A Haven for Vee

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Kitchen Decluttering

This is the view that I usually present when I'm showing a kitchen photo. That's because I'm trying to avoid showing you something I consider too unattractive for Blogland.


This is what I consider too unattractive. The cupboards needing paint, the ratty, old wallpaper that has to go, and the 1982 stove. I've been thinking about my grandmother's table, which I use for an island. Thankfully, I have it because it comes in handy, but all that stuff below...ackkkk. I've thought of putting a vintage fabric around to hide the unsightly stuff underneath. I need that stool because I'm short vertically challenged and can't reach the top shelf of my cabinets. There's a recycling bucket there because we recycle. (This despite the fact that a number of us are wondering what happens to that garbage. I certainly hope that it isn't dumped offshore someplace. We have all heard the rumors. Anyway, we recycle and I wouldn't mind the recycling if I thought it were doing some good. I'm just not sure.) The small wooden box holds kitty food.

Anyway, back to Nan's old kitchen table. I painted the far end the same color as the jelly cupboard. My daughter nearly had a fit when I showed her. She wants me to leave the blue and well enough alone. So I guess that I'd be attempting to find some vintage fabric that would include plenty of colors...shouldn't be too, too tough.

This still looks cluttered, but it is an improvement. The back of my stove was formerly covered with salt and pepper shakers, a basket with spices, little whatevers. All gone now!

This is the microwave, toaster, and coffee pot corner. Since there is no place to stash the toaster and coffee pot, I've been thinking of making some covers from the same fabric that I'd use on the table. Any thoughts about that?

One of the things that I had been doing was to line up the counter with stuff to hide the electrical cords. Had no idea that that was what I was doing until the decluttering began. I asked for an extra outlet, but now is not a good time to be asking the carpenter for anything as he's on overload. His answer to my dilemma was to move the microwave from the corner to its spot beside the fridge. Well, I guess that works for now.


Only I would show you my dish drainer loaded with dishes. Gheesh.

Will leave you here where we began. There's a lot to be said for decluttering. Please visit FlyLady on my sidebar if you need any tips on the process. She saved my sanity one year and I still refer back to her when I'm overwhelmed with the house.

Oh, you wanted to see a before shot? Not on your life!! ;>

26 comments:

  1. All I can say is CUTE!
    Love it, Vee.

    Your kitchen with the reds and yellows is so cheery...the wood makes it so warm.

    You also have great accessories. Quality.

    I've got to head out but I'll stop back to see what others have to say.

    Becky K.

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  2. PeanYour kitchen looks warm and cozy to me. I love the color of your cupboards. There is definitely something to be said for a decluttered room. I will have to check out Flylady. I have heard a lot of good things about her.

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  3. Oops, I have no idea how that Pean got there. Time for another cup of coffee.

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  4. I think your kitchen is lovely. Looks inviting and I like the red and yellow.

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  5. we all have to live in the real world sweetie, unfortunately maintaining the magic of blogland is not always realistic! Your kitchen is lovely, I especially love the red cuppard, I am thinking the cabinets would look great that same shade of red against the wood :) and most definitely make yourself some appliance covers in a cheery fabric. I love your grandmother's table, if you want to hide what's stored beneath it you could make a skirt for it that matches the appliance covers.

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  6. Ah, but at least your dishes are covered with a towel. I am sure I have plenty of photos with exposed dishes. :)

    I woke up today thinking I really need to work on the clutter in just about every room. But I woke up motivated to work in the garden.

    I know what I need to do... invite company. That always puts me on high cleaning gear, especially certain kinds of company. There are just some you know who look for things like piles and out of place items.

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  7. nothing feels better than a bit of
    de-cluttering. . . or harder to do!

    yours looks marvelous, and i love
    the red checked cloths on counter.
    so cute and festive.

    blessings!

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  8. "Oh, you wanted to see a before shot? Not on your life!! ;>"

    Hehhhhhhhhhhh... That's what's missing! A true "Before" shot! Unfair! Unfair! True appreciation of change is lost, without being able to compare 'Before & After' photos.

    (le-sighhhhhhhhhhh)

    ^_^

    OK! OK! I applaud your good work! Even without seeing 'Before's.'

    I guess I finally need to visit 'Fly Lady,' whom I've been hearing about for years. I don't like to be told what to do, so I never tried using her advice. But housework is not synchronized over here, and........... It better get synchronized, quickly! ,-)

    Gentle hugs...

    P.S. I did de-cluttering too yesterday. I the Den. Raised dust but it felt good after. And even my pal over in MA [a true pack rat if there ever was one!] was doing some straightening up, over the weekend! Must be in the air!!!

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  9. Diva Krescl said: "we all have to live in the real world sweetie, unfortunately maintaining the magic of blogland is not always realistic!"

    Oh Dear Lady, how true! I never show distance shots of my home! Eeeeeek! They don't stand up to the "Magic of Blog Land" which I see pictured, in lots and lots of gorgeous blogs.

    Which is pretty silly of me, hu?!? Yes it is! I know I'm not trying to look like I live in decorating perfection. Why not show it to be so???

