Unclutterd and Feeling Good!

Yesterday I spent most of the day

de-cluttering my kitchen!

I have wanted to do this for a very,

VERY long time!

There was so much stuff around 

that it made any kind of work in here 

practically impossible!

Now....I'm very nervous and embarrassed

to show you these pictures!

But you need to see them 

in order to understand

the relief and satisfaction I'm feeling!

Ok....take a deep breath....

Here goes nothing!

Please don't faint!

It does get better!

Here's what it looked like before I started:

Aaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!! 

CALGON, TAKE ME AWAY!

Boy, I had my work cut out for me!

This counter is a magnet for anything 

and everything to gather,

mail...snacks...

Tupperware that won't fit in the cupboard!

 Unfortunately I had to remove the green bin because

water had gotten underneath

and it was not a pretty sight!

I will clean the bin up and use it somewhere else,

away from any water source!

I like it too much to get rid of!

The toaster is too big for this space.

And it also is a gathering place

for anything that I didn't have a place for.

The book and the bag have been there for....

well, let's just say it's been awhile!

 The bin in the corner holds necessary items:

like nails, screws, sewing thread & needles

for quick fixes, plate hangers.

But these things are not needed on a daily basis.

Morning coffee was always a battle!

There was always something in the way 

of the coffee pot, 

and I was always moving things around 

to get to anything.

The cookie jar, which holds tea bags and coffee filters,

was too big for the space,

and I never used anything in the wire basket

except the sugar shaker.

That was painful!

I hope you are still with me!

Now, for the AFTER!

{SIGH!}

 Much better!

I CAN SEE MY COUNTER TOP!!!

And LOTS of it!

Here is my new coffee/beverage station! 

My homemade hot chocolate mix and loose tea

are in the round jars.

I was excited when I discovered the jars fit

LIKE A GLOVE in the white wire basket!

Pens and paper are now in the drawer where they belong!

 And I found this basket in the new spring product

section of our NEW Hobby Lobby!

(it opened last Tuesday & I've already been there twice!)

 Coffee filters and scoop - another perfect fit!

 HL also has coordinating wall plaques

that I will probably be purchasing to cover the 

hideous laminate on the back-splash of my counters.

 Toaster & knife block are now over between the

stove & fridge, freeing up A LOT of space on this counter!

Not sure what to put in the bottom 

of this basket yet (bananas?),

but the top, since it's hard to get to,

is now home of a teapot trinket box and mini teacup.

Will be looking for some greenery to place behind it, too.

This little wire teacup holds recipe cards while cooking!

 And my odds-n-ends bin found it's new home 

on top of the fridge, 

along with my spoon-lady and her cow.

The basket holds snacks & such.

So there it is - my weekend kitchen project.

Largely inspired by Leslie's kitchen transformation at
Goodbye, House! Hello, Home!

I'm hoping to have the cabinets refaced

and the countertops replaced in the near future.

Well, time to go watch the last half of the Packer/Bears game!

~~~GO PACK GO! ~~~

 Have a wonderful weekend!

Hugs!

Lori