Remember when you emptied your kitchen to remodel?

16 years ago

Did you find a bunch of stuff you didn't know you had - did you throw away some junk - and donate a few things? That's what it was like for me - and today I had an experience that reminded me of emptying my kitchen - only it was even more entertaining.

Since DH is out of the country I decided to go through this storage area under our stairway. Since he doesn't like to throw anything away I thought this was the time to see what I might be able to clear out of there. Plus I'd been digging around in there when I was looking for some genealogy related items and there was all kinds interesting stuff in there that I forgot I had. So I thought before I put all my Christmas decorations back in there I might as well pull everything out and I wanted to start putting some of it in plastic storage boxes instead of the old broken down, mildewed cardboard boxes.

Well, I found some really interesting things - besides the usual old report cards, yearbooks, love letters, trophies, etc. One box had some items from a New Year's Eve party we had before we moved into this house - 15 years ago. It had the usual hats, noisemakers, etc. and TEN BOTTLES OF CHAMPAGNE!! That stuff doesn't age well does it?

I also found a little set of casual dinnerware that I got as a wedding shower gift - in a color popular in 1978 - that now matches my new kitchen perfectly! And I found a couple add'l pieces of antique fiestaware that I forgot I had - so I pulled those out to use.

I purged six boxes of crap - including all kinds of moldy college notebooks. It was so funny to look through this stuff. I did keep a few of my college papers - typed pre-computer days. And I had one box of worthwhile stuff that I packed up to donate. My lower level now looks just like my kitchen did right before the remodel - all kinds of boxes and bags of junk to get rid of. And again I can't believe the amount of junk I've accumulated - I consider myself someone who throws alot away.

Needless to say I had ALOT more room to put my Christmas stuff away - and room to spare. So, ya' got one of these storage areas at your house that you haven't looked at closely in awhile? Might be an entertaining rainy day project - and especially useful if you're running out of storage space as I always seem to be

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

doc8404
16 years ago
Gibby - I thought I was the only one with that problem. Anyone need 100+ unused rolls of wallpaper? (But Hon, they were on sale)

30 to 40 extra lampshades. (Never know when you'll need one)

Over one ton (estimated) of rocks. Yes, rocks.
How many unused picture frames do you need? Three or four dozen?

As you may imagine DW is a 'collector' and is loathe to throw anything out. Most of this stuff is in my barn/workshop so it really isn't in the way but wow, I'd really like to clean it out someday.

I guess she comes by it honestly. After DW's grandma died and we were cleaning out the place, I counted over 200 empty plastic hanging flower baskets neatly stacked in one of the sheds.

LOL on the typed college papers! My 11 year old asked me what a typewriter was and how it worked. I found an antique manual typewriter at a thrift shop and got it for him for Christmas. He was astounded - He figures I went to college during the time the dinosaurs roamed the earth.
snookums
16 years ago
Typewriters may be ancient but I used mine a couple of weeks ago. A district I applied at would only take applications by mail and my options were to print it or type it. Of course I typed it! (I still didn't get the job, though...)

