kitchens, lifestyle choices, appliances and storage

MawBe

I am so disappointed- I was about to welcome Craftyone back and then I saw the date of her OP (March 2019)

Likewise

I like my surfaces clear. Easier to clean. Simply bring any utensils or machines out from cupboards (plenty of those) when required.

It is hard though kissngate, be prepared to wish you'd kept some things. I needed a straw the other day and went, mentally, to my kitchen drawer of the past No straws here yet!

Shandy - thanks for the tip about the shelving will check before any breakables go on. Decided I will declutter as we unpack the kitchen boxes. No point in keeping numerous grinders, liquidisers, food mixers when one will do.

Not a large kitchen, but redone 6 months ago, only things out on side are tea/coffee/sugar caddies, kettle, toaster, bread bin and Alexa. Oh a large chopping board, I love it, so much space, deep storage drawers hold slow cookers etc.

craftyone

I had a real old fashioned pantry once in my lifetime, it was wonderful and I was sad to leave that house

I am kind of getting a few collywobbles about settling into my new kitchen. I am sorting boxes here and there are so many marked` kitchen`. They will never fit into the new build but I have to wait to downsize even further

Probably I will have to think very seriously about a mobile and large butchers block but will have to be there first and/or an ikea trolley for pans. It was always easier on the mindset to upsize with a growing family, much harder to go down to catering for one plus visitors, esp since I always cook from scratch and make veg juices, sprout edible seeds, make my own bread etc

Just one example: my bread proofer, it folds and I use it but it isn`t small

you have got a breadproofer? Jealous!

I am so disappointed- I was about to welcome Craftyone back and then I saw the date of her OP (March 2019)

We have quite a big kitchen and utility room. Quite a lot is left on the worktops. In the kitchen, toaster, kettle, food processor, trays, CD/radio - have to have music! In the utility room is the microwave and my ice cream machine. Also on a worktop is a large bed for my two cats.

I'm suffering with this small kitchen kissngate, there just aren't enough cupboards or work surface.

Do check the shelf 'holder' peg when you put things into the bottom cupboards, I didn't, and I've just gone to get my rice cooker and the top shelf has tilted and crashed down onto the things underneath. Luckily my Mum's meat plate is still intact I've got my KitchenAid out on the counter, but there's no room for the toaster. As I've given up butter for the moment it's good it's out of sight

I can see me having similar problems in the house we are our buying as previous house had large kitchen with centre island and tons of storage space. Most of the boxes in storage are marked up kitchen! This smaller house has a kitchen diner but there aren't many units and I have no idea where I'm going to put food mixer, breadmaker, slow cooker etc but it wont be in the kitchen cupboards as my pots and pans will fill them. There is a storage unit in the hall with a few shelves so thats a possibility. I have a large microwave that gets used daily so that has to stay out. I do like my kitchen doors 2b (shaker style) but I think there's scope for additional units in the dining area . Just not told my OH what I'm planning will leave that to after we've moved in. He will soon realise what came out of last kitchen wont fit in this.

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I just found this lady on youtube and must say that I do like her de-cluttering and storage methods. Raveena, I particularly like the spice/tea/sugar drawer
www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4izHf9NeGY

It is mostly all ikea

I keep things like my food mixer, food processor, etc on the work tops in either the utility or the conservatory. Which since having a new roof has really become an extension to the kitchen, so it's more a dining /family room. We use it so much more these days. Honestly I would have had the roof replaced ages ago if I'd thought it would make so much difference. I now have a vast amount of usable space.

I just posted on “new kitchen” and extension what appliance and cabinet suggestions but reading this I had to add my thoughts. I am desperate to have empty kitchen counters other than coffee, tea, sugar caddies and a kettle and I might get them hidden. I’m fed up of trying to make space for setting out plates to put the food on. Dog food Tupperware boxes piled up because they are in habit of eating in the kitchen so I have to keep these topped up plus a scale as they eat dif. At dif. weight. That’s one thing that changes with new extension! Darn fruit bowls, bread bin, bread is usually outside it, toaster. Gosh it’s endless can’t wait to have walls,of cabinets and everything away except maybe some artfully arranged flowers from the garden. Well I can dream.

The used dish cloth is the most untidy object in my kitchen and the dish towel is the second most untidy object. May be should throw them in the Washing Machine after every use?

