4 questions that can help you assess your space

Today I'm going to head into the kitchen and assess the space. We recently shifted our large kitchen table into the family room (voila: one fabulous dining room), shifted the family room to the living room (previously a more or less unused room) and created a breakfast bar in the kitchen. We turfed a couple of large, down-at-the-heel chairs. We feel like we moved into a new house.

My DH has suggested using the breakfast bar for storage with out of site access from our basement stairwell. I was charmed. There's a reason I like this guy so much.

Then I panicked. What would I put in there?

Stupid problem, I'll admit.

So, this leads me to today's little project. I'm going to take a good hard look at the contents of my kitchen cupboards. Everything gets asked the same questions:
1. Are you necessary or desirable? If I don't use it or like it, or (gasp) it's an expired food item, out it goes.
2. Do you belong in the kitchen? If this is an item that would be better placed in another room of the house, it is taking up valuable real estate for no reason. Gondee.
3. Are you as close as possible to your action zone? If I can move an item to a different location and save myself from steps during meal prep, baking, or dishwasher unloading, the change of address cards are in the mail, baby.
4. Are you easily accessible? If it is difficult to get to this item, find it, or retrieve it, it's time for a new solution.

Wish me luck!

Moving in the Kitchen

Every four or five years, we feel the urge to move house. This time it is definitely not happening. It may explain why I felt the sudden urge to rearrange my kitchen.

First I did a bit of plastic decluttering. Then I did a cull of the cereals, etc. Then I got them to switch places. Now I have my flour right where I want it. Too bad I didn't know it til now. I also shuffled my mixer from one corner to another and flipped the drain board to the other side of the sink (that one might be the toughest to get used to).

So now it feels a bit like a "move", with no heavy lifting or labelling or cardboard boxes involved. Yippee!