I had to completely relearn how to use it - but sure am glad I still had it. Are typewriters even sold anymore??
Related Discussions
How did you prepare/empty your kitchen pre-reno? Any advice?
Q
Comments (22)
I couldn't believe how much stuff was in my cabinets. The frames are staying but my GC recommended everything come out because of the dust, etc. To say the least. Everything gets dusty and dirty. I can't imagine leaving things inside during reno. Everything I don't use on a daily basis went out into the garage in boxes. No need to pack like you're moving. Some of that stuff may end up being given away or stored in the garage permanently. There were many things I haven't used in the 12 years I've been in this house, and I question why I'm hanging on to them. Food, utensils, everyday dishes, pots and pans are in boxes in my dining room. I peer into them from time to time and snag a granola bar or tin of smoked trout. My stove and fridge are still in place and work, but my sink and DW aren't connected. I've heated some soup and used the oven once, but prep and cooking really need water close by. My coffee maker and cleanup area is my guest bath. I allowed myself one of everything (plate, bowl, mug, glass, spatula, etc.). I have to remember to wipe all my dishes before washing so no particles of food go down the bathroom drain. My microwave is in my office and I rely on it to heat food for dinner. My cats think it's a great perch. I'm into my third week like this with at least another week to go before my kitchen can start being put back together. I'm surviving. People live their lives in far worse conditions. I think I'm most anxious to be able to get boxes off the floor and clean the place. Everything's dirty and sticky. Good luck with your kitchen! Take a lot of pics.
...See More
You Know You're Remodeling When.... - A Classic
Q
Comments (18)
This is a great thread. We're not remodeling but building a new house, and man, can I relate to a lot of these. ...you know every lighting fixture, faucet, sink, appliance by memory because you have endlessly researched each one. you freak out your own GC because you can discuss minute details about your house/kitchen from memory down to the 1/8". you have more e-mails from your GC/subs than you do from your friends. you wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat about some critical detail and then go downstairs to e-mail your GC about it right at the moment before you forget.
...See More
Empty Nesters - Is Your Nest Ever Empty?
Q
Comments (8)
Not until recently. You always think it will be your kids who move back in, but in our case it was first a son's ex-girlfriend who needed emergency housing, which turned into a 9 month stay (she's darling and a good friend), and later a nephew just out of the army finding his way in the civilian world. That lasted for just 2 or 3 months, but he always came back for advice about how things were going in his life. (Things went well. First he finished his HS education and then college. He now has a very lucrative job and a darling family of his own.) Our youngest moved back in for a while because he was making poverty wages at Barnes and Noble and couldn't afford anything else until he got a "real" job and moved north. In the end, the oldest and youngest both moved to the northern end of the state, which is just too far for an easy drive - 9 hours - which made holidays tough. The middle child moved to the other side of the country early on. We recently made the decision to move north to be closer the two up here and the two darling grandchildren, leaving behind the house we bought 41 years ago before #1 was even born. If we ever manage to get this house functioning, I expect the kids/grandkids to be here often. The other coaster may actually make it out this way. Meanwhile, I'm still doing laundry at my daughter's house across town. She figures that's a good exchange for babysitting. I figure that I really like my new backyard:
...See More
What do you regret (not) doing when you remodeled your kitchen?
Q
Comments (93)
Love my: Pull-up KAid Mixer w pull out shelf below it; same setup for Food processor! I use my pot filler faucet at least 1-2x/day, even if just to wet the rag I use to clean the stove top or to add water to the pan I just scrambled eggs in. Love wide drawers (most are 27-36", with one 4 drawer bank that is 42") and no lower cabinets. Love my frameless cabinets that don't have a horizontal bar between drawers. They fit taller items than either inset cabinets or frameless cabinets with horizontal spacer bars. Walk in pantry w shelves to the ceiling. Shelves are only 9-10" deep in some places,but provide huge amount of space. Love my counter-top garbage disposal air switch. Hate my: dark Santa Cecilia Gold granite counters. I'm sooo sick of brown and gold fleck counters and sticking my hand in something sticky I couldn't see. Don't use the kitchen TV; it fights with the sound on the family room TV and DH gets annoyed by it. Wish I had: on demand hot water heater under the sink or in a nearby blind cabinet. Hate waiting til half the dishes are washed for the water to get hot. Best wishes! It's a crazy, stressful process.
...See More
demicent
16 years ago
I just started cleaning out the "Black Hole" (blind base corner cabinet) because we're going to start demolition soon. I found fondue forks from the 70's, a couple of those antique Universal manual meat grinders that I used to make my husband's ham salad with, and THREE sets of BBQ tools.

I think I'm going to need more boxes.
jubileej
16 years ago
Oh, such merriment! I love those trips into long stashed away boxes - I found some fantastic forgotten pictures of my mother and even some of her older relatives that way. I just don't love the mess I create and manage to leave in the middle!
bungalowbees
16 years ago
I was hoping this thread would help me find some lost kitchen boxes (cookbooks, large platters, my favorite one-handed teak salad tongs...). Anyone else lose stuff during a too-long renovation???

My DH will also leave the country soon & I am planning a similar hunt for space. If I find old papers I'll have to show them to my daughter. She knows about typewriters and "vinyl" but I don't think she's ever seen a "hand-typed" page. But she hears about it every time she whines about how hard it is to edit on the computer! In fact, she's completely stopped complaining. About editing on the computer, that is!

Remember when you emptied your kitchen to remodel?

Comments (5)

doc8404

snookums

Related Discussions

demicent

jubileej

bungalowbees

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US