We don't own a working dishwasher. We have been hand washing our dishes for 10 years now. You would think by now we would be used to it, but we aren't and we don't like it! I have a little piece by paper by my sink that says "Thank God for dirty dishes, they have a tale to tell; while others may go hungry, we're eating very well" Author Unknown. As I stand at the sink day after day, I read this poem to myself, sometimes it does help. I am also offering it up to God for the intentions of others. One in particular is for a friend whose baby is struggling to nurse. He has had some surgeries to help, but is still struggling. This helps too. When I sit back and think about it, it isn't necessarily the doing of the dishes, it's the time I spend away from my family and other things I would rather do.
One of the last things I had planned to downside was the kitchen (My list of last things to do, is growing!), but today I decided that there is no reason to wait! I pulled everything out of my utensil and special kitchen tool drawers. I should have counted or at least taken a before picture of the drawers, but it is too late now. The utensil drawer is very easy to clean out at this point because almost everything is in the sink. Once I have washed all the silverware, just 4 of each piece will remain. 4 forks, 4 spoons, and 4 knives. We are a family of 4 and that is all we need day to day. Yes I hear you out there saying "what about guests"....well we rarely have guests, something that might change when we have no more clutter, but for now just my mother comes over and I can promise you, she has no problem bringing her own place setting. She doesn't trust things that aren't washed by a dishwasher anyway. For the occasional time that another guest might stop by I have a few plastic pieces that I will use and give my guest the silverware. For those who are still focusing on what we are giving up, let's look at what I'm gaining! By having just 4 of each, dishes will not sit in the sink, washing will take just a few minutes, and drawers that struggled to be open, will flow freely in and out! Most importantly I will not be stressed about the dishes and my family will have time with me where I'm not upset about the dishes! Praise be to God!
Now moving onto the special kitchen tool drawer, this was harder. I opened the drawer filled with shiny metal and colorful plastic tools, tools that can do just about anything :-) I found 5 pizza cutters and I don't even care for pizza... 1 blue plastic one, 1 big metal one, 1 small metal one, and 2 plastic ones that I got for the children to use. According to hubby he doesn't like the blue plastic one because it makes the pizza move when he cuts it, he also doesn't care for the 2 kid ones that my children don't even use. We both agree that we like the metal ones, but we never need more than one at a time, so the little one is gone, along with the plastic ones. Pampered Chef has some great tools, and many have lived for years in my kitchen. Rarely is one used. Today I listed on craigstlist a Cut-n-seal, it's very cute, to make flying saucers out of sandwiches for children! And a Crinkle Cutter, great for making carrots crinkle. Why don't I need these? With the Cut-n-seal two things happen....I get fat from eating the area the cutter, cut off and I spend twice as much on buying bread to feed the little mouths that are eating 2 flying saucers instead of one sandwich! These items are neat if you have little ones, but they take up space and time and I can't even remember the last time I used them! There were also three pokey things to hold meat while you carve it....I have never used a one of them, there is also a zester which I still think is cool, but never have used. Now there is a box half full of all the items that are moving onto other homes!
I'm left with two drawers that my hubby will be shocked open so well and look so good! I feel good! Now to work on the cups, dishes, and bowls!
Contents of drawers sitting on the stove
What the drawer looks like now. It will need to be downsized again, but for now I'm happy
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