Alert! Alert! I’m a loser! At the very least I’m losing the battle of how to move forward on my antique hardware cabinet.
You may remember this slick looking antique hardware cabinet from last fall. I dragged it home from a flea market, cut it down to size so it would fit on this wall and then pledged to get the drawers filled up and handles switched out once Christmas was over and I had more time.
Aren’t I hilarious? We’re all hilarious actually. Future time is WAY more abundant than real time. Ditto for future money! We always think we’re going to have more of it than we have right now. That almost never happens. O.K., it never happens, ever, I just didn’t want to sound like a downer.
When Christmas rolled around and I had a week off after it, I had WAY better things to do than figure out my hardware cabinet. I have absolutely no recollection of what those things were but they definitely weren’t figuring out what to put in my tiny drawers or what kind of handles I should have on it. I have a blurry memory of me alternating between sleeping and napping for a full week but that can’t be right.
Every so often I try to shove something in one of these drawers. Very little fits. I bought a box of microwave popcorn thinking I could fill a couple of drawers with bags of microwave popcorn because that’s the weird kind of thing I think would be fun to keep in there. That and doll heads.
But the bags of popcorn don’t fit … and this is the important part … by about a quarter of an inch. EVERYTHING doesn’t fit in these drawers by about a quarter of an inch. Each box measures 4 ¾” wide x 5 ¼” long by 5 ¼” high on the inside.
I KNOW there are things I should be keeping in here. I know these are the BEST drawers in the world for … something. Like they’re seriously perfect for holding 4″ by 5″ boxes. I thought for a time I’d keep my seeds in the drawers but that’s dumb. I do all my planting in the basement so having my seeds upstairs doesn’t seem very practical. And I like to be practical. I say that with all the confidence of someone who cooks her pizza in an outdoor wood burning oven that requires chopping wood and stoking for 3-4 hours.
AND I STILL NEED TO FIGURE OUT A GOOD SYSTEM FOR INDEXING THESE DRAWERS. We’ve established I have no ability to remember if I own avocados or not, I’m never going to be able to remember what is where in these drawers without some sort of a list or index.
One of the suggestions you gave the last time I was whining (about this) were to keep one drawer for alphabetized index cards. Someone else said to hang an antique clipboard on the side with everything itemized. I think that would look good actually.
As far as handles go I still don’t have a clue, but I think I’ll probably get something basically like what I have now only not so ugly. Just a round, worn brass knob that looks authentic. I just realized something and now I feel bad for you. I’m basically just thinking out loud putting zero thought into making this post entertaining for you. In keeping with that poorly executed writing style – I just lifted my head from the computer to the television and thought I saw a young girl with a massive black beard. Turns out she was just holding a doll with black hair in the vicinity of her face.
Back to this cabinet. I need help. Am I missing something? Is there something that I should be putting in those drawers that’s painfully obvious that I haven’t thought about?? Don’t say spices because I don’t want to have to open 34 drawers to take a look at all of my spices. I’m a spice browser so I like them all to be in one big drawer for easy eye access.
I realize not knowing what I own is likely to make this difficult for you, but I probably own the same things you do. Scissors, paper, elastic bands, a guinea pig merry-go-round, those sorts of things. I’d want to make the best use of the drawers possible which at this point is making any use of them.
As a last resort I do have one thing I can put away in all of those drawers – all of my hopes and dreams for this hardware cabinet. Just kidding, I still love it, it’s beautiful. It’s just a bit of an asshead.
Have a good weekend!
These brass knobs come in very small sizes. Perfect for this piece. What to store in the drawers? No clue.
http://www.leevalley.com/en/hardware/page.aspx?p=48507&cat=70806,46742,44005,50467&ap=1
Love those Lee Valley knobs, I have a few of them. In fact … I could probably store them in one of my drawers, lol. ~ karen!
Nails and screws, nuts and bolts. You don’t have to use them or remember where you put them as you can get more from Pink Toolbelt.
