Thrifting at home

I'm such a sucker for housewares.  At department stores, discount stores, thrift stores, you name it.  And don't even get me started with Ikea.  I can spend inordinate amounts of time cruising the aisles of dishesware, glassware, storageware, servingware.  All of it.  I especially like the vintage pieces, so do prefer thrift stores.  Much to DC's chagrin.

Since I've been cleaning out the kitchen cabinet innards to reline them, I've discovered thrifting at home.  Mrs. C has some seriously vintage stuff -- check it out!

[vintage housewares]

I discovered vintage pyrex and corningware, and even an old school kettle (yes, you can put that glass straight on the burner).  I especially like the set of refrigerator dishes, which are already being used often!

But it's also appliances!  I brought my new Cuisinart food processor/blender over because I plan on making lots of smoothies this summer.  As we were making room for it, Mrs. C pulled out her old school blender.  It's from her own wedding registry.  In the early 70s.  And it still works like a charm!  We made smoothies together, and that first week that I was here with her, I came home from work each day to a mini smoothie just for me.  How sweet!

[old school blender]

I recently made some watermelon juice.  So fresh, and so delish!  (Just add some crushed ice and a touch of sugar.)  Don't you just love the avocado green of the blender?  They just don't make 'em like this anymore.

No, these items are not being donated.  Rather, they will be lovingly used and maintained.  And I will remember to go through the cabinets before heading out to thrift shops, for treasures abound here!

Droopy drawers

Mrs. C told me that the drawers in the kitchen were prone to dropping down and falling out, so I must be careful to pull them out slowly and not all the way.  I forgot on a couple of occasions and my heart nearly stopped when the drawer (with knives, no less) took a nosedive and I lunged after it, barely in time to pull it up.  *phew!*

But I knew that wasn't normal, and something could -- nay, should -- be done, stat. So as I reorganized and relined them, I took the drawers out to examine their mechanics.  Then I discovered the culprit:

[broken drawer guide]

Most of the guides at the back of each drawer were old and broken, so that they no longer "held on to" the metal rail (seen in the middle of the drawer gap in the photo above).  I knew it would be an easy fix and headed over to one of my favorite places: The Home Depot.

[old and new drawer guides]

[new drawer guide, installed]

With minimal assistance from the staff ("Um, where's your kitchen hardware?"  "Aisle seven." "Thanks.") I found the replacements and bought enough for all of the drawers.  Then, with my trusty screwdriver, I got to work, first replacing the guides for drawers holding knives and silverware (the most dangerous and heaviest drawers, respectively).

[look ma, no hands!]

With the threat of bruised, impaled, or dismembered digits no longer present, my stress level in the kitchen has dropped dramatically.  Next step: installing drawer stops.

Spring cleaning: kitchens

When I was packing to move out of my old apartment, I didn't realize how much kitchen stuff I had accummulated!  All those drawers and cabinets that helped me organize everything neatly also led me to believe it wasn't that much stuff.  Now that it's divided -- or added to -- two already-furnished households, the big purge kitchen clean really has to happen.

[my old kitchen]

I am hanging on to my old pots and pans and some extra plates, as well as any doubles between DC and me, as a "starter set" for my younger brother.  He's moving back home from college this summer and I will keep these essentials on hand for him so that when he moves out he won't have the added expense of buying all new.  It's agreed that I'll keep these things from nine to 12 months; if he's still living at home, they're going to be donated.

I found this blog post helpful when it comes to the basics.  But in terms of my own needs/desires/whatever, how do I know what or how much to throw away?  For example, Whatabout the silverware? I'd like to keep some handy for entertaining, so that what I'm cutting down on is disposables.  But are three full sets for 12 really necessary?

[new kitchen]

Don't worry, I'm not all worked up about it.  Things will work themselves out.  My task for the next week is just to clean out and re-line the cabinets (drawers already done!).  That's manageable, especially with DC coming to help!