Personally, I like to keep powdered foods vacuum-sealed in jars so it remains free-flowing, avoiding the problem with moisture and compacting. When I open a #10 can (which contains approx. 80-90) I divide it between canning jars. Be sure you have a nice large canning funnel for filling your jars. It's pretty messy stuff to work with because the powdered eggs are clumpy, rather than free-flowing. Helpful hint: If you've never used powdered eggs, you'll find they work better if you sift them when adding it to dry ingredients to eliminate the clumps. I use a small fine-screen strainer (about 3-1/2" in diameter) and force the powdered egg/s through with a spoon. I place the jar I'm going to use from in the refrigerator (although you can leave it at room temperature) with a plastic screw-top on it. Vacuum-seal the container/s going into storage with a FoodSaver jar sealer or a FoodSaver Universal Lid. Place a circle cut from a white paper towel or a coffee filter into the jar to cover the powdered egg (per FoodSaver instructions for all fine-powdered foods you vac-seal in a jar). This helps prevent the powder from escaping while sealing. Another alternative is to put an oxygen absorber into the jar - 100cc per quart jar, instead of using a FoodSaver. Be sure to wipe the rim of the jar. Any powder residue will prevent the seal from holding. When using either the FoodSaver or the oxygen absorber, be sure to soften the sealing compound on the canning lids by soaking them in hot water for a few minutes. Dry off the lid before placing on the jar/s. For the FoodSaver you won't need the ring after you vacuum-seal the lid shut. For the oxygen absorber, you tighten the ring down on the lid after you place the oxygen absorber into the top of the jarred food. For eggs, I wouldn't bother storing them in mylar, but I'm not sure about any problems with compacting them for storage. Stored in the absence of oxygen in the original can or divided into jars that are vacuum-sealed with a FoodSaver or oxygen absorber, and placed in a cool room temperature storage, powdered eggs have a storage life of 5 to 10 years. I typically try to do all my food storage using my FoodSaver (cost effective), but I do keep mylar bags and a variety of oxygen absorbers in storage as an option. The link below will give you the information you need for how many oxygen absorbers per container. -Grainlady Here is a link that might be useful: Oxygen Absorber Recommended Amounts

Thanks so much! I'm still not totally satisfied with the accessories on the shelf, but I'm glad to have it all finished for the holidays. I just got that door hung Thanksgiving morning! The paint color is "Parachute Silk" from Behr. I wanted something warmer than the white, but not too gray or golden. And I'm afraid of much darker colors. I actually tried a sample of Kilim Beige, but it turned a weird pinkish on my walls. Did anyone notice the missing vent cover from behind the sink? I took it off to paint, and discovered that there was a large hole cut out of the drywall. No, not a functioning vent, just a big whack of drywall cut out, shoved back in, and hidden with the vent cover. The PO's were fond of that fix, because that's the third one I've found. I'm getting pretty good at drywall patching ;) I can also be a bit of a fabric junkie, so I like the idea of changing colors and styles out with my latest find, and since it just needs hand towels, it's very affordable to be fickle in this room! Last on the list is replacing the toilet. That's actually a shorter than standard old toilet, so I'm hoping after the new year to replace it.

So many clever ideas, thank you!!! Maybe the best solution for us is having a stack of small towels and just toss them into a bin under the sink, or a rod in the cabinet under the sink to be able to use something a couple times. I do love the idea of a fresh one each time because I am a bit of a germ freak (thanks a lot for all those blacklight reports John Stossel!!!! grrrrrr) Our island is in the great room with no uppers near it, so some of these ideas don't work for us. SJhockeyfan .. interesting you have the telescoping bar and don't use it. Have you ever used it and does it work well, or do the towels remain a little moist as we assume they will. I may consider a stand on the counter at the cleanup sink in the back kitchen. Heck, Clergychick, maybe even a towel pig!!! Love that :) CEFreeman... Oh, maybe it should be a towel cat. So, to explain the house for the cats.. where do I begin. Well, I'm putting screens in all the windows so they can't get out (ok, that is a boring one), and then I'll have two 'kitty rooms' on either side of the long house that are for cat litter. There will be an exhaust fan, a hand sprayer of some sort, and a drain. I have a back kitchen designed (not just for the cats, mind you!) so I can have all the raw food on plates and not have to look at them from the great room. I have almost all the windows going down to the ground so they will have lots of places to look out (again, not just for them!). Drum roll.. the piece de resistance..... the house is around a courtyard where, for the first time since they were rescued as kittens, they'll be able to spend their days lounging around outside. The neighborhood mountain lions and bobcats won't be able to get in, and it's too small for a hawk or eagle to swoop in and pick them up. How was that for a list!!!! Unfortunately the house had been delayed for a few years and they won't have as many years to enjoy it as I had hoped. But their golden years will be great!!!

Good point Lavender. Now that you point that out, as a guest, I'd feel more encouraged to help myself to the closet if it wasn't full of personal belongings. To you, which one is the bigger bathroom ?? I think they are all aprox the same size and just configured differently. I remember when you were working on your big working pantry years ago. I'd love to see what your house wound up looking like. I assume it's been posted, if so, can you share your link? Red, you just gave me an in between idea. I could take up less room and have a closet with less depth that has pegs in it and space for some other items guest may want (a wrap to sit outside, or some slippers if their shoes happen to be muddy ---hey, I can hope for no drought, right?) Awww, thanks for the compliment on my plans. Scottie, thanks! I will definitely post the after pictures. They are breaking ground tomorrow morning so it will be a while. Soon we will be tackling my kitchen storage, so stay tuned for more postings :) If we do a bench, I think I like your idea of the trunk so we could store some more things So far we have one vote for the second to the last photo ...