifulgardens.org/prodinfo.asp?number=BGE%2D1220) - there is also more info on the actual creator's site at http://www.bbruneau.com/vegetablegardenersguide.html

    - $9.95 and it comes laminated so you can scribble it up from year to year! I hung mine at my kids' eye level and it's funny I can yell at them to find out the companion or enemy plants for whatever I am doing and they love looking it up!

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  8. Erin hey, I didn't know you had a blog. That is mucho cool. It's awesome to see what people from my neck of the woods..figuratively speaking..are growing. Everything looks awesome. So glad to have found this. I read the whole blog without even realizing it was yours.

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  9. I wish I was this organize. Seriously, where do you find the time.

    I agree with you regarding the stainless steal counter top. Having worked several restaurants during the span of my life so far, I love the clean feel of a commercial kitchen.

    Also, where did you get that cool poster? I could sure use a conversation piece like that!

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  10. I LOVE YOUR KITCHEN! :) I think I have the same dining chairs, IKEA right? :) Way to go on all the work you had to get done!

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  11. Megan, yes IKEA! Everything in my house is IKEA, can't help myself, I make the 3 hour trip there about twice a year, that store is made for people with tiny houses like me!
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    Sunny, welcome to the blog! I'll have to update my link on the meetup site, it's always nice to have a couple of local people check in! And thanks for the compliment!
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    Thomas, not to say that I'm not busy or don't work as hard, but I AM at stay at home mom, so this is my work - I have more time for this stuff than those of you working outside the home. Check back at my house when I go back into the work force you may find a different scenario, LOL...actually probably not knowing me, but I would be one tired and cranky you-know=what! The poster link is reference above in my comment reply to DaBeardedOne. It is definitely awesome! I've had the comment "you're wierd" accompanied by a laugh from a guest once upon seeing it... to me that's a compliment!

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  12. SWEEEEEEEET!!!!!!!!! You are good girlfriend!!

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  13. Bountiful Gardens is about to sell out of posters.

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  14. hmmmm, I should be working on a commission for them! Or maybe free beneficial insects, LOL?

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  15. Ok...you are amazing! LOVE you kitchen and I have stainless steel envy now!

    Where did you get that cool poster.

    I would not let anyone in that kitchen for fear they would mess it up...great job, Kim

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  16. I see you already answered the poster question...thanks! Kim

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  17. Hi Kim! The poster source is listed above in the comments section, alot of people have asked!

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