Before/After Kitchen
A commenter asked me for before/after pictures during my minimizing process...I don't have very many places left to do that with, but I decided to go with the kitchen. Here is a BEFORE picture of the kitchen after we had eaten lunch:
And here's an AFTER shot, from later this evening (I removed about 3 hefty sacks of stuff, most of it went in the garbage) ...I also removed the checkers painting from around the ceiling border and around the window sill- I am planning to maybe color the wall a light yellow to go with the blue cabinets soon:
Here's another BEFORE shot, from another angle:
Wow, that's better.
BTW, one really great motivator for me today was watching the show "Hoarders". If anything will make you want to throw everything out, it is that show! LOL If you haven't seen it before, you can watch full episodes here.
Here is the kitchen from another angle, finished:
And here's an AFTER shot, from later this evening (I removed about 3 hefty sacks of stuff, most of it went in the garbage) ...I also removed the checkers painting from around the ceiling border and around the window sill- I am planning to maybe color the wall a light yellow to go with the blue cabinets soon:
Here's another BEFORE shot, from another angle:
Wow, that's better.
BTW, one really great motivator for me today was watching the show "Hoarders". If anything will make you want to throw everything out, it is that show! LOL If you haven't seen it before, you can watch full episodes here.
Here is the kitchen from another angle, finished:
LOL... I saw a bunch of those Hoarders shows! And YES... they will make you clean!
I love your newly changed kitchen! Just my opinion... keep the walls white. Your appliances are white too. Why not paint the cabinets white?
I think it would be a lot going on w/yellow walls, blue cabinets, white appliances. But that's just my opinion
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Thanks Tia...I might keep them that way. I didn't know if it seemed too bright in there or not with the white colored walls. I was so tired of the checkers...they've been there for years. lol
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You're welcome! Nah it's not at all too bright. You can always put on a fresh coat of white paint. Or cream, I just noticed your counter tops are creamish color (or at least are looking that way from the pics). You can always do a two-tone color on the cabinets, or something. But three colors? Nah.
I just noticed your stove is stainless steel.. didn't see that before, so not all of your appliances are white lol.
I dunno, I love that blue tho! Coffee maybe be nice too! A nice neutral color. Yellow would have looked a little off.
Oh! Another thing you can do is switch out the current hardware for silvery/chrome hardware.
I know you didn't ask for ideas. So don't mind me.
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Love the ideas, Tia...thanks!
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omg it looks sooo much better. i didnt like the checkers either lol. if you want to repaint, i think a light coffee color would be nice
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That sounds really nice, Jennifer...I probably wouldn't have thought of that color!
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Yeah, I never liked the checkerboard look. matter of fact, we had a checkerboard floor when we moved in here. It came up as soon as we found tiles we liked!
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Didn't you lay a checkerboard floor a couple of years back in the kitchen? Or was the somewhere else? Or am I thinking of your walls?
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They are on my mural too, but I did have the checker floor, and I hated it. The checkered wall was to try to pull it all in, but I think it really ended up just looking too cluttered and distracting.
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Honestly Bethany you've inspired me yet again. I do pretty well since we moved a couple of times. Both times I threw out TONS of stuff. The problem is Mikayla and Angelina's bedroom. It is SO hard for them to keep it clean. They have too many clothes. They grow out of them and tear them up so fast. They have too many toys, from crane machines and happy meals etc. I have put my foot down. I now make them about twice a week fill a bag with old clothes or toys. The toys if they are good enough go to goodwill. The clothes do too. If they are torn up they get thrown out. I told them they will thank me. Their room is going to be a lot easier to clean. I give them small tasks. Today their room is actually looking halfway decent again!
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Sandi, the worst problem here has always been the clothes too! You sound like you have a great system started!
My kids were totally on board with the idea of getting rid of stuff when I let them know they wouldn't have to clean as much. LOL
I'm glad to hear you've been making progress! It feels so good when you're making a difference.
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I think it's the painted walls that make the most difference. What a transformation!
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That is so funny about Hoarders...I just watched that and it made me frantic to start getting rid of more stuff. Right. Now. LOL I started really agonizing over "why" I was keeping things I was keeping. Was it a psychological need to hold onto it out of fear? Or was it something we really needed. Good show, huh? (Although not for the weak of stomach-ha ha)
I need to watch a few more episodes. LOL
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I just saw my first episode of hoarders about a week ago and I felt ill. I also felt a tinge of "were these people ever like me? Probably". Then I look around at all the crap we have laying around and I freaked a little. Your work is great! We have been doing it somewhat but never to the degree that you are...but your work is inspiring and I bet you are happier for it all too!
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I too have watched hoarders, so sad,yet in some silly way I can relate to the awful torment these people feel. My clutter of course is not nearly as bad. I have noticed,some hoard out of emotional attachment while others think they may need those things someday,or hate to see good things go to waste. A big revelation to me was,I keep junk out of not wanting to waste...I am as frugal as they come. haha. These shows and your posts made me realize,it is wasteful to keep these things that I don't use,get rid of them, find someone that can use them. Frees my time up and helps others. Thanks ever so much for the great big nudge that I needed...so far I have gotten rid of bags and bags of clothes and books. Some things I plan to sell and purchase something,like one really good pan or one professional knife. Things that I have never bought for myself,yet will use them everyday. Thanks again!
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