Ha! ~ karen
Anything I can think of that you could put in the wee drawers is stuff you’d use elsewhere i.e. in an office, or a basement or a workshop. Really, if they’re going to contain anything at all, they should contain kitchen things, but I can’t imagine what that would be. I can’t see keeping dry goods in ’em, or folding all your tea towels and dish cloths into 4 3/4 X 5 1/4 inch stacks.
In my house I could fill maybe four with short candles and tea lights. Knotted plastic bags, green bin liners, garbage bags, zip-lock bags sans box? M&Ms? Do they have to contain anything at all? The piece is gorgeous just as it is.
I agree! Someone said screws and nuts and whatnot but I thought no, those would be needed in the basement or garage, you probably don’t do a lot of building in the kitchen.
I thought it would be great for rubber bands and paper clips (big, small, and animal shapes) and binder clips and staples and staple-puller-outters and extra tape and so many more things. But then I realized I keep those in my den and if I had to run to the kitchen every time I needed one, I’d tear my hair out and my hair is really the prettiest part of me.
And ditto for putting all my sewing and quilting stuff in…it needs to be in my sewing room (which is really part of my den but because the room is L shaped, I can call it 2 different things. But really the room is T shaped but one bar of the T has been made into a really big closet with shelves that hold boxes of everything that needs to be someplace.
Oh my. I’m tired. I’m sorry.
The quilting stuff is exactly what *I* thought–I’d use it for those little scraps, and all of the smaller tools and doohickeys we use…but it would have to be in sewing room…
I think it would make a lovely advent calendar at Christmas time. 😉
What a great idea!
That wasn’t helpful at ALL. LOL!! ~ karen
I don’t even remember writing it, I was tired!
Plastic bags! That’s a great idea! It’s going on the list. I like to have plastic bags around for kitty litter or the odd time when someone leaves here with a bag of food or vegetables or whatever. ~ karen!
What bout rolling tea towls and dish cloths rather then stacking them?
Or what would happen if you made the drawers wider… keep the fronts looking like 3 tiny drawers but when you slide them open its actually the width of 3 drawers.
I like THIS idea! The piece would still be gorgeous but way more practical.
Excellent idea! Maybe on the lower row of drawers so it wouldn’t be too obvious.
PATTY is a damn genius
I can’t get on board with this one. No matter how well it’s done you’ll still be able to tell and I like the idea of keeping the piece authentic (yes, I know it’s been shortened but that was to keep from permanently blocking off a door so it gets a pass).
I would fill them with all my colors of fabric. Fabric folds down nicely, and I can never figure out how to organize it all.
Might just be worth taking up sewing since you have the perfect storage system for it 😉
I thought fabric as well. Perhaps you should take up patchwork and quilting and you can store fat quarters of fabric in your drawers. (Fat quarters are 1/2 yard of 40″ fabric, cut in half, so just over 1/4 square yard). Any Quilter will own hundreds of these! I do, in a chest of drawers, on shelves, in boxes……
I do sew but I hate it! K, maybe I don’t hate it but it’s not my favourite thing. Mainly I don’t like that I have to store my sewing machine in a cupboard because I don’t have a sewing room. I wonder if my Bernina would fit in one of the drawers? ~ karen!
I don’t know why, but every time I see your hardware cabinet I think of the old card catalog drawers with the one finger pull. I loved those things! But then, I spent a LOT of time in libraries.
I was going to suggest these labeled pulls too. I have an ugly fisherman supply version of this and I keep in them alphabetical, well okay mostly alphabetical order. **brads, animal beads, animal beads 2, blinkies, buttons, bobbins, cabinet findings, cords, nails, drink toys, double stick tape, dmc floss, earphones, fittings, flowers, flowers 2, felts, fasteners, gold (literally two bags of gold haha) glass, razors, picture hooks, letters, letters, letters (scrabble), Molly bolts, marbles, needles, paper clips, paddle wire, another Molly bolts, push pins, ribbon, grandma’s jewelry, rhinestones, ribbons, rubber gaskets, cup hooks, snaps, sequins, superglue, Ruth brads, staples, colored staples, elastic, google eyes, tags, Tiny parts, tags, tags, usb sticks, Velcro, wire, window hardware and wood picks.** I have had it forever and it keeps the house tidy and I can always find the weird stuff that I do need when I need it. I guess I need to re-alphabetize it ; ) Karen’s is bigger and nicer than mine, if mine was bigger, I’d also do fabric in that. By color of course!! Lucky you!!
