“Iron sharpeneth iron;
so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.”
Proverbs 27:17
My oldest daughter is a minimalist, which means she loves to throw out perfectly good items just because she doesn’t use them every day or week or month. Every once in awhile she runs out of things to throw out at her house, so I allow her to come to my house and throw away some things to “help” me with my trouble spots.
Last week when she came up, I decided I needed some help with my skillet shuffle. You see, my skillets live in my oven. Unfortunately, when I use my oven the skillets are asked to vacate the premises until things cool down. So they reside on the counter tops, but can be an eyesore when company is present. I can contain them all neatly in a corner, until we have the whole family over for Thanksgiving, at that time we need every inch of counter property available. At this point, the skillets are banned to the back deck until the company has evacuated the premises—usually…one year I left them out there for several days, because I hadn’t missed them (should have been a clue) J
This weekend Daughter #1 (April) and I decided to rearrange and clean out my kitchen so it would be practically “self-cleaning”. Her theory is if you have less stuff in your house you’ll have less stuff to clean up and put away…nice theory. Deciding to do a post on Spring-cleaning, I had Daughter #2 (Miranda) take notes so I could write about it later. She did such an accurate job, I decided to post her notes as she had written them (although I do believe she took some liberties in her writing style). J
Step-by-Step Kitchen Collaboration
1:51…Took before pics
1:54…Made phone call
1:56…Started cleaning
1:57…Actually started cleaning
1:58…Mom has 7 skillets and April thinks she only needs 2
2:00…Mom decides to keep 4 skillets, but needs all her pots
2:04…Finally decided to get rid of 1 of her 7 pots.
2:06…Skillets are removed permanently from the oven and stored …wait they won’t fit
2:07…Another skillet bites the dust
2:10… April strongly expressing that pots need room to breathe, so the pots or skillets have to go
2:14…Down to 2 iron skillets, 1 large skillet with a lid, and 1 small skillet for eggs
2:15…Another skillet gone, April convinces Mom that she can use her iron skillet for fried eggs, but stores the small Teflon skillet in case she changes her mind
2:19… Mom looking for multiple storing places to put her skillets while April refuses and insists she can shove them all into one place
2:20… Still arguing over skillets
2:21…April realizes she has nowhere else to go with the rest of the skillets so she gives in to Mom’s warming drawer idea (where Mom had some of the skillets stored already)
2:25…Now that the skillets are secured, the pots resurface
2:27…After 36 grueling minutes the pots and skillets are finally put away. Although they are racially mixed to the horror of my Mother (stainless steel with non-stick), but none in the oven
2:28…On to the pans and cookie sheets. Hindsight bias leads me to believe this will not be easy
2:32…It took four painstaking minutes to take “just the right picture” of them and the pans
2:33…Mom threw something away she has probably never used and if she had, people would need a tetanus shot after eating off it
2:35…It is really sinking into me why, as a psych student, I need therapy before I can help others
2:38…On to mixing bowls and big thighs (genetic?)
2:40…Mom’s “ADHD” is starting to take over as April pleads for her to just deal with the mixing bowls before they move on
2:44…After reading what I have recorded so far for this blog, Mom is talking of starting another one, 3 blogs obviously aren’t enough to contain everything that’s in her thought processes
2:45…On to pie plates while the mixing bowls ar
2:46…April pulled out a pan again… I started to get scared that we had just taken a giant leap backwards
2:48…It’s discovered that Dad can’t take glass to work. He is forced to use plastic, thus sending the environment to its death
2:49…I don’t know what they are arguing about now but I heard chocolate chips
2:50…April is obsessed with lids and against Secret Sisters
2:53…Mom needs more storage and April needs more trash bags
2:54…Mom’s Chinese takeout container obsession is revealed
2:56…On to glasses while the bowls are still sitting on the counter
2:57…Realization that April is against a lot of church related programs and Mom is shockingly shorter than we thought. On a positive note…the bowls are finally finding a place to call home
3:03…The girls need to be picked up, and Mom fears she can’t leave April in the kitchen alone
3:04…Mom finally throws away a silverware holder piece from her old dishwasher. Hmmm…
3:05…I am badgered about whether I want plastic or glass cups for my children to drink out of when we are all over here at the same time
3:07…Amazon called and yes, we are happy with their service
3:08…A coffee cup reminds my mother of my grandfather. Huh, I don’t see the resemblance.
3:10…Still on cups
3:11…Arguing over cups and the Secret Sis thing takes another hit from April….I see a pattern
3:13…I am losing interest, and I didn’t have much to begin with
3:15…Mom got rid of three coffee cups, four cups, now five cups, six cups, no seven…April is taking two of them home.
3:16…They are trying to draw me into their sick game
3:17…I’ve been sucked in!!! They draw you in with their refusal to throw away what is clearly trash, from off the counter!
3:18…Mom leaves to pick up the girls while April stays behind and finishes the kitchen, cursing under her breath as she liberally throws everything else away.
Hee..Hee! 🙂 …Well the end result was worth the toil and trouble of going through all my cabinets and drawers. As far as a “self-cleaning” kitchen…I decided that there isn’t such a creature. However, April is right, I still have to wash things and put them away, but there’s less mess which leads to less clean up! Thanks girls…
So what projects are you doing for Spring-cleaning? I still need to go through my recipe books. Wait! I hope April didn’t get to them while I was gone. J
Oh how I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall, out of April's way of course hehehe
This is great…I feel like I was sitting there while this was going on. Also, it is a reminder of me and my mom…Thank you!
