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Post by lagatta on Nov 25, 2016 15:00:19 GMT
I don't suppose you could persuade them to part with some of the bottles of liquid soap - as a gift to a charity shop, for example.
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Post by bjd on Nov 25, 2016 17:01:05 GMT
To be fair to my sister, she does bring supplies for our mother, her sons and their families. She works on the theory that stuff is cheaper in the States so buys in bulk.
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Post by mich64 on Nov 25, 2016 20:29:05 GMT
At the beginning of September we took many boxes of kitchen items to the thrift stores. In the end we were left with 4 boxes and a couple of totes of dry food goods that we put in a spare bedroom while our kitchen was renovated. Now after living a couple of months without touching anything in those boxes, I think once we unpack them next week, many of those items will be going too. I can not even remember what is in all of those boxes! I know there are some dishes, glasses, bowls, serving trays and I hope my mixer! but other than those items, I do not feel like I am doing without anything.
I spent about an hour this morning dismantling my basement kitchen that I set up that did us pretty well. Tomorrow I will clean the toaster oven my dear friend loaned us and I have plans of making my husband some bacon and eggs for breakfast when he comes home from his shift and I will make a pasta sauce for supper (2 meals we have missed). It has been snowing the past few days so I think my husband is relieved that his BBQ days are over until next spring.
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Hoarding
Nov 25, 2016 23:36:52 GMT
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Post by Kimby on Nov 25, 2016 23:36:52 GMT
Aren't remodeled kitchens great? Though I didn't have to pack up my kitchen since we only replaced cabinet doors and drawer fronts, and got new countertops, sink and major appliances. Still hoarding kitchen gadgets. (Have I mentioned my sister used to work for Panpered Chef?)
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Post by mich64 on Nov 26, 2016 3:53:43 GMT
I got rid of a lot of gadgets that I was not using. I have been invited to Pampered Chef parties but have never gone, I know I would buy pretty things I really do not need. Before the renovations After the renovations
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Post by Deleted on Nov 26, 2016 4:57:40 GMT
Looks really good! Did you just displace that door or did you get rid of it completely?
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 26, 2016 5:17:34 GMT
** ENVY **
Mich, that is GORGEOUS! Great design and wonderful tones. Did you design it?
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Post by bjd on Nov 26, 2016 6:34:06 GMT
Nice, Mich. It looks much better when the window doesn't look boxed in. But if you get rid of boxes of dishes, what are you going to fill the cupboards with now?
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Post by Deleted on Nov 26, 2016 16:33:23 GMT
Nice, Mich. It looks much better when the window doesn't look boxed in. But if you get rid of boxes of dishes, what are you going to fill the cupboards with now? My exact thought!!!! It is gorgeous Mich. We are long overdue for a kitchen renovation however, we don't have near that much space for added cabinets. When the time does come, it is going to be really difficult for me to purge all the many, many pots, pans, china, glassware and gadgets etc. The one thing I would really like to have and have always wanted was to have a window above my sink to stare out the window at the garden when washing dishes. We have never had a dishwasher and I don't want one and both my husband and I don't mind doing the dishes by hand. I would like a bigger double sink than the one we currently have though. My husband has an excellent eye for redesign/feng shui although he is a bit too keen on doing away with storage spaces which is where I have to really stand tough. Otherwise, more walls will come down depriving me of space to hoard store things.
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Post by lagatta on Nov 26, 2016 19:51:05 GMT
I'm quite limited in what I can do because I live in a housing cooperative, and while we all own it as a group, each individual member is a tenant of the coop, meaning that we have to get approval to do anything much beyond repainting. We have new vinyl flooring in the kitchens; it is much better than what was there before, which had been poorly sealed and looked stained and dingy even right after washing it. There is ceramic in the bathrooms and hardwood floors in the other rooms and hallway.
There is very little storage in these old kitchens and it is hard to design them to put in more. I do have an old steel pantry, painted white (I really should repaint it a bright colour) as well as a few built-in cupboards.
