The Challenge of completing Challenge #3

I kind of feel like I was plucked off the surface of the earth. Each time I tried to even think about sitting down to write up this post, something would happen. I had to dash out the door on never ending errands, Dear Husband needed me to track down something, I finally got around to taking care of my name change and driver's license fiasco(yeah!! doing my little happy dance for a I am able to drive again), oh and not to forget that I had to go to work too. Some how in all that mess I did manage to do challenge number 3- The Tupperware Cupboard. I actually did start this bad boy on Monday I just didn't get to finish till yesterday. I feel like I am heading more towards the 21 Weeks Challenge instead of 21 days. Hopefully with some of the big things out of the way this week I can actually get on track(again). I digress, on to today's post.

I have a small kitchen. Really small. OK probably not as small as some kitchens in say Europe, but its considerably smaller than the last few kitchens I have had. So much so that I actually had the problem of trying to figure out where I was going to put things and make them fit. In my last two houses I had so much kitchen I had empty cupboards. My kitchen is not the best designed in my opinion. I know I am not an architect but I have to function in this kitchen and its not making the cut. I have about the right about of cupboards, but only four little drawers in the whole kitchen! I had the hardest time getting my silverware and other utensils to fit. And the one spot that is considerable in size, to hold pantry items is awful. The cabinets are too deep to be truly effective, so it kinda becomes the black hole of cupboards. However till I can get my dream kitchen, which looks like these photos, I have got to make due.

You might notice a theme here with these kitchens. I want light and airy and openness with my kitchen. I really can't wait to obtain a very similar look.  In the mean time though, I am so glad for Day 3's challenge. There has been one particular cupboard that has been in desperate need of an overhaul.

BEFORE

 This cupboard had become the dumping ground for things I use, but not very often, in the kitchen. Its been an eye sore and I have needed to get to it for some time now. As per protocol I pulled everything out.

Here you can see what I was talking about above. This space could be really great if it wasn't so deep and the shelves structured the way they are. Its very hard to fit things in there because the openings are so, well square. I am happy to say there wasn't anything I had to donate or toss. When we first moved into our house I went thru everything as I unpacked(since the kitchen was so small). If I had doubles of anything, or I didn't swoon at the sight of it out it went. So I just needed to corral things and move some things to better more suitable places. I am a very visual person. If I don't see something out in the open then I tend not to use it. Thus my love for open shelving. The way I see it is open shelving helps keep you simple, clean and honest. With this in mind I moved my cookbooks to a little shelf  out in the open so I will be motivated to use them more.

AFTER

Here is the after photo. Oh so much better(I know this should not be a surprise). I bought a lid rack for my pot lids, used a a butter danish cookie can to hold my kitchen towels, a basket to hold my potatoes, and a cookie sheet to hold my flour can, rolling pin, and small serving plate. I think this will actually stay clean and organized for a long while. It seems pretty hard to mess it up. I just need to make up some labels, and redo the danish cookie can up in some pretty paper.

So lets see this transformation again....

Now time for challenge 4-The Linen Closet. This should be interesting, since I actually have to make one from scratch.

Till Next Time,
Amanda

P.S. I realize that it doesn't look like I did a Tupperware cupboard, and in a way I didn't. I have a Tupperware drawer and it was already orderly, this was the next closest thing.