That was my thought as well. Solves two problems – replaces the knobs and gives you labels.
I had a cheap knockoff version of a hardware cabinet and I kept all my small kitchen stuff it – ravioli and biscuit cutters; cake & cookie decorations; extracts and shrubs; bag clips; bottle openers and wine stoppers; mini cheesecake pans; etc. It was great to organize all that miscellaneous stuff without needing weird sectional organizers that eat up drawer space.
I love them too! But I think all those pulls and knobs would detract from the hardware cabinet a bit. Although obviously they’re the perfect solution! ~ karen
You wouldn’t need the knob, too, that’s at the bottom of each drawer in Wendi’s photo. In old card catalogs, that knob was for a long rod that threaded through a hole in all the cards in the card catalog–I suppose to keep the cards from falling out or being removed by users of the card catalog. You’d only need the finger pull.
produce bags that are filled with beans, cereal… naw… You have 48 junk drawers. I’m trying. way harder than I thought. Oh!! One is for cat toys. 😀 That’s my contribution.
Looks like you’ve got 48 drawers, just the top part. You could get rid of your junk drawers! Here’s what pops into my mind.
Kitchen – cookie cutters, string and poultry lacing stuff, bottle openers, matches
Office – small envelopes, cards, pens, scissors, stamps and ink pads, postage stamps
Repair/Replacement – small jars of screws and nails, glue, twine, hooks, picture-hanging stuff
Art and Craft Supplies – paint in small jars, brushes, pens, fancy paper scissors
Sewing – threads, zippers, pins, needles, gadgets
Other…
CD collection – if a CD will fit…?
Soap collection
Dishrags – the pretty ones for company
Does that help?
Great ideas! I’d add napkin rings and small kitchen gadgets. I have dozens of measuring spoons that could use their own drawer.
Cookie cutters for sure! I have those scattered all around the house. They’d probably fill 2-3 drawers, even though I rarely make cookies and even more rarely do I make ones that require cutting out. Still. I like a nice cookie cutter, lol. ~ karen!
My cookie cutters are separated by holiday or seasons, these could fill a few drawers and make them easier to find!
Make it into a giant Advent calendar. Or turn it into a candy shop. Because that won’t be dangerous at all. How about a prank case? Each drawer can have a spring snake that jumps out at you. Put all the cables (the ones you don’t know what they go to but you don’t want to get rid of) in them. How about a cereal bar? Oatmeal toppings? Obviously I’m hungry while I’m typing this.
I second that motion! A good prank is always worth the work!
Obviously, lol. I have an entire antique suitcase DEDICATED to storing old chargers and cables! The weird thing is I dig through it all the time looking for stuff I need. It’s rarely in there though. :/ ~ karen!
I was thinking a nest with a stuffed mouse in it would be cute.
That IS a good idea!!! ~ karen
My husband suggested an old fashioned recipe box system if your into hand written recipes… on 1/3, kitchen random things like another commentator mentioned for 1/3 and then do you knit? Perhaps coloured knitting supplies or sewing as others suggested or nails and handy stuff as suggested for the other 1/3? For myself I’d use it for an amateur apothecary with the bottles , tools, carrier oils, labels , recipes and essential oils I mix up which would fit nicely in there – it’s a whole movement right now I’m sure you could enjoy aspects of concocting ? Button collections? My grandma had a cabinet like this solely for buttons and thread 🧵 Anyway, I actually also enjoyed the “ non effort” writing style but maybe that’s because I write thinking out loud 😂 My visiting grandmother gave me a magazine to read on gardening and I opened it up and recognized you which was odd as I know you are featured in magazines ect but being introduced to you somehow in my computer blogger world … and now I’m sounding old and ridiculous so I’ll stop ( see I tend to write boring trains of thought 😉
I love apothecary stuff, I’m just all out of time for new hobbies and interests. I’m adding recipe cards to the list for sure! ~ karen!
