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in which i show the internet my drawers
I realize I’ve gotten, I mean given myself, sort of a reputation as a neat freak. This particularly hit home with me when Carrie commented a couple weeks ago that she used to wonder if I was secretly moonlighting as Julie Powell (best compliment ever, thank you) but that she realized I couldn’t be because Ms. Powell is an admitted slob.
Since for me this site is all about me deciding which head clogging bits of personal information are worth protection and cradling within the ever-so-thick lining of my skull, and proceeding to dump the rest unceremoniously and haphazardly about the internet, it seems time to share a veritable blue dress’ worth of damning evidence. Be warned, like all my fellow obsessive-types, once I step out of my controlled/dusted/neatly aligned comfort zone, it all goes wildly ungrounded.
- Second Desk Drawer, Work.
You’d think this would be my dirty little secret, but I throw it open often and publicly. Oh, man, would a shrink have a field day with that one.
- My Closet to Our Bed, The Area Extending From.
(Read: half our bedroom) Alex calls me Imelda. I call him and tell him I’ve just fallen in love with another pair of shoes and will be buying them shortly, sucka. Of note, and hard to see in this dark picture, is a shoe rack inside the closet, an outstanding effort on my part a few months back to organize my shoes. The shoe rack is mostly empty. Enough said.
- Gadget Drawer, Kitchen.
Each time I bring home a gadget, my husnband rolls his eyes. “A pastry cutter? A microplane grater? A one-tablespoon scoop? When are you going to use that?” and then I proceed to wow him with my pastry cutting, micro-planing, scooping skills until he is either bored or happily snacking on something scooped/grated/cut. Oddly enough, I hate those jars on top of counters that logically hold all the utensils in one place. Why? They get dusty. Oh, of course, you say, thank goodness you've avoided such messiness! (Above this, btw, the most impeccable spice rack you have yet to encounter.)
- Pantry, Kitchen.
I was going to leave this out as I had just cleaned it out three weeks ago but behold! The amount of mess that has developed in such short time. Of note: baking soda, wide open to the world, those nasty leftover chips from last weekend’s blondies, everything else in sealed plastic bags for reasons I obviously do not want to discuss, empty canisters and bags of flour next to them, and lady fingers leftover from a tiramisu I made last year! Underneath and out of view, the most offensive display of paper shopping bags atop a virtual trove of fancy, unopened kitchen appliances (that we have no room for on our single 2’x3’ kitchen counter) such as a Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer, Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker, Fondue Set, Waffle Maker, oh, I have to stop because I hate me now.
comments (18)
You probably already know this, but if you keep your kitchen gadgets in a jar on the counter you're allowed to run them under the water before using them. Though I don't, and I my husband hasn't yet complained about dust in his food.
1 | Amy | March 9, 2006 04:26 PM
I am shocked. Shocked! But also secretly happy, as you made me feel so guilty for being somewhat sloppy - when I thought you were a neat freak about every spare millisquare of space. But now, oh now, I can relax. And maybe even gloat, as most of my shoes are actually IN my closet.
2 | Eileen | March 9, 2006 05:00 PM
Youâre like every other obsessively organized female I've ever known. Like Monica in Friends with the closet!
One of my favorite Authors is Marian Keyes. I'm currently reading "Under the Duvet"; it's basically a series of essays, which remind me closely of blogs, except published I guess. Anyway, one of the excerpts talks about how she considers herself an Imelda, and says how to recognize other Imeldas.
While I LOVE shoes, I don't consider myself one of your kind. One of my favorite bullets about "How to know if you're an Imelda" is "If you've ever slept in a pair--and not because you were so drunk that you couldn't take them off." Now that's extreme.
3 | smiln.n.ny | March 9, 2006 05:04 PM
Wow! You'd think you'd been to my place to take those pictures! I don't feel so bad now! Ans I must add that there are 8 pairs of shoes sitting at my front door for last minute deciding, however, they are all lined up nice and neat... well, they WERE. ;-)
4 | Shelly | March 9, 2006 05:53 PM
You must be my long lost twin shoe/kitchen sister. We have identical tastes in decorating with our ability to throw shoes into an artful design and display our kitchen gadgets in a flair that only Neiman Marcus can appreciate.
If you're ever in Memphis, come meet your decorating doppleganger!
5 | Jen | March 9, 2006 07:28 PM
Where did you find your spice jars. I wanna take a page from you on that. Our spices look like your pantry ;) plus i think the light and the sun 'kills' them faster than we can use them and them jars look light and airtight...
6 | JennieB | March 9, 2006 07:45 PM
I'm slightly disappointed. Especially the closet. You were my organizational/cleaning hero.
Now I realize I am way beyond a clean/organized freak. I need help.
7 | Tammi | March 10, 2006 07:14 AM
JennieB - I asked her that the first time she posted pics of the spices. The Container Store
8 | Tammi | March 10, 2006 07:15 AM
We all have our little secrets. Mine is that my underwear drawer has to be completely organized at all times, but all of the other drawers and shelves are a lost cause. Especially, as I went through all of my tee shirts looking for the polo that I wanted to day and celebrate this beautiful weather. Now, if I can just get that addition on my house for my closet and shoe rack.
9 | clearlykels | March 10, 2006 09:00 AM
Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer!!! Drool...under your counter. I'm sooooo jealous. I've been wanting one of those for a long time, but (sniff) I can't afford one. Ohhh if I had one of those (in pink) it would definitly be on my counter in a place of honor.
10 | Sarah | March 10, 2006 09:43 AM
I love my KitchenAid (white) from afar. Because we have but one usable counter in our kitchen, each time we use an appliance, we have to take it out of the closet, plug it in, and then put it back when we're done. Woe is us! You can see how just using a handmixer becomes the easier option. Le sigh.
I think there's something to this dichotomy - obsessive neatness coupled with egregious messes. Is it because I'm a gemini? Or because I set unattainable standards of clean? There are all too heavy questions for me this morning, but I did trip over a shoe, so it must be time to reign in my messes again.
11 | deb | March 10, 2006 10:38 AM
It should be noted that one cannot live without a Microplane grater...I have four at home.
12 | Nicole | March 10, 2006 11:01 AM
saw this and thought of you:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/maggs813/110889242/
13 | megan | March 11, 2006 01:00 PM
I love it! Especially the closet. My side of the bed looks almost exactly the same - although unfortunately I'm on the door side rather than the closet one. I have a theory that truly creative people are generally messy.
14 | LALawyer | March 11, 2006 02:50 PM
A little messier than mine...I would have eaten the chips and ladyfingers by now!
15 | Karen | March 12, 2006 12:41 AM
Oh SWEET I have the same western boots you do only in a darker brown.
16 | Muffy Wong | March 12, 2006 11:53 PM
You dissembling woman, you! Well, it is reassuring to know there are some chinks in the ol' neat-freak armour.
My husband is, um, a little tightly wound in the organization department. I did a bunch of cooking this weekend and he asked pointedly after I'd rumaged around for a while whether I'd EVEN NOTICED that he had completely reorganized our pantry and gadget drawers. Oops. We've used these for a while in the gadget drawers and they've worked out great because of the variety of shapes: http://www.containerstore.com/browse/Product.jhtml?CATID=74533&PRODID=59987
17 | Nancy | March 13, 2006 09:45 AM
i've TOTALLY GOT YOU BEAT. but i won't dare take pictures for fear of some government authority shutting us down for beagle endangerment... :)
18 | jennifer | March 13, 2006 11:39 PM