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Help me make this tiny kitchen work!


babyluck

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At the in-laws' for the Super Bowl last night and I spot it on the kitchen counter--"You have the SmartSpin!!!" 

They haven't really used it yet but the containers do seem to be good quality and the lids, while a little tricky to get on, do form a nice seal and they are much easier to get off because of the 4 finger-grab channels down the sides of the container--no broken fingernails.  They did advise getting the extra set of containers in case some get lost or ruined. 

I'm pretty well sold.

Thank you for the report. Still not sure, though. I hope it shows up at one of the Malls in their "As shown on TV" kiosks so I can have a good look.

Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

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An interesting take on the small kitchen, from The Efficient Kitchen of 1914:

In meeting the new conditions no single change has proved so helpful as the passing of the old-fashioned “roomy” kitchen of fond memory, and the adoption of the very modern and utilitarian small kitchen.

Where space is restricted a most careful study is, of course, necessary in order to make the most of the space at one’s command. But when such a study has been made, when the kitchen is a compact and truly efficient work-room, the saving in time, strength and labor due to the simple elimination of useless space, is almost incalculable. In the small kitchen there is less wall and floor space to be gone over in the daily care and cleaning. The concentration of all the working processes near together and in convenient relation to one another, saves hours of time by preventing useless steps and awkward, unnecessary motions…

We assume, therefore, that the housekeeper will have a small kitchen if she can; or will limit her remodeled kitchen to the smallest possible dimensions. We will proceed to consider how this limited space may be used to the best advantage.

...and a disturbing analogy attempting to explain the poor design of early kitchens:

Concerning efficiency:

The general attitude of mind on this subject can only be compared to that of the Southern farmer in whom an agricultural enthusiast tried to awaken an interest in the scientific feeding of his stock.

“You ought to give your pigs a warm mash instead of cold at this time of year,” observed the expert.

“Why?” asked the farmer.

“Well,” began the apostle of progress, “for one thing, a cold mash takes twice as much time to digest as food that is properly warmed.”

“Does it?”

The proprietor of the pigs leisurely eyed his would-be benefactor, transferred his quid of tobacco from the right cheek to the left cheek, calmly spat, and finally remarked, “Say, Stranger, what do you reckon a hog’s time is worth?

Queen of Grilled Cheese

NJ, USA

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  • 4 months later...

I was feeling very guilty for not making good on my promise to post pictures of my kitchen post-pegboard, etc. so here they are, finally. I did not have the strength to straighten up first so you will just have to accept me for what I am--an imperfect housekeeper.

The infamous table. Mr. Babyluck tried to clear it off and close it up periodically at first, but I think he's given up. I really don't see any point to putting it up since that takes away my only workspace. Yes, we rarely eat at the table since it is so awkward, but if we had the proper chairs that might change.

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Two of the few aesthetic improvements I've made: 1) putting up the fantastic vintage curtains I bought at a thrift shop when I was 16 (see, Mom, all that crap does come in handy eventually), and 2) replacing the old swinging door found in the basement. It does stay open most of the time but it is handy when the smoke alarm goes off in the other room.

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The pegboard! It has made me so happy...

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The stove (last night my friend asked me "how do you know when it's preheated?" "well, you just know--10, 15 minutes or so" "you mean it doesn't beep or anything?"

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The fridge

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The pantry

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My tupperware solution (no SmartSpin). One of the shelves in the pantry is divided, and we were keeping shot glasses and teacups there, until it came to me last week:

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I keep my oft-used spices on the lowest shelf of the table, on one of those expandable shelf thingies (love those).

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Some of the overflow is on a lazy Susan in the pantry:

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Here are the colors I'm thinking of painting, along with the objects that inspired them. What do you think?

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Queen of Grilled Cheese

NJ, USA

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