https://www.houseofantiquehardware.com/metal-label-holder-brass-2-1-4?sc=11&category=94
How about a pull and label combined? Bet something similar was on there originally (old filled holes suggest knobs are recent). As to what to put in them, there are 48, which is a lot of any one type of thing. Me, I’d use them as random functional utility drawers (mason jar lids, popsicle sticks, glues, tapes, buttons, bag clips, string, and yes, rubber bands). Maybe you don’t have to have it all figured out. Just see what lands in them. You can always change the labels. Good luck. ☺
Those old filled holes are actually locks. All of the drawers locked! I’ve looked into replacing the tiny locks but it would be a pain to get into each drawer because I’d need a key for them all, lol. Mason jar lids is a good idea! Although I have enough to fill the entire cabinet with those alone. :/ ~ karen!
How about some drawers for your extra teacups❗️ That way if you have some displayed and when you want to change the look go to your teacup drawers😊 You could make a game of it and place them randomly then watch yourself going crazy looking for that special one❗️🤣 Regardless, your cabinet is priceless ~ so extraordinary❗️
The only kitchen-related things that spring to mind are grains, beans, flours, sugars etc — malleable dry goods that can be stored in plastic bags. What kind of volume in cups is 4x5x5? Any idea what was the cabinet originally designed to hold?
It was sold to me as a hardware cabinet. There were individual locks on every drawer. It was likely either a hardware cabinet or an apothecary cabinet. I like to keep all of those types of food items in glass jars with lids, otherwise that’s exactly what I’d put in it. ~ karen!
What do you want hidden away in drawers but still want? That’s small? That’s kitchen-y? Mouse traps. Tea lights. Ribbon? Mini liquor bottles? 😆 Sponges? Lighters? Vitamins? Recipe Cards?
Maybe it could be like a massive junk drawer where you have everything you would have in a junk drawer but in bulk, on hand, always waiting there. You want a rubber band? Viola! Here you are my friend! A billion rubber bands.
That’s what I would do. Each drawer would contain one small thing but a lot of them. Like staples. So what if I have to walk to my kitchen for staples? I have a BILLION of them. You would be the envy of all your friends. I bet crayons would fit too. Maybe each colour can have its own drawer! 😆
I would seriously go to the dollar store buy in bulk useful things in the right sizes and then brag to all my friends about my lovely little in-home store. But I’m just hella cool that way 💁♀️
You really are. 😉 ~ karen!
I love the piece, however, you’re right about the use of such wee boxes. I have a number of wee glass items that I’d store in them. Small egg cups, soy and other Chinese condiment dishes, shot glasses, etc. Idea 2 – could two or three drawers be put together and opened inside to make long small drawers with a fused front that keeps the integrity of the cabinet. Might be too finickity to do….You’ll think of something cool to do with them!
These brass knobs from quite small to larger would be perfect. What to store in each drawer? I haven’t a clue.
http://www.leevalley.com/en/hardware/page.aspx?p=48507&cat=70806,46742,44005,50467&ap=1
I would have to use a bank or row of boxes for all things computer related. The cords for my iPads, iPhones. Other connectors for other devices in their own drawers. Zip drives in one. And what about all the “wall warts” you have for various devices. I have gobs of those all in a big drawer, unfortunately none of them labeled with what they belong to. I don’t think you have the kind of desk that stores things like the above mentioned.
I have an entire antique SUITCASE dedicated to them, lol!! ~ karen
Seed packets.
Batteries, light bulbs, extension cords
Yup, yup, yup. ~ karen!
First Aid stuff and medicines like Tylenol, Neo Citron, Band Aids, etc. – that should be good for 3 or 4 drawers.
I keep those in the bathroom. :/ ~ karen!
Me too, but you could move them. I don’t know about you but most of my injuries come from cooking!
Rub n’ buff? For the existing knobs I mean.
