My Kitchen Attacked; I Fought Back!

Partial storage of rolls and bags

I have put up with this since 1977 and tonight decided to solve my problem. This is a set of double doors over my stove. It is right next to my shelf of shame that I sorted some time ago. Tonight, I tried to get something out and about 8 boxes fell on me! Not only did they fall on me, they knocked dishes off the counter and then everybody fled to recesses of the kitchen.

A before picture would have explained it better!  The truth is nearer to this has gotten worse since 1977 when I moved here. Back then, I had much fewer rolls or boxes of anything up there. Plus, the younger, more agile me could fight off the attacks and catch the rolls and boxes.

Oh, by the way, I use about 90% less foil and plastic bags than I did six years ago. However, when I find a coupon and a sale, I do stock up.

Can you see how this cavernous hole causes problems? Look at how tall the space is with no shelves or dividers. If I lay items down, the space is even more of a pain.

Now, for the rest of the story. . . .

full shelf and ugly solution

See the ugly box in the back on the right? It is slap dab full of foil, waxed paper, and parchment paper, plus a couple of boxes of plastic bags. Now, only so much can dive-bomb me as I make my selection. Actually, I am betting nothing else will fall! I will keep my eye out for a more aesthetically pleasing plastic container or a metal one as I make yard sale rounds.

When I opened the Heavy Duty Reynolds Wrap, I was horrified. I never buy that! But, I have it now. Now, I need to put it in the box for when I might need it and take out another regular box of foil.  I don't remember why I got freezer paper, probably for a pattern long ago.

Let me tell you what else was in that shelf on the back. There is an antique pink Christmas Sleigh. I collect sleighs. A bag of Easter grass from 35 years ago lives with the sleigh. Three boxes of 1-lb Gulf Wax had it's own space along with a metal tahini can with a plastic lid. I knew all this stuff lived back there. I see it all the time as I stuff the various boxes that usually want to lie crisscrossed every which way. No More!. Now, there is room for more things in the back of the cabinet...just kidding.

The grass is used every Easter for a display and stuck back in the same place. That way, I don't have to go into the Easter box if I don't want to. More and more, I don't want to. The sleigh did not get packed with Christmas decorations about five years ago, so has remained in the kitchen. The tahini can is for melting the wax. I put water in a skillet and put the can of wax in the skillet. That is when I made little tuna can stoves. Gulf Wax from yard sales is cheaper--usually a quarter and untouched.

Since my back has gotten worse and other injuries have occurred, having the Easter grass and my favorite sleigh close by has made my life easier. Unfortunately, not being able to control the boxes up there for the same reason has made my life more difficult. I had to get a stool to reach things Sunday night. This is the first time I have not been able to get things from the back of that shelf!

Usually, I call someone before I start climbing and tell the person if they have not heard from me in 20 minutes to call me then 911. So far, I have not fallen off anything. Tonight, I just was too frazzled from falling boxes to care.

So, my boxes are under control! I don't think I have ever had so many at once, so maybe that is the problem. Coupons abounded; I used less products! But, did you ever just get so frustrated with a situation that you took any solution and decided to be happy with it? That was my mental condition tonight.

I know I have seen large square plastic boxes in yard sales. But, they were of no interest. I wonder how many weeks it will take to stumble across another that is just a quarter. 

The plastic shelf paper has been in place since 1977 and is still very clean, not torn anywhere, and just wrinkled on the front edge. I tell you, I am not a changer of things for something newer!  It is not a matter of saving money, but a matter of "I like it and it is still good."

Your turn

Did you ever feel like a burden has been lifted when you perform such a simple, long-needed fix like this? Share your story. I need to hear there are nuts like me.