This isn't easy, but I'll say it again. He could be right. My husband says I have too much stuff. And when it was time to put it away before the kitchen got demo-ed, I was agreeing with him whole hearted-ly. I was ready to pitch it all.
Some of it really will have to go. This corner cabinet will not fit into the new configuration, so it has already left to go to my sis-n-law's home.
The crap inside it that I can't live without now has a home in this cabinet.
Yep, the china closet stuff went to the bathroom. Odd. But it seems to work.
And the white pottery above the windows needs to be changed too. I'm a bit tired of it there. But still love the collection. So, its in the bathroom cabinet too. I moved all my blue bird dishes, my china birds, and the white flower pots, and squeezed it into the big glass door cabinet in the bathroom.
The rest of it is all packed away, to figure out later. I'm considering using all of the floral pitchers above the window. The billions of plates will have to go. Somewhere.
I'm going to miss my hand painted ceiling. But I will LOVE having a vintage pressed tin ceiling!!
The blue carnival glass that was my mom's was too dark to tag along with the other things that got moved, and won't work in the new kitchen either. So they went to live in the guest room, as part of a display of photos of my mom.
The white pottery seemed to go well with the birdies in their new home too.
Its not that much different than what was in there before, just fuller.
The bathroom type supplies, (tissue packets, Qtips, bars of soap, cotton balls, etc ) are all hidden inside glass containers with lids. There were already some flower pots in there, and there were lots of shells and pearls tucked in here and there.
Looks like I need to remember to buy bath salts to fill the jar.
Gosh, I'm just not sure. It is probably too much. I tend to over fill everything. I am going for a more "edited" look in the kitchen/dining room. Why should I double up in another room to make that happen? Maybe I should edit everywhere…
Of course, I could just be high on breathing in dry wall dust and not thinking clearly. Right now, I'm at that point in a redo when I am wondering what on earth I am doing anyway. Sanity is the first thing to go when the walls start coming down.
I'll have more updates as the kitchen progresses! In the meantime, you have till Tuesday the 20th to leave a comment on this post
to enter a drawing to win the craft day giveaway from Beth, Mary and me.
Sounds like a lot of work Karla! You do like to keep busy! Now that the weather is cooling down, I suppose I will have to clear out some junk and get my home in order too. Good luck, I know it will be beautiful when done, Marilyn
I love all of your “stuff”…especially those awesome bluebird dishes. Do you have several ? I’ve only seen one or two pieces at antique stores and think they’re wonderful. LOVE that huge cabinet you have moved to your bedroom, too!
I have to have a big motivation to declutter, too. The last time I did it was 6 years ago when we built this house. Sadly, I have filled it up already….just like I did my other one. I guess I, too, just like my “stuff”! 🙂
Looking forward to seeing your kitchen progress!
dana
yeah, you’re high on dust and talking nonsense! You can’t get rid of it!
A vintage pressed tin ceiling? That is going to look superb! lucky you.
I looked at my yahoo email yesterday and found your mails. Thank you so much for them :o) I need to be better about checking my email, I must seem frightfully rude.
have a lovely day xx
Your collections are beautiful! It doesn’t look like too much to me! 😉
That’s the fanciest bathroom I’ve ever seen! (I mean that in a good way!)
Ive found most of my blue bird dishes at garage sales or flea mkts for dirt cheap. Most are chipped, that never bothers me. A couple were gifts from a thoughtful blogger too. I couldnt bear to give them up just because they no longer fit in the dining room!
Sent from my iPad
Oh, this makes me want to go shopping!! How addicted am I?! I love all your stuff!! Editing — what is that anyway?!
Yeah, my poor husband once suggested I had too much stuff… so he had to build me a new room LOL…now he doesn’t come in much 😉
Can’t wait to see your new space. You have such gorgeous pieces and a flair with the collections.
I just had a garage sale and got rid of a lot of stuff that I liked but was not using to its full potential and I did not “love” it. I have decided that needs to be my approach as we get older I think. Our kids really do not want all the stuff we thought was so cool for so many years and I do not want to inflict more on them then they will have someday anyway helping clean out a house as we have done that already twice for family members. After that, you just want to come home and throw everything away!!! But, after a while that feeling sort of passes, ha. Hope it all goes smoothly, you do have some beautiful pieces, and I love the china hutch in the bathroom!!!
Sounds like a lotta work to me!! But Im sure it will be well worth it. I LOVE your bathroom cabinet.
Robin
You have some fabulous “Stuff” How to choose what to edit???? Oh remodeling tests anyone’s sanity, can’t wait to see
Carol
I soooo identify with you, Karla!! I have to do some editing, too, I love the bluebird dishes! I have a few pieces but need more. When I moved I found out just how many blue and white dishes I have!! A gazillion!! Especially when you start packing it!! Anxious to see what progress you are making in the remodel.
Sandy
You have a gorgeous home Karla! I love that corner cabinet!
Kelly
Maybe you don’t have too much stuff but a too small house -LOL!-
Hi Karla, How have you been? Enjoy your writing about the new kitchen redo. I can identify with moving things from one cupboard to another. Sometimes I feel like that episode with Bert and Ernie, Ernies emptys a jar and has to empty another jar to put the first things to empty in it, and on and on it goes, Ha! Can’t wait to see the redo! Celeste, victoriantailor.com
Funny how you have to have it. Once you get it, whadya DO with it all!! LOL Love all of your stuff though. And I like that cabinet in the bathroom. You’re right. It looks good.
Kathy
Oh what I would give for those cabinets. I am shelf poor for places to put my tea pot collection, and china collections, etc etc. Frankly i like to see the ‘too full look’, I spend a lot of time looking at the pics to try to discover everything you have in there. Your collections are spectacular!!
Hugs, Mary
Please Say Hi to sugarwings!
Yeah, uh, good luck purging!
Karla, I empathize with you. Now, that I’m retired we are updating our house. I like the layout of my kitchen, but it really needed to be updated. I had light oak cabinets from the 80’s and too much granite. My cabinets are kind of plain, but instead of getting new drawer fronts and doors, I opted to put the money into a new island and granite, with tile back splash. I had my oak cabinets stained “whiskey barrel”, which is a reddish color with gold. I have four cabinets with glass doors and the inside back of each is painted yellow with a brown glaze. I found some ranchy looking brass hammered handles with black detailing. The island is a yellow distressed color with a book/display shelves on one side. I put colorful (orange, blue, yellow) Italian pottery on the shelves. Our granite is cream white, black, and gold. Everything has come together so well. I was skeptical about the dark color of the cabinets, until we got the yellow Island. the kitchen is looking very Tuscan or Hacienda. Now, we have a traditional look that goes with the overall style of our home and it will never look dated.
I sent lots of stuff to the Goodwill. I’m cleaning out cabinets and closets and since my husband and I are both collectors, I told him it’s time we did something with all our stuff. Too much of a good thing is too much. It’s O.K. when it’s hidden or has a spot, but once you start moving it . . . Oy Vey!
~elaine~
Thanks for this post, Karla. I am one of the overstuffed cabinet types. I love it all — that’s why I have it (granted, some was inherited, but still, I love it.) But none of it really shows due to the stuffing problem. I’m not sure where to go with it, but seeing how successfully you have tackled things really is motivating. Currently doing that in a way in my art room and will soon be posting photos — still have much to tidy or conceal! But we’re getting there. Thanks again for all your inspiration!