    Yeah, there you go again. Giving me posting ideas! Why not show some distance shots of my home? I love to figure out the layout of blogger's homes, from pics they show. I just LUVVVV all floor plans!!

    But it's hardly fair of me to want to see the floor plans of other's, when I'm too scared to show my own. My floor plan is fine. It's that my decorating isn't "Blog Land Perfect." ,-)

    ^_^
    .

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  10. Awww, heck! I wanted to see clutter - then I wouldn't have to feel so bad about mine! I love your kitchen - it's all cottage-y and homey! I need to be doing some spring cleaning, too!

    I think a skirt around your little table would be perfect! The same fabric or a coordinating one OR use 2-3 different coordinating ones & include the one you're already using. Just go crazy!

    I found some velcro with a sticky backing on it and I made a skirt for the little round corner cabinet in my kitchen. I can just take it off and wash it when it gets grubby!

    I guess I'm with your daughter on the blue on the table. Sounds like a vintage blue color - is it original? If it is, then I'd leave it and just cover it with a skirt.

    The yellows in your kitchen remind me of mine at my farmhouse. I love yellow! Be sure and let us see when you get your table skirt done!

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  11. You are short? Funny...I never pictured you that way. Well...I don't need stools much around my kitchen. I usually tower above my friends. (Maybe that's because I pick short friends.)

    It looks downright cozy and homey. I'm smiling at the towel over the dishrack...that's always a quick 'clean-up'. I have a cutting board that fits over my sink...and gets placed there when the sink needs a quick clean-up. I love your grandmother's old table.

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  12. We have the same set up. Mine has a little more counter space, and the island holds the stove. Otherwise the L shape kitchen with sink and window is the same. And I just checked, my dish drain is full too :D

    I love it when people just make what they use cute. I love the cover ideas. I like the crate for the cat food, and your wooden stool. Maybe you could think of something clever to slip the garbage can into, an old wooden barrel of some kind. I love your home and all its cozy charm.

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  13. Wait a second, what about wicker? A large wicker hamper basket thing to slip that garbage can into?

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  14. Vee, I love your kitchen! It looks "loved" - not all fancy, cold, and sterile.

    Vertically challenged, you say. You are in good company. ;)

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  15. PS: FlyLady kind of drives me nuts. Many people like her and that is great. Remember my blog name? The day I changed my original blog name to Swatting at Flies was the day I quit following her. It wasn't FlyLady's fault that the dogs had been sick all over the living room carpet or that fly eggs had hatched somewhere in the house and that we found mouse dropping in all the kitchen drawers, but whatever she said to do that day just really hit a sore spot. But, it really wasn't her fault. :)

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  16. Off topic, but I read something that made me understand your dislike of turkey vultures.
    http://omaha.com/article/20100414/NEWS01/704149915/0#iowa-town-takes-aim-at-vultures

    Last summer, I got some shots of about a dozen of them just soaring around the pasture. It was beautiful, but then they don't stay in my yard.

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  17. Music! "A Trip to Green Gables" was perfect for this post, Vee. I am so tempted to put music back on my blog as I loved it so much.

    Your kitchen looks wonderful to me. Very functional and open. The table as an island is such a convenience -- I wish I had room for an island as I seriously lack counter space and have to do so much prep work bending over my kitchen table...ouch!!

    I think your idea for a skirt around it would be pretty and your could make appliance covers with the same fabric. A red and creamy yellow check pattern would look so nice and tie in the yelow cabinets and red cupboard. I really like a red and yellow color scheme and a little dab of blue here and there would be a nice accent color.

    I love your wood panel walls! It looks like you live in a wonderful log cabin in the woods. A dreamy Laura Ingals look.

    ♥ Pat

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  18. It really looks great! I don't like a lot of things on my counters so that I can prepare foods so it's hard to know how much is good! You know what I mean! lol I like things a certain way....but I love all my pretty things, too!

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  19. I love your cozy kitchen, especially the table for an island. We have the very same stool to help with the vertical challenge thing too! It looks to me like you just need a few cosmetic changes and those are easily doable. Whatever you decide I am sure it will be just lovely.

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  20. I say yes, yes, YES to a little skirt around your table! You have an adorable kitchen with charm. Bravo on the decluttering! Want to come and help me unpack next month and laugh at all our clutter? PUL-EEEZE?

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  21. Love the skirt idea!

    I think I would love to sit in your kitchen with a cup of cocoa with you and just visit the day away. You know what, I probably would be laughing too hard to notice any "clutter" that might be around and about.

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  22. Your kitchen is very cute & cozy Vee!
    I think a vintage fabric skirt around the table would be cute. Maybe you could also make some appliance covers with the same fabric?!?

    Blessings!
    ~Nadine

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  23. Very cute kitchen! And I also like the skirt idea...good one!

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  24. What I notice is that you have a wonderfully large kitchen with lots of cabinets and counter space!

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  25. I lovr your kitchen - love the window and love the yellow!

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  26. It's charming Vee. I think your kitchen is homey and welcoming, the kind of place a family can gather and feel like they belong. Good for you on the decluttering! It is something that I have been working on slowly but surely, but really not getting very far!

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