I'm always interested in looking at other ideas. Pick up an idea here and there. I already use several of them, shelf over bath door, shelf splitters and addon shelves, hanging bottles from a towel rack, baskets in fretc. ig, I don't use the tension rods to hold things but I do stand things up in the cupboards as I can. Buying things that nest are a great space saver. I miss my Ingenio cookware. That stuff was great. I have a wall rack for the foil, plastic wrap, etc, but it doesn't have enough slots and I don't want to buy a second. So I use a hanging shelf. I'm a person who believes form follows function and my kitchen isn't meant to be a showplace or try to get on a magazine cover. I have wire shelves attached to the soffits and that added a lot of space and function. Easier for me to reach up than bend down. And I can hang cookware and cooking utensils since there's no room for a pot rack. Another house thing I would like to have is a pot rack. I keep a couple canning jars on the counter for some flatware. Serves dual function. First it's handier for grabbing a tasting spoon when I'm cooking and when I sit at the counter to eat, it's right there. The one side of the frig gets used for hanging things like the strap wrench, instant read thermometers, top popper, etc and I made a magnet shelf to keep dish soap, etc. to increase useful space by the sink. I use the shoe organizer on the back of bedroom doors and in the living room closet. In the LR closet it's great for holding gloves, vacuum bags/belts, winter scarves, stocking caps, etc. Great for a grab and go and the bags are right with the vacuum when it needs changing. I won't store swabs, toothbrushes, and the like out in the open in the bathroom. No way. But under the washer or dryer is space that i wouldn't use for the frequently used things like laundry soap, but it'd be a good spot for storing holiday decorations or something. You can bend over a couple times a year for that, which you probably do anyway. I really like the binder clip idea. Not sure where I could use it, but it's creative. I also like using clothespins inside cabinet doors to hold packets, recipes, keys, etc. They work as a clip and a binder.

Thank youall for your helpful suggestions. I think there is concensus that permission is needed from the AHJ for applying one of the exceptions, even if there is disagreement about which exception and why. I think the multiple answers given support my sense that the NEC is incomplete in this area (not that it is ambiguous). As a generator of requirements documents myself, I am aware of how difficult it is to make them address every case. So far, I have supplemented the 2008 Code with Mullin's just printed 16th edition as a guide. It does not address this issue, or define 'wall space.' The Stallcup page bus_driver referenced above did not address the long window issue either. I haven't found any Code committee minutes that are applicable. I would consider purchasing any other published guide (preferably updated to the 2008 Code) that brickeyee or others of you recommend. kas

So Friday the lady from the Mid-Atlantic Gardening board over there came with friends and her brood to start stripping downed trees. They're taking all the branches off and sorting them into thicknesses. When they get enough, we'll be renting a digging thing to make trenches. It was beautifully overcast, so they got a lot done. I, OTOH, did pretty much nothing. Went to the store and got more Citristrip and some hose mending things. I'm trying to work my soaker hoses in a logical pattern with my newly arranged garden. This thing ain't your mama's garden. It's at least 48' long, (yes, feet) by 24 at it's widest. It's got full-sized (now! Yeah!) maples, a 'Golden Dawn' redwood, a London plane tree and many other large shrub & crape myrtle things. I cleared out a TON of stuff (with more to go) and am going to move 4, full-sized Buddleia. It's opened up a garden I can wander through! Pathways!! I'm amazed at its development. Yes, when I get that new phone activated, I'll definitely post pictures. I'm up to 20 hosta in the ground and admit to ordering 8 more. GIANT hosta, for the back of the garden, along the fence. I have to remind myself I did accomplish things. Small, but every step moves forward. I'm into my annual, summer doldrums and depression. I just realized this Friday and that always helps me wade through it. The sun grinds me down. I'm so grateful for a cloudy day! We've been 17 days without rain at my house, although all around me they've had nice strong rains. Sometime I'll tell you about an 'atmospheric trough.' Have a good one!

I have 10' ceilings and 96" cabinets. I'm 5'9" and can't reach the top shelves but it bothers me not at all to bring out the aluminum 3-step ladder for the few times I need something (mostly holiday items) from those shelves. Luckily my 6'4" son-in-law loves to cook and does those holiday meals while being able to reach the top. There's not much else on those upper shelves other than wine glasses and some ice buckets; I just sold all of my china and crystal - so liberating !! I didn't want cabinets to the 10' ceiling because of the prohibitive extra cost, the look and also because of the Toll Brothers obligatory useless teensy kitchen windows that are 9.5' up on one wall. The discussion about using glass front cabinets in front of those windows, having to replace the trim around the windows, etc, lasted about 14 seconds. Nope. I insisted on having solid wood tops - 2 ginormous pieces - installed and stained to match because I didn't want to see the unfinished wood when I came down the stairs. Now I see giant dust bunnies and I've decided oh, who cares, lol. It's proven to be an excellent area for some serious art glass that I can't put "out" because of cat and grandchildren but if the house is ever on the market, the little bits of standard greenery will go up there instead. Long way of saying that, even being tall, I still use a stepladder but I think I've had 10' ceilings so many times that I'm used to it.