My kitchen, my other office.

I don't think I ask for much in the kitchen, well maybe I do. It drives me completely crazy having piles of crap sitting on my kitchen counters. I say "my" because, after all, it is my other office. I gave up counter space when we moved into this house. My kitchen in Charlotte had lots of counter space and lots of cabinets to hide crap in. Now I must adjust to this new kitchen and cooking in this new kitchen. It hasn't been easy. Maybe its because I miss all the counter space I gave up. Maybe its because I don't really cook like I used to. Maybe its because there's always so much crap on the counter tops I'm constantly removing that I become so annoyed afterwards, I'm not in the mood anymore.

By the way, who (husband) tied the ribbon to my kitchen cabinet knob? Yes, I would someday, like to replace my cabinet knobs, but not with decorations. Don't do this again.

When I cook, I like to spread out and control everything. After all, it is my kitchen and my other office. I like my kitchen neat, pretty and orderly. To have those things, I declare I must live alone, and since that is not an option (because I love my two adorable children and my sweet husband!) I must adjust and adapt. I am always looking for ways to do this. But everyone needs to be on board. I set up "systems" and tell everyone, but no one follows the system. People, this is not difficult. Am I unreasonable?

System #1. The coffee station. Everyone who knows me (and you really should get to know me, lol) knows I'm a coffee freak! This photo from yesterday, when husband worked from home (see previous post) really freaked me out! I cannot walk into the kitchen mid morning and see this horror! Especially when I am working on the computer. I was only freaked, until I whipped out my Senseo coffee pot and made a one hitter (husband's term for one cup of coffee from this particular coffee pot).

Sorry, got side tracked with no coffee, on to system #1, whoever makes coffee, either me or my husband (since kids haven't been taught how to make coffee, yet), is suppose to use a coffee spoon rest and take the artificial sweetner container from the cabinet and put it by the coffee pot. This artificial sweetner container does not live on the counter top while not in use. And when using artificial sweetners, if you empty one, you throw it away. Simple enough? Then why is it someone (husband) never does this. Look at the evidence in the picture I took yesterday.

Those yellow Splenda wrappers are all over the place (picture on right)! This can affect the start of my day!
Picture below left, illustrates how it should appear, IMO. Peaceful, neat, tidy.

I have tried asking husband for suggestions on systems and what he would like to see and use. Sometimes he offers suggestions, but when I put them in place, he doesn't comply.

All you organized people out there, help! How do I get my husband on board with these little systems? And why does he fight the systems in the first place?


Its like people say, "husbands, you can live with 'em, you can't live without 'em!" or its like I say, "husbands, you can't live with 'em, you can't kill 'em!". I always get a lot of eye brow raising from others when I say that and sometimes they slink away from me. Their loss.