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One Room Challenge - THE KITCHEN! - Come Join! - Page 17

post #321 of 368
2/23/07 at 5:18pm
Thread Starter 
I like to think of things as how many I really need to have in active use at any one time. Sure, with my two tea mugs, I might have to wash one to use it, but then again I'd have to wash it anyway at some point, so the more I have, the more I have that can pile up dirty. I've really come to realize that less of something is so much better for cleaning, it means I can't just reach for a clean one and then have two dirty ones sitting there instead of one when I'm done.

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post #322 of 368
2/23/07 at 5:27pm
I decided to get my butt in gear and decluttered my WHOLE kitchen after the baby went down last night. Holy smokes! It needed doing. I got rid of about 1.5 laundry baskets full of stuff and wiped everything down. The only thing I need to think about a little more is our stonewear...I like it and we use it, but not ALL of it all the time. I just need some more time to think about it. But I can at least focus my energy there now that everything else is sorted through. Thanks for the inspiration, mamas!
post #323 of 368
2/23/07 at 5:39pm
Yesterday, all I could manage was the dining room table (was piled with junk, now sorted into piles ) and the fridge door. But I also cooked dinner (rare for me, DH is the cook), and cleaned up after myself. Whooooopie! Also, I think I came up with the colors for my dining room and kitchen: I'm thinking that the main color will be dark brown and the accent will be turquoise. In my head, it looks good, but I will definitely be getting some paint samples to figure it out for sure.

Now I have to figure out what to paint on the wall. I know I want it to be a silhouette of something... I'm stuck on this idea: silhouettte of a large tree (w/o leaves) in dark brown, with a turquoise bird (silhouette also) on one of the branches. But I'm very open to suggestions.

Oh! And somebody came to the house to pick up my box of kitchen junk today!
post #324 of 368
2/23/07 at 6:51pm
http://adobe.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?...&x=0&y=-c76x87

I have never shared pictures before, I hope this link works!

I was so inspired by everyone that I decluttered every single cabinet, it feels so good! Thank you everyone, especially those that posted pictures. For some reason peering into everyone's kitchens was the best inspiration for me.

Blessings,
post #325 of 368
2/23/07 at 7:29pm
Traci, your kitchen looks amazing. I love how bright it looks.
post #326 of 368
2/24/07 at 2:15pm

Quick update...

DH asked me what I planned to do with the extra space in the closet/cabinets

I said - "Enjoy it!!"
post #327 of 368
2/25/07 at 6:54pm

Me again

We are still debating the "tower of ovens". I'm thinking of just getting rid of the huge microwave, but DH insists we use it a lot. I only use it to heat up water, so I would like to replace it with an electric kettle and just keep the toaster oven.

Anyway, what do you all think of hanging mail bins/sorters? Do they look messy or cluttered? I was hoping it would help with the mail pile that seems to generate on the counter. I thought I saw one in someone's picture tour...

I was considering one for the wall to the right of the ovens. Something like this but less expensive
post #328 of 368
2/25/07 at 9:35pm
Thread Starter 
I have a post box below a mirror, so it has some spaces like that, it is a bit of a clutter magnet, but it can only get so cluttered, and it is better I think than the clutter accumulating on the counter. I do think that a bunch of letters in something that looks like its designed for it is better than a bunch on the counter.

I want to get one little one for near my kitchen door to put outgoing mail in. I had a cloth one (ugly, didn't match new decor at all) but the concept worked well fo rme, it was somewhere near hte door to put outgoing mail to college, I just need to find a good replacement piece and I'm having trouble.
post #329 of 368
2/25/07 at 9:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mightymoo View Post
I have a post box below a mirror, so it has some spaces like that, it is a bit of a clutter magnet, but it can only get so cluttered, and it is better I think than the clutter accumulating on the counter. I do think that a bunch of letters in something that looks like its designed for it is better than a bunch on the counter.

I want to get one little one for near my kitchen door to put outgoing mail in. I had a cloth one (ugly, didn't match new decor at all) but the concept worked well fo rme, it was somewhere near hte door to put outgoing mail to college, I just need to find a good replacement piece and I'm having trouble.

THe wall in my kitchen is right near our laundry room door (which leads to the garage), so it would be a great spot for us for incoming and outgoing mail. I'm just afraid it's going to be a mess That wall is very visible in the kitchen.
post #330 of 368
2/25/07 at 10:54pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by anthasam View Post
THe wall in my kitchen is right near our laundry room door (which leads to the garage), so it would be a great spot for us for incoming and outgoing mail. I'm just afraid it's going to be a mess That wall is very visible in the kitchen.
Well I think the key to managing mail is dealing with it immediately. So much is junk - I recycle everything but the essentials out as soon as it comes in the door.
post #331 of 368
2/26/07 at 2:30am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kateana View Post
Yesterday, all I could manage was the dining room table (was piled with junk, now sorted into piles ) and the fridge door. But I also cooked dinner (rare for me, DH is the cook), and cleaned up after myself. Whooooopie! Also, I think I came up with the colors for my dining room and kitchen: I'm thinking that the main color will be dark brown and the accent will be turquoise. In my head, it looks good, but I will definitely be getting some paint samples to figure it out for sure.

Now I have to figure out what to paint on the wall. I know I want it to be a silhouette of something... I'm stuck on this idea: silhouettte of a large tree (w/o leaves) in dark brown, with a turquoise bird (silhouette also) on one of the branches. But I'm very open to suggestions.

Oh! And somebody came to the house to pick up my box of kitchen junk today!