LOL! If you would have been a fly, you would have been safe … if you would have been a cooking utensil … L@@K Out!! 🙂
Aww, thanks… It was fun… although a little crazy at times. With 3 women in the kitchen there are a lot of opinions being tossed around.
OH NO!!!!!!!!!! My skillets and cookie sheets live in my oven ( they end up stacked in my bedroom floor when we have company!!!) and I collect Chinese take out containers too (great for leftovers) I have a cup that reminds me of my grandmother!!!!! Anyone want to come help me clean?? I really sometimes think I don't need to get rid of stuff I just need more cabinets!!!! I loved this!!!!! I think it may have motivated me to get rid of one or two things myself!!!!!
Wow!! I am so Happy I read this post!!! That did not take long!!!! I got rid of 2 sets of egg poachers!!!!! I mean who eats poached eggs and why did I keep them???? I honestly think they were wedding gifts!!!! I am down to 8 Chinese food containers with lids and got rid of every lid that did not go with a container and every container that did not have a lid. I got rid of 4 cups, one glass and a few plastic glasses. I got rid of all but 3 cookie sheets and 2 pizza pans!!!! I threw away one old Teflon skillet ( I thought I might use but haven't ) Now my oven is empty and I actually have an empty space in my dish cabinet for something new!!!! LOL Thank you for the inspiration!!!!!!!!
Boy!!!! I would hate to see you girls in my kitchen. So many treasures, I just know you would think is trash, and I'd be digging through the trash half the night and sneaking it back in. Has April ever seen how many skillets I have? Probably not or she would be saying, “Gram, you don't need all those.” I'm planning to replace some of the non-sticks—-that are non-stick no longer. In fact last week I bought a new replacement—-I just haven't decided yet which one to replace. Do you think I need help??????
Loved it Miranda! LOL. Do you guys think you could get April to come to my house and help Del with his “Work Area” in the back basement and in the garage? I would be willing to pay!
April will be excited when she finds out that she inspired you! I have 2 pizza pans, too, and she tried to convince me to get rid of one of them. I put it in the give-away pile, but got it out when she wasn't looking… (hee..hee)
Ha!! She could help you decide. I actually threw away my non-stick pans 2 years ago because they were peeling and replaced them with stainless steel, but my eggs still stick to the stainless steel so I bought a small Teflon skillet for eggs. I’m using my iron skillet that I rescued from the barn for now, but I may have to bring back my Teflon…we’ll see.
April is a master! If you want something cleaned out and organized, she’s the expert. She helped my oldest son, Michael, completely overhaul his house last summer..it took them a week. 🙂
I was laughing out loud while I read the notes – I could just picture everything as it happened. (What a great idea to share just the list!)
As a blogger I especially like the “took 4 photos to get the perfect picture with the pots” Its funny because I would do the same thing!
My husband has a chinese food container obsession too. He's sure he'll eventually find something he'll want to keep in them in his workshop – like extra nails or screws – but he doesn't really work on projects anymore. . .
Thanks for sharing. This teaches spring cleaning tips in a fun way and gave me a smile for the day. Kudos!
Thanks Teresa! I got to keep the Chinese food containers because they stack up so neatly and take up such little space. I'm glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Oh Funny!!!!!!! You gotta have two pizza pans!!!! One for thick crust one for thin!!! ha ha ha
Miranda has a wonderful (Expert? /Interesting/ Entertaining writing style!!!!) I would love to have a take off on this blog …………on being against a lot of church related programs (You could leave Aprils name out) and opposing secret sisters!!!!!! I think that would be very interesting as I have some 'pros/cons' about those things myself!!! And perhaps it is not genetics that make our thighs big, but it is because of what comes out of the mixing bowls???????????? I have read this 3 times I just love it!!!!! I laughed every time I read it!!!!!!
I was ready to pack up and help you, and then I read your second comment – awesome! And don't let Mother fool you – she ALSO has a baking stone that could be counted as a pizza pan (she conveniently forgets about it because it still lives in her oven).
Seriously, cast iron skillet and bacon grease. Plus, this gives you an excuse to eat more bacon with your eggs!
Yeah, chocolate chip cookie dough “might” be a little to blame for our genetic problem (not to mention our obvious fondness for Chinese food – hence the takeout containers!)
Okay, I have a confession to make regarding the 2:48 comment. My husband dropped his lunchbox out of his truck yesterday afternoon and broke a jar, his coffee cup, and a PLASTIC cup. Now we're a little short on coffee cups for Easter – sometimes minimalism can be a trifle inconvenient!
Are you kidding? You have the COOLEST coffee cups – I loved those before I even loved coffee! About the skillets – you have to keep the one that you use to make gravy – your gravy is awesome!
Well, I would give you one, but I don't have any extra.. =)
April, Do you by any chance help come weed flower beds???? ha ha ha
Oh Funny!!!! Send her to my house Cindra !!! (I haven't cleaned out the RV yet…I have lot's of coffee mugs and cups out there!!!! ) (That's where I used to take things instead of throwing them out!!!!) ( But this post has Inspired me and I have actually been making it to the trash can with size 7-8 clothes I will never wear again also!!! ) Yes it's TRUE!!! I have made it to my closet!!!!! ( I told myself if………. (and I probably never will) I ever get down that small again I will most certainly deserve new clothes!!! ha ha ha