I own tiny drawers. Twelve of them. I inherited them with the new house.
They’re beautiful. And stupid.
They’re filled, but not practical.
Think….baking, shredding, zesting, juicing, pot holding, etc.
4 x 5 inch Christmas decorations? easter eggs? Not “those” Easter eggs, the surprises like are/were hidden in movie dvd-s
It could be an art piece. Have one drawer open a bit with an object, useful or decorative, poking out. Change which drawer to leave open. Or two.
My post did not appear so I’m trying again.
Seed packets
Device cords
Flash drives
Wall warts labeled with what device they belong to – mine are not, unfortunately
Bulbs that have to be dug up in winter
Spare light bulbs if you have a supply
Extension cords
Desiccant packets if you save them from medicine bottles and such. I have gobs of them.
Balls of jute and other strings
Photographs
Maybe some small special Christmas ornaments
Different columns devoted to different related items in lieu of labels
Old CDs or tape cassettes you can’t throw away
Etc etc – I could probably think up some more
I just threw out a whole box of 3″ floppy discs. But if you still have any kicking around, they’d fit in the drawers. Back up files?
I do have some kitchen ones too. They contain cocktail picks, cupcake stuff, cutters, food coloring, tips and decorating and sprinkles. I’m a fun person to know!
LOL. Apparently you’re very fun. I feel like I could fill 10 or so drawers easily. But increasing it to the amount I have has me frozen. ~ karen!
WOW! <3
And speaking of the young girl with the massive black beard, please enjoy the following:
https://youtu.be/6H3PRSg8ReM
3 drawers for receipts. Business, home, and warranty.
And one for musical items. Tuning fork, kazoo, castonettes, electronic tuner.
Those are some drawers I need.
o …m …..g. That transformation is hysterical! I about spit my coffee….
Thanks for that link.
LOL. Well … I do have a harmonica and a guitar. If I cut the guitar into little pieces it could work. ~ karen!
But you could easily store the harmonica and guitar PICKS in a drawer.
Also lens cleaner and the little cloth squares used with it.
And all the things everyone else has suggested.
I wanted, and still want, actually, a card catalog. I also have no idea what I would keep in this magical piece of furniture. I just love the way they look. I grew up with them and I just think they look cool. Somewhere in Pinterest land they suggested storing bottles of wine in the card catalog drawers. I don’t drink so that won’t work. I was about to suggest that for you and then I remembered that you do not have a card catalog. I think storing dry goods in the drawers – flour, sugar, oats etc. etc. is just inviting ants to come invade your kitchen. My family is sharing ant killing recipes in a email chain right now. (Vinegar inside the house, powdered sugar and Borax, or baby powder and cornstarch outside. FYI)
I have little diddley stuff in my junk drawer that you could sort into your many drawers, also. Batteries – a drawer for D, a drawer for C, a drawer for AA, a drawer for AAA. (Are there size B?) Okay – 4/5 drawers down, 30 drawers to go. Twist ties, tiny flashlights, extra night light bulbs, extra regular light bulbs, one or two drawers for recipe cards? Bad sizing, but I always use a papercutter to cut stuff down to size. Keep a few open for Halloween candy emergencies. Extras of those do-hickys to turn a three-prong plug unto a two-prong one. (You have an old house – you must need those for every single outlet.) Small extension cords. Emergency Chapstick supply. Post-it notes and pens and pencils. A mending kit for a torn apron string. Another flashlight drawer because you cannot have too many! Small tool kit with nails and hammer and pliers for kitchen emergencies. (I must not like to walk very far to get anything at my house, and have emergencies quite often!) I believe there are some things you need need in every single room of the house! Scissors are just one case in point. Why keep traipsing back to one room for the stapler or the scissors when they could be right on hand? Thumb tacks/push pins. Extras of your sponge/green scrubbies from the Costco pack. Two small cans of mandarin oranges or tomato paste. Extra Tic Tacs. Bags of marshmallows – one regular, one miniature, and even one bag of giant ones.