Its the little tweaks for me. An aero press just for me (and close family to use) visitors can have instant. Aeropress can go into a drawer and my cafetiere has gone. The initial downsize was my lovely coffee machine but heyho, got to keep my sensible head on, aeropress made fab coffee. Next thing is the hardly used top notch de-humidifier, no- where to keep it and anyway lots of humidity vents in the house. Giving it away today

My zeller hob covers have arrived and they are honestly fantastic. I can see me using one on the hob all the time, even when I have a pan on, will be safe when cooking because induction heat only goes into stainless steel pans. I bought 2 beech covers, I am glad I did, took me ages to find some nice ones on feet. Wayfair.

lovebeigecardigan, yes so much was so good about the older kitchens. I loved the gas cooker with the eye level grill. I loved my big airing cupboard, now I will have a cupboard with an electric heater at the bottom, it starts at chest height and has two shelves. I will never be using that heater. Trouble I think is that we accumulate and have greater and greater expectations all through life, many of us seem to be aiming upwards, until that sudden stop. Children leave home, widowhood might happen, pensions and not earned income. We upscale slowly and then need to downscale fast. Not so easy to adapt so quickly

Upside for me, 2 council bands lower

I feel for you crafty. I have the same in my new build. My toaster and little grill are bunged in the cupboard as there isn't the space to keep them out all the time. Very annoying.
My previous kitchen had one of those old fashioned gas ovens with an eye-level grill - the best thing since sliced bread in my view. I'm afraid it has gone the way of the airing cupboard which is another item I mourn. First world problems I know.
I use two pans most days and they are either on the hob or the draining board. I dream of more space but without a lotto win ... Things could be worse, I have my little house and my health.

I am biting the bullet, cannot take it with me, want to enjoy my kitchen as much as possible. My kitchen here, new, the last and best I was ever going to own. So I have all miele appliances, which I really really like. The new kitchen has all the appliances, except washing machine, built in, CDA apparently common in new builds and some awful reviews too

I have just offered my builder the dishwasher, he will take it I know he will, just a gift for him to re-use in another house, he has done so much for me already. I am going to order a miele dishwasher. No point me waiting 2 years and being unhappy along the way until I get fed up with cda and by then have smelly pipes to deal with.My miele has the best cleaning performance ever and having another will bring a big smile to my face

Kitty's kitchen sounds like mine. My worktop are home to Echo show, knife stand, kettle, toaster, tea, coffee and sugar canisters, microwave oven, telephone, various bottles of oil, weighing scales and blender. In among those are some lemons a banana and a bunch of daffodils in a jug, because I've run out of vases.?

First spend. My worktop is very small and the induction hob is right in the middle, a peninsula. I have had inductions for 16 years and they do scratch, I don`t put anything on them, except pans. I can`t be doing that with such a small workspace, need the worktop to be flexible

Beech hob covers, I bought 2, together they are slightly over the hob size, small feet with silicone ends to prevent scratching. They are also suitable as sink covers. I dithered, discarded bamboo, stainless steel and ceramic and wanted feet. Induction heat goes straight into the pan, so I can just remove one cover and use the other as a pan stand for hot pans

Fingers crossed

ohh Jessity, that is what I am leaving behind, the lovely useful deep pan drawers. I would have them again in a heartbeat but cannot see me doing anything to my new kitchen because it is new and nice in its own way but not practical for me and I am going to have to force myself to learn to live with it

I saw the house again today and each time I see more, so there are enough sockets in the small utility and the same length of counter space as the kitchen. I never took that into account. So I can keep some appliances on the counter in there. An obvious one is the breadmaker, maybe the veg juicer because I do a lot of veg at once and freeze it. Any ideas what else? not the kettle and toaster or the food mixer but what about the food processor? Ice cream maker, had that for 15 years, a solid Italian one, will never get rid

I feel a bit more optimistic about it now

I live in a small, stone cottage, my eating habits lean towards balanced, simple, organic depending on availability and cost otherwise conventional - more fish than meat, vegetables daily, some fruit, some dairy, some carbs - colorful- usually reach for deep pigment food - not enough space to keep everything put up in cupboards - love cast iron, vintage bowls, my things look used or have a history- patina ..

We’ve moved house quite a few times, new kitchens and bathrooms every time. The latest kitchen refit, three years ago, is the one I’m still thrilled with simply because I had deep pan drawers fitted instead of cupboards. It’s so much easier to access appliances when they are right there at shin or hip level, instead of having to reach into the back of a cupboard. It is a large kitchen, can’t cope with a tiny one, been there, done that and struggled. I love cooking and have every appliance known to man according to DH.