Limiting Space

If you build it they will fill it...

One of the reasons that we bought our current home was storage space.  LOTS of storage space.  Not only did it have an attic and a basement, it had TWO linen closets and (wonder of wonders) a real pantry.  A "step in" pantry - that means that it is definately a separate space rather than just an extra bunch of shelves hidden among the cabinet doors. It is really more of a large closet rather than another (small) bedroom.

And we have filled it.   When you have the extra space it is easy to purchase that box of 1000 plastic spoons - and there they sit even when nobody has used one in years.  The pantry contains two shelves of food (cans of vegetables, bags of pasta, packets of sauce mix) and one of baking supplies.  That is the sum total of edibles in the pantry.  The original idea was that there would always be stock in the house if I decided to cook something specific.  It would cut down on trips to the grocery store.  In fact, it hasn't.  I am ALWAYS one can of tomatoes short, or have cream of chicken soup but NOT cream of mushroom.  And who on earth thought that we needed 6 cans of clam chowder - all of them from diffferent manufacturers?  me.  I have elbow macaroni, but not penne pasta; rice but not spaghetti  - thus necessitating a change in the menu or run to the market before dinner can be constructed.

In our new home there is no pantry.  At first I looked on this with trepidation, but as I think about it I see that this is a chance to consolidate and stop the madness of the twice a year "clean out" of the pantry with the resultant donation to the local food bank.

And the attic?  And the basement?  And the (two) linen closets?  Just an exentsion of  the pantry.  Just a bunch of overstuffed storage spaces...we are in deep trouble with this upcoming move.