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.

Invasion of my WAH space.

I love my husband, don't get me wrong, but he's been working from home way too much lately. I mean, come on, before spring break he was in the house most of the week. Doesn't someone need him at the office? He's probably more productive here with no interruptions and the peace and quiet. But now, my peace and quiet has been interrupted.

Not to mention he's taken over our sunroom, setting up (what I hope to be) his temporary workspace. He has an enormous office downstairs (I will not embarrass him by posting a photo) in the basement that I graciously offered two years ago when we bought this house. Okay, it is an unfinished basement with no central heat or air conditioning. The ac is not an issue for him. It's the lack of heat. He's always cold. (Note blanket on chair). Husband is from Michigan, so buck up baby, and deal with the space heater I bought for you! He has a lovely view of our backyard with the kids trampoline and most likely piles of dog poop. Note to self: clean up dog poop today.

I'm moving my studio downstairs to a room with no bloody windows, therefore, no view of the yard, trampoline and dog poop. Am I complaining? No. Will I miss the bay window overlooking my beautiful yard ( in my current office/studio)? Absolutely. Am I upset? No, because I can do whatever I want in my studio and keep it anyway I want. Messy, neat or a little of both. I bet anyone a $1 that once I move downstairs in my new, cool studio, husband will be downstairs using his office. Do I care there is no heat? Hell no! I'm warm most of the time.

I took over the front room in our house because I thought it was the best place at the time. Things have changed. I need a place to hammer, drill and solder. Sometimes I like to hammer at night after the kids are in bed and the daughter has told me to please stop, she can't get to sleep. Not good! Hence, the moving downstairs. I'm constantly stressed about keeping this room tidy, these pictures are my feeble attempt.

Whether you like it or not, I will take you on my journey to finish my new jewelry studio. My brother put up the drywall and showed me how to "mud". Now I must sand, mud again, sand, clean up all the crap in the room, prime and finally - paint!!!!

To be continued ....