WOW! If you spread these out, you can fill all the drawers!!! I think I forgot a drawer for chocolate. I still love the cabinet, even if it is an asshat!
Good luck, Karen.
Those mini flashlights is a good idea! I was hoping my stapler would fit in it butttttttt nope. It does not. ~ karen!
Toothpicks, floss, other toothpicky stuff since it is the kitchen where food most likely to get caught in teeth. Cake/cookie frosting tips and related supplies such as food coloring. Liquid spices because they are more likely to go with baking recipies. Matches, tea lights, votives. Keys and related stuff. Playing cards. Packets of sweetners, tea bags. Office supplies. Chip Clips. Post-Its. Glue in various forms. Batteries. Small flashlights. Small lotions/creams for hands (or feet if you do pedi’s in your kitchen). Fairy lights and remotes. Hand sanitizers and other little things that you carry in your purse. Glasses cleaners.
Well, I just made a mental inventory of my house so now y’all know some of my treasures. Need to change the gate code! Oh, a Derringers and ammo to shoot the bad guys trying to steal your tiny little treasures.
I do have a TON of those copper wire mini lights … ~ karen!
Karen, this is quite uncanny, as just yesterday I came across an article about one of South Africa’s oldest & most beautiful wine farms.
There was a photo of a shop there called The Factory, where there is a stunning old Apothecary drawer cabinet! An amazing room too!
I thought of you immediately!
I wonder whether you would like to put some growing herbs in some open drawers as they have? They look GORGEOUS! Please have a look! Just scroll down to the photo in the article.
https://franschhoek.org.za/the-factory-at-babylonstoren/
I don’t think the growing herbs would last long but I **LOVE** that!! Cant’ wait to try it! ~ karen
Glad you like it, I thought you would! If they are in pots they should last like any herb in your kitchen. Maybe even just a few high up drawers, so you do’t bump into them! You’d have the most unique cabinet in Canada! 😉
Junk drawers, with handwritten notes to your future self. Or just random idea drawers.
Have been a follower for long enough to know I admire your style and remember a post about rug hooking. Could you use your cabinet as a “worm bin” to sort and store your wool colors? Also tea accoutrements for hosting a get together, or a collection of jewelry…earrings, brooches, tiaras! A stash of wrapped chocolates and my fav tea bag obsessions would do it for me. Here are some pretty French knobs that you could easily duplicate using a graphics transfer method. I know you will come me up with something fabulous, whatever you decide though!
I love the knobs! But they feel more french than my cabinet does. 🙂 I never even thought of tea though! That’ll go on the list. I don’t really drink tea and it’s always shoved at the back of a cupboard so if someone comes over and wants one it’s an ordeal to get the tea. ~ karen!
You may need to make customized dividers for the drawers to make them more usable. Find bottles that fit in the drawers and have two bottles to a drawer or something.
Or combine drawers to make them bigger. Cut out the dividing wall and combine two or more drawers to make one larger drawer with a false front on it so that it looks like it is the same as all the rest. If you tore out the floors of your house, you could do this. You wouldn’t want to do them all but some would be very good.
Nice idea…If one cut the drawer sides out, and the vertical dividers, the vertical dividers could be attached to a ‘bridge’ between the drawer fronts, so that the combined drawers would still look like the originals, but could be 2x or 3x as wide as the individual drawers.
I agree with you two. I would combine sets of 4 drawers and the cabinet front to make a door by using a piano hinge. Cut out the petition and you have a nice space for larger items.
It can be done but it’s more finicky than it looks to turn 2 drawers invisibly into one and also maintain the integrity of the structure. The bottom drawers are about that size and even those are too small for a lot of things like kitchen utensils. :/ ~ karen!
I need your setup for all of my smell-good things… Wax melts, votive candles and tealights, incense and little incense burners, etc. Leave a different drawer cracked open every day and your kitchen would smell fantastic and different all of the time! I also like lots of the ideas above… You are definitely going to need labels or an index !! ( The struggle is real ) 😬
A couple of drawers for meds….Tylenol, vitamins, etc. You’ll need a glass of water, and you’re already in the kitchen.