My bedroom closet is even stranger: it has a narrow door and extends into the wall both ways: one side has (very useful) shelves and at the other end we have our ... hot-water heaters! I'm not complaining; I like where I live very much but these century-old houses ... and much older ones ... all have their quirks.
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Post by mich64 on Nov 26, 2016 21:13:37 GMT
Thank you everyone! Thank you and yes Bixa, I did design all of it. After almost 20 years, I had a list of things I knew I would change, if I could, that might optimize the space we had.
Keuroac, you are correct about the door. The whole design depended on getting rid of that door, but I never discussed it with my husband because I did not think it was possible because I knew it would not be that simple to do. When I finally did mention it, he said it was a possibility we just had to figure a few things out first. Yeah! okay! the next morning he came home to a drawing that I left for him on the table.
We first had to find out if we could get a key lock for the patio doors so we could use that as our main entrance, solved that problem.
Secondly, we had to find if we could order more of the flooring because it runs through the whole main floor and into the spare bedroom on this floor, was is it still available? solved that problem.
Third, could we find the exterior wood siding in the same profile, problem solved by a friend who sourced the wood for us, and my amazing brother-in-law how milled it to match perfectly and when stained, you would never know there had been a door there!
And finally, we had to think of where our coats, shoes and boots were going to go as there was a closet beside that door. Again, my brother-in-law and I designed an armoire and bench that will fit perfectly to the left when you come in the patio door. The bench will have drawers with pull outs to fit a drain tray to put our boots and the other side of it will be empty to fit the footwear from any guests. The armoire will also have shelves inside above to fit bins for our hats, mitts and other winter wear. I designed that too! It is built and being stained this weekend so it should be brought out next week.
Thank you bjd! I agree about your comment in regards to the window being boxed in and we were also able to put in a new larger window by removing that cabinet.
So my crude drawing became a reality and the kitchen looks exactly as I pictured it. When you come in now, it looks like we extended the house! The best feature though however, is how it functions, there is so much more space to work in and storage space.
We will begin next week to unpack the boxes and I am determined to purge more items. I will never get rid of the serving dishes given to me by my mother-in-law, I am sentimental about them, but I think there are more gadgets that I now realize I do not need. So now I will have the clutter free cupboards that I have dreamed of and hopefully I will be able to refrain from hoarding more useless stuff.
Casi I am so happy to have the window now over the sink. Now I can watch the birds, squirrels and how the seasons will change the gardens next door. We were laughing this morning because the sink is so large you could bathe a toddler in it! I have more cabinet space, drawers and counter space and all just by taking out that door and moving the fridge and stove to the other side of the room, truly, this has amazed us.
I have a few more photos, if anyone is interested to see the whole wall now without the door and of the new pantry.
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Post by breeze on Nov 26, 2016 21:39:36 GMT
I'm up for more photos. I'd like to see the new entrance door and of course the armoire and bench when that's installed.
The new space looks very nice and well lighted. We learn from lousy kitchens what we'd like in our ideal kitchen, and I bet improving the lighting is right up near the top.
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Post by mich64 on Nov 26, 2016 21:40:21 GMT
It took so long to write my post (that much detail takes me a very long time to compose) Lagatta that I have just seen yours. I agree about quirky spaces, we talked today if the original owners came what they would think of what we have done through out this house, there are only two walls we have not touched, everything else has been changed and we found a lot of quirky things through the renovations!
The condo we own in town has rules regarding renovations and we can make some changes but not when it comes to structure, but yes, we can change flooring. We are also not allowed to put in a washer and dryer as they do not want us altering the plumbing to accommodate a washing machine or adding the outlet to sustain a dryer as the water and electricity are included in our condo fees. Therefore, for other tenants safety and costs, they do not want owners to increase the water and electricity budgets. There is a room on each floor with a washer and dryer, they are free, not coin operated ones that we have had when renting apartments earlier in our marriage.
I always find some fresh paint in a room makes it look different, maybe painting that pantry will give you that feeling, a bright colour sounds nice too!
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Post by breeze on Nov 26, 2016 21:40:54 GMT
"...up near the top for most people."
