'It seems to me what I need to add to the kitchen remodel plan is an outdoor sink like a laundry sink' could you put one up in a potting table outside? I found a good one yrs ago at a yard sale. Still have it and someone (on here maybe?) suggested I use it outside to wash muddy dog feet when needed (sometimes it does rain out here!). I bought it for 5.00 to be a fountain, but i do have a fountain so the dog feet sink will probably be it's job. 'I can see such a setup in the desert, Steph. Save some on your water heating bill, huh.' yes! I have taken a shower (of sorts) outside when my plumbing pipe weren't working. I have a 2nd water storage tank that operates on gravity feed so I used that. While mostly dressed since I don't (yet) have a covered space out there. I've also colored my hair out there holding a hose (the rinse it out part) because it was easier on my back. i think getting a cheap handheld for out there is a good idea (they don't last long here. even those for watering plants end up 'soldered' onto the hose end by the heat). I do plan to turn off the hot water heater this yr. if I figure out how. my friend is coming out soon to do some work and I'll ask him. I might even need a new one in the new place as I've noticed the water there smells and has little specks in it when left setting in the wash basin. kind of rusty looks specks - good clue there. 'I have never found a good spot to keep my vacuum cleaner or my ironing board.' that's a bummer, isn't it? most houses don't seem to have a place. we need more women designing them! I designated space in the closet of my craft/store/misc room for those things. finally they'll have their OWN home! I will no longer have to move them from room to room, walk around them etc. Actually, I have little use for either anymore - lol! guess the upright will still be needed for the area rugs tho. I'm planning a hanging rack in the utility room for new dust mop type things. I used to love to iron, but haven't done that in over 20 yrs now. don't even have an iron - will have to buy one. They come in handy when hemming things. I have to hem any pants my sister gives me. So far I've either just cut them to fit me or just hand turned them up and hand stitched 'em in place. Not the best way to do it.

Since I have multiple kind of shampoos/conditioners that I like to rotate rather than use straight through, coupled with small bathrooms, I do not store them in the shower. I get whatever I want to wash my hair with, take it in, then take it out & put away when I'm done. I dislike a shower that has a bunch of bottles of product. Also I only shampoo my hair once or twice a week. My DH always uses the same shampoo, and he shampoos his hair daily, so his stays in the shower. We have a wall niche and a small tiled-in corner shelf. If we didn't have those, I'd sequester the bottles in a plastic bin or basket that could drain and keep it in the corner on the floor. for the bathroom that has a shower/tub combo (as opposed to just a shower) i let the kids keep a shampoo, a conditioner, and a soap along the tub edge (this was before we installed a niche). Anything additional sat on the floor in a plastic basket.

Hi 2meforester! I understand your physical limitations--I have rheumatoid arthritis. I'm doing a complete gut of the eat-in kitchen of the house I just bought, and ease of access is critical in my planning. Not just what is accessible today, but also looking 5, 10, 15 years out. I'm also a fan of having as close to nothing as possible on my countertops; it's simply a style/taste preference for me. The eat in kitchen and living room are one big open space, and that is about half my house. My house is a single wide manufactured home, so picture a big rectangle. The "great room" is the middle. Each end is bedrooms, bathrooms, and on one end is also laundry area. So when you walk into my house, bam! you're in the living room, but the dinette and kitchen are right there too. I hate clutter with a passion. I want the focus of my home to be the beauty of the interior design rather than the dish rack, the popcorn tin, and several small kitchen appliances that are sitting on the counters. There's nothing wrong with any of those things! It's purely a matter of personal preference. I occasionally help a realtor friend of mine stage houses, and just like your magazine photos, the first thing we do is de-clutter. Potential buyers can't picture themselves in your house if all your stuff is everywhere. It's all very minimalist. But as sushipup1 so rightly pointed out, most people don't actually live that way. Herbflavor pointed out how some warm, inviting things on the counters can make a house a home. But, as I said, I personally prefer clean counter space. For one, I have very, very little of it. Anything sitting on it is taking away space I need to prep and cook. Second, because it's such a tiny space, even a couple things sitting out make it look cluttered or messy. So here's a couple of things I'm planning to do. One, do a hood/microwave combo over the range. Microwaves take up a fair bit of counter space. Two, no base cabinets, all base drawers of various sizes, except the corner one. That will be a cabinet with a super susan. Drawers are so much easier to see what's in there and pull it out. No more crouching over with a flashlight and a yardstick trying to get something from the way back of the cabinet, haha! Three, I'm getting a farmhouse sink. Because they're totally cool, sure, but also because you don't have to lean over counter space to do anything in the sink; you can just belly up to it. That might be easier on your arms...just a thought. Four, I'm a sucker for drawer organizing systems. I'm doing an IKEA kitchen, but even if you're not, go on their website and look at all their cool drawer organizers. Besides flatware and knife inserts, they have things so you can keep all your spices in a drawer, plate stackers, etc. Also go on KitchenMaid's website; they have amazing kitchen organizers!! Five, I'm getting a portable dishwasher. This won't work for everyone. Because it's an eat-in kitchen, I actually have a space to "park" it unobtrusively when not in use. This means I get a whole other base cabinet drawers! Also, the one I'm getting intentionally has a butcher block top, creating a small but valuable food prep station! Last, You can also get cool pull out organizers for all your cleaning products; they're easy to pull out and then you're not trying to dig into a bucket under the sink. So, by creating as much useable space as possible, I can be totally, 100% organized in my drawers and cupboards and thus, don't need anything on my counters, with the exception of a shiny SS tea kettle on my cooktop, and maybe, maybe a coffee pot, if I find the perfect one. Oh, just to weigh in, other than toilet paper, I haven't used paper products in a couple of years. Microfiber cloths, cloth napkins, and handkerchiefs. And wash cloths and towels in the kitchen. :-) Hope this helps!

With only two of us, it takes a while to get a load of towels and washcloths together. I picked up a smallish steel white enameled hamper/wastecan that has two rounded decorative rubber bands, one at the bottom, one at the top next to the rolled steel rim. It is rather old-fashioned looking, and you would expect it to say its purpose in fancy print on it, like, "Laundry" If the washcloth is still wet, I either hang it from a towel rack until it is dry, or hang it on the side of the can.