Bandaids. These should only be in the kitchen, because, let’s face it, if you’re going to cut yourself, it will be there, OR in the yard. This will free up some space in your bathroom.
On that note….nail polish and files. I bet you never do that in the bathroom anyway!
I’m certain you’ve already thought of small clutter….toothpicks, cookie cutters, rubber bands, sharpies, plant markers, etc
You’re right I never thought of keeping my nail polish and LED light in there. I wonder if it would fit! And the kitchen counter is exactly where I do my nails! ~ karen
I would probably store my craft supplies in it, mostly yarn and fabric. Since that is not your jam, I say just keep it empty and let people wonder what you have in there. It’s a beautiful piece.
I could fill that whole cabinet with my jewelry..
HAHAHA! It would make a GREAT jewellery case. ~ karen!
This is the most perfect jewelry storage chest. You could use as many vertical rows for the types of jewelry, Let’s say two rows for extremely dressy special occasion things. Three or more rows for less dressy, but not state occasions. Several rows for daily favorites. Then you can some room for different types of bracelets and rings. Don’t forget to save all the little packets of dessicants that come with prescriptions, new shoes and purses, etc., etc. I must have hundreds, and mostly throw them in with my sterling table ware, and my sterling jewelry. I live in Florida, and haven’t had to polish my silver in the 15 yrs. we’ve been down here. They soak up all the humidity. Remember, the last thing you put on before you leave the house is your jewelry (and fresh lipstick). Save a drawer for lipstick and a small mirror. More than enough said.
I have a similar piece although it is not as big. I keep batteries in drawers (sorted by size), ribbon rolls, tea lights, holiday craft supplies, glue gun and sticks, and lightbulbs. I have a chart of what’s where in one drawer so I can check if I forget. I disagree about keeping seeds in yours – if you plant every day, sure that’s inconvenient. But if you plant one a year, put them in a high drawer and pull them out when you need them.
I’m not sure you’ve seen the amount of seeds I plant and grow, lol. One drawer? No, no, no. When you plant all your own stuff it isn’t one day. It’s something that goes on for months from February to May because certain things need to be planted earlier than others. You really need access to all your seeds in the area you’re doing all your planting. ~ karen!
I file my seeds by month.
So I have a drawer for Jan, a drawer for Feb, and son on… Round till May.
Then when it’s planting time out comes the drawer appointed…
That’s a good idea. ~ karen!
I was trying to think of what small-ish things I’m always reaching for in the kitchen.
* measuring spoons
* bottle opener
* clips for chip bags
* timers
* thermometers of various ilk (candy thermometer, instant read, digital with an alarm)
* catnip
* sharpies (for writing on plastic bags before freezing)
* anything that came free with a set of steak knives (But wait! There’s more!)
* lint roller
actually… these would probably be the perfect size for most of my tupperware-esque lids. And they seem to multiply whenever I look away, so they’d soon take up the entire cabinet.
I had a desk with card catalog type drawers for a while and had this exact problem.
The Tupperware lids is a great idea, but I have large glass containers and I have a hunch those lids won’t fit. :/ ~ karen!
Just a few thoughts. If mine, I’d fill them easily with little stuff I have no other place for, like Mom’s jewellery, back-up lipsticks, sewing supplies, some nails, some screws, some elastic bands, some hair clips — whatever is cluttering up my house now. It’s a great opportunity to de-clutter. Then I’d try to sort of section it so it’s a little easier to know where to head for when looking for something. That old clipboard with a list is going to work really well. You will love this beauty even more once you really start using it.
“Future time is way more abundant than real time.”
That needs to be embroidered on my pillowcase, tattooed on my head, put in skywriting. Nothing has ever been more true. To prevent procrastination I promise you I will say this to myself 20 times a day for the rest of my life.
Starting tomorrow.
Ha! ~ karen!