I love that silhouette idea. I have wanted to do it in our bedroom for a long time. The house across the street has a small tree in the front yard and it has a lovely shape. If we open our blinds at night, we can see the shadow of the tree on our bedroom wall at the head of the bed. (her front door light is "behind" the tree to create the shadow.) I'd like to sketch it onto the wall one night and paint it. But DH, as usual, is opposed. Anything a little different freaks him out, and the biggest fights we have ever had were over wall colors.
post #332 of 368
2/26/07 at 2:50am
Quote:
Originally Posted by greenmansions View Post
I love that silhouette idea. I have wanted to do it in our bedroom for a long time. The house across the street has a small tree in the front yard and it has a lovely shape. If we open our blinds at night, we can see the shadow of the tree on our bedroom wall at the head of the bed. (her front door light is "behind" the tree to create the shadow.) I'd like to sketch it onto the wall one night and paint it. But DH, as usual, is opposed. Anything a little different freaks him out, and the biggest fights we have ever had were over wall colors.
That sounds so great! I am really into the silhouettes recently (you know, like the screenprinted shirts that are so "in" right now ); I can see myself going nuts and doing them in every room.

Your DH sounds like mine. DH is opposed to change of ANY kind. When I told him that I wanted to paint something on the wall (even though he hates the beige, too...), he said, "No. We can just keep it drab!" (or was it dreary?) SERIOUSLY! Then I told him that I was going to drop the entire subject for awhile, as he was clearly in no mood to talk about it. I think I also said something about him not being the decorator. Within a couple minutes, he was asking questions and being all sweet about it. This was a very calm conversation, but that's only because we've had MAJOR fights about decorating earlier in our relationship. That's so weird to me. Men aren't supposed to care, are they??: Anyway... I ask him for input, but only after I've come up with several choices for him. I don't involve him in the beginning of project planning... it gets too messy.
post #333 of 368
2/27/07 at 3:29am
yeah when dh and I moved in together we agreed he'd have final say on cars and computers since he knows a lot about both. I was supposed to have final say on decorating and house-related issues. Not sure what happened there, since he seems to want final say on everything these days... Gotta figure out a way to take back what was supposed to be mine! But he is getting busier and busier at work and the day is coming where he will just not have time to deal with the house-y stuff anymore. I'll be ready!
post #334 of 368
2/27/07 at 3:51am
And then you can say, "Welcome home, honey! I am so-o-o excited to show you what I did today! I was so creative... come look in the bedroom... at the tree on the wall!"

What I usually use for leverage is the "I'm here all day, so I get to make it how I like it." It sounds really b*tchy, but I honestly wouldn't do something he hates. He just really resists change of any kind (and I thrive on it!). : He usually ends up agreeing, begrudgingly (where is spellcheck?!), and then he loves it. :
post #335 of 368
2/27/07 at 4:04am
Kateana, I have used that argument about being home all day - no one messes with his office at work so why should he mess with mine - but honestly he does a lot of the remodeling work in our house himself and so uses that to say he gets to decide. So we both have valid reasons... darn.

As my babies get a bit bigger I will be doing more around here without discussing it with DH first. But for now, there's a lot I can't do because I spend so much time with them and so I have to talk to DH about things to get him to do them - like hanging pictures or painting a room or whatever. He never lasts watching both kids long enough for me to scrub the bathroom, let alone take on a whole day project.

I love spending time with my kids, but dream of a week by myself in the house to work on a few projects.


So back to the kitchen topic at hand, my kitchen now looks worse than when I started this project. We have all been sick and with my sis's family here this past week, it takes multiple loads in the dishwasher every day to keep up with all of us. So my countertops and kitchen table are pretty cluttered up right now... Kind of discouraging since a week ago it was looking pretty good.
post #336 of 368
2/27/07 at 1:29pm
Thread Starter 
It's February 27th - One day left! Don't forget to shine up those kitchens and show us some before and after photos!!!

Time's almost up! Then its time to start neglecting the kitchen and working on the bedroom!
post #337 of 368
2/27/07 at 2:12pm
Where's the "gulp" emoticon?

Sadly, I did not accomplish a lot of what I wanted, but that was largely due to lack of funds. I will revisit my initial list and take some pictures of the "after" pantry, etc.

Thanks to mightymoo for "hosting" us
post #338 of 368
2/27/07 at 2:28pm
Greenmansions,
Dangit! I forgot about needing DH for stuff around the house... that's so true! I guess it's been a long time since I've done anything with the house myself. I also dream of a little time for myself, and when DH asked me what kind of vacation I wanted to take for a couple days this year (roadtrip-style), I told him I'd rather stay home and get stuff done. Then the vacation comes afterwards, when I can relax in a home I am happy with.

Funny, my kitchen also looks pretty bad this week... I'm at a standstill. I did the hard stuff (decluttering and cleaning), and next is the fun/creative stuff. Why have I stopped?? Anyway, I'm pretty sure I won't be done by tomorrow, unless DH spends all day with DD so I can work like a madman. Hopefully I can get some more stuff done.
post #339 of 368
2/27/07 at 3:33pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mightymoo View Post
It's February 27th - One day left! Don't forget to shine up those kitchens and show us some before and after photos!!!

Time's almost up! Then its time to start neglecting the kitchen and working on the bedroom!
Aaaccckkk!
post #340 of 368
2/27/07 at 8:52pm
Holy crap! No fair, short month! Guess I have some work to do tonight.

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Mothering › Mothering Discussion Forums › Natural Family Living › The Mindful Home › Decluttering, Organizing, & Simplifying › One Room Challenge - THE KITCHEN! - Come Join!