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Post by mich64 on Nov 26, 2016 21:43:35 GMT
Okay Breeze! I will add more photos once the armoire and bench arrive. Actually our electrician was very helpful, he advised us to add under counter lighting, I had not thought of that and are very pleased with the result.
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Hoarding
Nov 26, 2016 22:17:54 GMT
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Post by Kimby on Nov 26, 2016 22:17:54 GMT
Maybe we need to start a thread on kitchen remodels, since mich is no longer a "hoarder". :-)
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 26, 2016 22:41:54 GMT
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Hoarding
Nov 26, 2016 22:47:39 GMT
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Post by Kimby on Nov 26, 2016 22:47:39 GMT
Bixa, can you move/copy mich's fantastic kitchen renovation? I will add mine (though much less dramatic).
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Post by Deleted on Nov 28, 2016 21:19:25 GMT
I too, would love to see more pics.
Mich, you are both an inspiration and a wonder given all that you have accomplished in so many ways since we first came to know you so to speak.
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Post by mich64 on Nov 29, 2016 3:29:40 GMT
Thank you Kimby and Casi! I will add more photos when the new furniture arrives, I will post it them in the appropriate area where Bixa suggested as I agree that the discussion of the new kitchen does not really relate to hoarding now.
(Armoire coming soon!)
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 29, 2016 3:37:19 GMT
You must be so excited, Mich! Really looking forward to seeing "the big picture" when you get ready to unveil it.
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Post by tod2 on Nov 29, 2016 15:30:28 GMT
The kitchen is a big improvement but I am looking for the refrigerator and microwave! Have they been 'built-in? I did like the glass doors in your old kitchen where you can see stuff ( I notice one revealing selves). What changed your mind about not having them again? Keeping to the minimum clutter is soothing in itself - no more frustrating searching for stored items hardly ever used. I will be doing more of that in the new year!
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Post by chexbres on Nov 29, 2016 20:36:11 GMT
Nice work on the renovation project! Everyone has an opinion on what will work for them, and that's what you should pay attention to. In my B&B in New Orleans, I had enough counter space for table lamps, which I liked a lot.
On the subject of hoarding - my new apartment will need an oven/stove and a refrigerator/freezer, but otherwise has an acceptable amount of space, so I'm thankful that I can keep all the 4,928 plastic take-out containers which I could never part with.
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Post by bjd on Nov 30, 2016 8:22:51 GMT
The Houzz website I learned about thanks to Bixa often has articles about de-cluttering. One of them is "get rid of all the plastic containers that don't have lids".
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Post by Deleted on Nov 30, 2016 14:05:31 GMT
That's a good one, but I would be even more interested if they revealed where those missing lids have disappeared to.
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Post by lagatta on Nov 30, 2016 15:14:21 GMT
They are in the same warp as the mismatched sock's mate.
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Post by patricklondon on Nov 30, 2016 15:16:30 GMT
That's a good one, but I would be even more interested if they revealed where those missing lids have disappeared to. Don't worry. Just get rid of the pots they belonged to, and the lids will turn up by magic the very next day.
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Hoarding
Nov 30, 2016 18:14:16 GMT
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Post by Kimby on Nov 30, 2016 18:14:16 GMT
Patrick, my thought exactly!
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Post by Deleted on Dec 1, 2016 14:46:29 GMT
I was ever so proud of myself this past week as my neighbor very recently sold his childhood home at age 65 and as the closing date came closer and closer on top of him procrastinating
finally had to purge the house. Quite the pack rat, there was so much stuff put out as to boggle the mind.
Many people passing by stopped and packed up their cars and trucks with all manner of "stuff".
Even though I could have easily had first dibs I restrained myself save one close up look and then stopped and as an inner voice spoke to me saying "NO, you don't need anything else". It was a close call to even physically have allowed myself to get within a few feet of it.
PHEW!!!!!
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Hoarding
Dec 1, 2016 19:36:29 GMT
via mobile
Post by Kimby on Dec 1, 2016 19:36:29 GMT
Not even a keepsake to remind you of your (former) neighbor?
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