A memory cabinet of an author,an artist,a creator,a comedian. Thoughts,writings, copies of your most treasured posts-pictures of the day. Spring flowers,Winter snow. It will be a priceless treasure to whomever you leave it to and in your senior years you can reminisce about how many people loved hearing from you,how many you might have brought from tears to laughter. How many you inspired to action to do…gardening,cooking,Christmas wrappings-etc etc etc. Thanks from me.
That’s a lovely thought. But I’m not sure I’d be comfortable creating a shrine to myself just yet. Not when I still need quick access to things like batteries and cookie cutters. 😉 ~ karen!
Here is a sentimental and totally non-practical idea… each box represents the next 34 years. Fill each one with keepsakes, photos, things from the year. Things that come to mind are ticket stubs, running bibs, special cards, small gifts or trinkets that have no where to go. Each box is a time capsule you can revisit with a pull of a beautiful brass knob, no need to label! In 34 years from now you will have an interesting piece of art work!
I LOVE this idea….!!!
I would totally fill it with vintage fountain pens, correspondence cards, letter writing stuff, and junk journal ephemera. Pots of ink, stamps and ink pads, twine, postage, coloring pencils, lightly rolled upcycled paper that needs to be saved. Tape. Washi, invisible, double-sided, and packing all in one reliable spot. I’d put tiny jars in to hold paper clips, tacks, bits of jewelry making stuff, things I find on the ground, and save a drawer for things that would look good in a fairy garden. And a drawer for bottle caps for when I make a checkers game and epicycle those, too. And a drawer for bullet casings which would be fabulous vases for single violets. A drawer for those cheap craft paint bottles that are so addictive to buy. And Dollarama has tiny little canvasses that will fit in there. No transferring stuff. This is the time to get more stuff!
I think it would be perfect for tea lights, birthday candles, cake decorating stuff, toothpicks (I purged recently and found that I have enough for an entire drawer!!), spreaders (I have a collection of these), mini salt and peppers for fancy dinners, cocktail napkins, bottle openers, cocktail stirrers, and a lot of etc.! Also, don’t worry about filling all of them. It is good looking enough to just sit there!
It is. But like me, being good looking isn’t enough, one must also be useful. HAHAHAHA! ~ karen!
How about a tea and coffee cupboard.
Get more chickens. A lot more chickens. Start semi-commercial egg farm in your backyard.
Use the drawers to catalogue eggs by date.
Sell your eggs for extra cash to buy fancy drawer pulls and more super pretty if not particularly functional antique stuff. 😀
Divide the piece yet again and leave 1/2 of it in your kitchen and the other 1/2 in your basement – or 1/3 kitchen to 2/3 basement etc. You could do this in conjunction with the suggestion above to combine the drawers to make them bigger with a false front, making it easier to decide what to store in each of the places you now have this gorgeous piece of furniture in. Plus now you get to enjoy the piece in different settings, you could decide to paint one of them and leave the other as is… The possibilities are now endless.
Oh, and I love the suggestion to use the card catalog type of drawer pulls.
Potatoes. Definitely, absolutely, potatoes.
I know, the bigger drawers are perfect for potatoes! I kept onions in there for a while. But I like to climate control my potato storage. I really do have a LOT of potatoes. :/ ~ karen!
The piece is beautiful. Why the need to fill the drawers and complicate life? Less is more.
Because they’re drawers. That’s literally their job. Nothing gets away with just being pretty in my house. ~ karen!
Because I would rather look at it than use the drawers every day, I’d fill them with my Christmas tree ornaments — and other small holiday decor. I wouldn’t need to label anything, as I’d be hauling everything out and putting it back at the same time. Plus it might clear some space in your basement…
I love this idea!!! Plus it’d be like opening a bunch of 5 1/4 x 4 3/4″ pre-Christmas gifts… it’d be so long between packing and unpacking, every drawer would be a surprise!
Blasphemous, but have you considered removing the fronts from the boxes and converting the mini-boxes into larger shelves or drawers? You’d still have a card catalogue facing, if you remounted the fronts, but it could be functional for your storage needs on the inside.
My thought, exactly!
I have, but that’s a big job and wouldn’t help with the storage issue all that much I’m afraid. ~ karen!