Where the Magic Happens

Let me explain my kitchen. I live in an apartment and the kitchen is kinda goofy and pretty dinky. The cabinetry is flush to the ceiling, which means it's not exactly user-friendly unless you're at least 6.5' tall. I can reach everything on the bottom shelves. For the top shelf, I need a step-stool and stretch to reach what's up there. Even the microwave, mounted under the cabinetry over the stove, is too high up. I'm 5'6 or 5'7 and I look up into it.

Along one wall is tiny counterspace, the oven/stove (above which is the microwave), small counterspace (home of the dish drainer), sink, a little more tiny counterspace (home for dirty dishes) and the fridge. It's not by oversight that I didn't mention a dishwasher.

Opposite that wall is where we have a sales counter from a clothing/department store a great neighbor-friend graciously bestowed upon us shortly after we moved in. That bad boy increased the working space by at least 5 times and offers me a bunch of built-in shelving that serves as my pantry and additional storage. It is a great item and it's highly likely we'd have moved if I didn't have it. Over the past year, my ingredient collection and love for all things bulk required a little bit of improvement.

We decided to visit IKEA and find out what we could do to help minimize the clutter. I mean, look at it!

All of my dry and wet goods are jammed together and stacked up on the counter. Anytime Rodney got near it to make coffee, he was worried about an avalanche.  Notice the amount of wall available above that.

With the addition of one $20 shelf, I was able to spread everything out so I can easily see and reach each item without a bunch of things toppling resulting in a bunch of cursing. Plus, with the extra room, I can be comfortable with accruing more neato ingredients. Look how comfy the solids look on their new shelf:

See where the shelf is? It's just a couple inches lower than eye-level. Standing flat-footed, I can reach the corner of the cupboard doors to open them. The Jolly Green Giant must have put them in.

If you're not careful installing the shelf it may wind up completely ghetto. It will slant down toward the floor, look crazy, and won't work out too hot as a shelf. Maybe a neat location to tape recipes from which you are working, but not as a shelf. Should that happen, review the directions and de-ghetto it (like Rodney did).

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