I have an old small TV with a built-in antenna in my kitchen. Just bought a digital converter box and it's small and just sits on top of the TV - but you probably couldn't do that with a newer flat screen TV. If you can live without the premium channels in your kitchen, you MIGHT be able to feed the cable directly into your TV without the cable box and use the tuner on the TV to select channels. But that would really depend on both the particular cable company and your TV - these days not all cable companies still provide an analog feed and newer TVs don't have an analog tuner.

'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.

You can build a large message center into your kitchen, if you have room, which includes cork board, and clear pockets on the insides of the doors for the menus and lists, etc. It sounds like it's mostly school related. Do you have room in a family room or den for it? Maybe a cabinet with file pockets and a bulletin board? This is meant for computers, but would work for sorting the school stuff too: Or you could have a hot file sorter and a write on magnet board: You can use cubbies for each kid's detritus plus cubbies for supplies. Mount them on the wall, if you have a wall, and when the kids grow up paint them, and put cool vases and objet d'art in/on them. Or you could go full on Pottery Barn: My kitchen clutter is mostly things like glass cloches that are inconvenient to put away so sit too long on the counter... What's great about my new kitchen is that there's very little space for things to accumulate. If I tear out catalog pages I have to transfer them to my desk in another room or there's nowhere to eat breakfast. If I take down cookbooks to browse through, I have to put them away or shuttle them around the island because they're in the way. I guess I lucked out. There's a little extra counter space for kitchen items clutter, but unlike the mound of unsorted paper I had in the old kitchen, my new kitchen tends to shed paper quickly. I think that's because all that stuff got relocated to the desk during the remodel and it stuck!

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!