Small World, Big Dreams!

30ft by 9ft by 4ft deep. That was my home for years. Our Dickinson Bristol diesel oven barely fit an 8×8 cake pan and the stove top could hold a 1 quart pot and a small coffee pot. No microwave, no freezer or refrigerator. Just a cooler full of ice. Shopping with that knowledge and the fact that we weren’t coming back to Wrangell for the summer was a challenge. Dry goods were king, ocean catch was queen and perishables were savored for the first week of summer. I would literally cram 6 boxes of food into every nook and cranny of that boat.

We had 3 shelves; one for dry goods, one for pots/plates/silverware/spices/whisks etc… and one for boat maintenance. We put all of our clothes in a sea bag and our toiletries in a back pack. We each had a pair of extra tuf boots and a pair of tennis shoes. That was it! I had my watercolor supplies and my husband had his books. No boxes in storage, we defined living light.

Birthday’s, holidays, family and friends over for dinner or breakfast. I made cooking in that small space work. I would stack all my bowls inside my big pot/strainer and put my wooden spoon, whisk, spatula and tongs inside the bowls. Then I used Cornelle dishes; they don’t break and they stack up well. I had lots of small bowls for prep and medium plates for serving. Check out some of the camping gear for storage. I used the Coleman egg container and the Swiss made camping silverware. It took me 5 minutes to set up, and get ready for cooking. So I understand small world, big dreams!

First reorganize your space. Start by emptying every shelf and look at all your tools and ingredients. Get rid of everything you haven’t used in the last year. Seriously, stop the little conversations with yourself! “Oh I love that rice cooker, It was such a good deal. I will use it!” “This Swedish grill is so neat, and it was a gift. I will use it!” Give up on the funky, fun gizmos. You just don’t have the space. You don’t need a dozen pots and pans either. I had one 10″ cast iron pan and a 4Qt pot. I made everything from crepes to risotto in them. Now onto your glassware/flatware/plates. How many guests have you had over for a meal in the last month? That is how many settings you need. Wrap the rest in plastic wrap, put them in a tote or box and tuck them away (outside of your kitchen) for your special occasions. Go through your dry goods and get rid everything (that is open) that you haven’t bought in the last 6 months. Seriously, stop the conversations with yourself! “Oh, I remember this sesame oil, it still smells the same. It is still good.” “I love coconut, I just forgot I had it. It is still good.”

Now that you have cleaned all your cabinets out; look at your counter space. What is there? A toaster, mixer, coffee maker, knives, cutting board? Whatever you don’t use daily, store away. If you don’t bake often, you don’t need a mixer. Get rid of it and buy a hand mixer. You need more storage, put your baking pans in your oven and your tupperware in your dishwasher. Or buy some wall mounted racks, they truly are awesome space savers. Remember your kitchen is for cooking everyday, you need to use every inch of space for that purpose. If you’re not, then your getting frustrated for no reason. Use your easy access spaces for everything you need and store the rest in your hard to get to spots. Research and buy the best products for your space. Take measurements and use every bit of space.

When you decide to bake, BAKE. Make a cake and banana bread, throw a baguette in the oven too. Get out your gallon zip-locks and measure out the dry ingredients for your favorite muffins, pancakes, scone, cookies and cakes. Label/date them and store in an easy access space. Go to thrift/antique stores and search for the perfect size containers for your space. Use a container for extra flour/sugar and store them with your spices and oils. I bought small glass containers for all my spices, so I could buy smaller amounts. I use small glass bottles for oil/vinegar then store the extra away in my hard to get to space. It is better to have a little of what you need at your fingertips than a bunch of everything to search through. Really, how much flour do you need at once, especially if you have your zip-lock starters ready to go? Your kitchen is a workspace and when you respect it as one you will define your role with purpose and knowledge.

If you love to cook, then love your fridge and your easy access/hard to get to spaces. Know you know what’s in there. If you kinda like to cook, then don’t waste your time with all these fancy ingredients on spur of the moment shopping. Wait and get your menu planned then only buy what you need. Cook up your meal and give away your extra ingredients you know you won’t use, instead of storing them away, next to that last group of ingredients you stored. It is just like writing a recipe, every time you use your kitchen you are making it better. Reorganizing and improving your movements. When you know your kitchen and your not searching for ingredients you are more likely to make something amazing! Instead of searching for the capers in your fridge, while your sauce is burning on the stove-top. Plus when you’re cool as a cucumber you can chat and enjoy cooking with friends and family. Before you know it you’ll be making more complicated recipes and adding more exotic ingredients into your easy access space. It takes time to find what works for you and your cooking style. So be patient and have fun in the process, knowing you can make the best with the space you have. I made everything with that Bristol oven and those cooking experiences have taught me how to manage my time and space in the huge kitchens I cook in. Cooking is about being comfortable and ready. So go and get ready!