My Kitchen

My kitchen is where my creative juices really get flowing.  I am all about food – planning for it, shopping for it, preparing it and, of course, eating it. 

Ours is a small galley kitchen.  By most people’s standards it is very tiny.  When I moved in it was about the same size as the one we were coming from.  However, it felt larger simply because there was more drawers and cupboard space.  I cleaned and scrubbed and painted and put my things away and actually had empty spaces.  Not for long though.  I managed to fill those spaces pretty quickly, as one tends to do. 

Our dining area is positioned so people can gather at the table and see right in so I don’t miss out on anything.  It has everything I need – range, refrigerator, dishwasher, microwave, and double sink with a garbage disposal.  What more could a girl ask for? 

Minimizing clutter is key.  Because my kitchen is small I keep fewer things.  I look for items that serve multiple purposes and will store compactly.  If it won’t fit in the cupboard then it has to go.  I try to keep my surfaces clear and have out only the things I am using at the time. 

My utensil canister, coffee canister salt shaker and pepper grinder have a permanent home on the tiny counter next to the stove.  I do keep two vintage Pyrex casseroles on top of the microwave.  They are decorative and practical because I use them to store or bake food.  All of my decorative things are put to use at one time or another so they are dual purposed items. 

For big projects like canning and holiday baking my table becomes an extension of my counters.  I have even put the chairs into use to stack fruit boxes on or cookie tins, whatever. 

You can make extra space almost anywhere and still make it look nice too.  I hang wine glasses from a rack mounted under one of my cabinets, the top of the refrigerator holds my beer keg (that is another story) and our coat closet became our pantry. 

We all know the kitchen is the hub of the home and ours is no different.  Size really doesn’t matter! J