More Pantry Clutter

I'll upload some photos later, but for now, just trust me that my kitchen has needed an update for oh, several decades now. Avocado green double oven range, avocado green cupboards, unfinished floor covered with glue reside from the time I pulled up the adhesive tiles but didn't do anything else. Yeah, you get the picture.

I have a friend who is a whiz at updates, especially kitchens. She came over, and gave me a no-holds-barred critique of my kitchen and helped me make some preliminary decisions. Colours, paint options, flooring choices, you name it, she's got opinions. Since I've seen her current kitchen, and photos of her previous one, I know that I can trust her judgment--she's created lovely spaces, workable and attractive as well as purely practical.

My goal is to have this update (I am not calling it a remodel because no walls or plumbing will move and frankly I want to keep the budget nice and low) done by the end of the summer. It's grilling season, so outdoor cooking can take up the slack for the range once it's moved out the door. I hate to let it go in a way. It's a workhorse with its two ovens, two drawers for pots and pans, and a nice space that one can use as extra counter. There's a timer, three-prong outlet (perfect for the KitchenAid or Crockpot), and the burner controls are on the rear of the range, so safe for little ones. Finding a gas range with rear controls may be difficult.

So, in preparation for this project, I need to clear out my entire pantry. We plan to make some structural changes in the pantry that'll require new drywall, and removing a window to replace it with a wall. Every bit of food needs a new home. This task intimidates me. I suppose I should just gather some boxes and move everything out. But...here's the real truth: most of my pantry should probably just be tossed in the compost. Flours, beans, grains, they don't stay good forever. And since I never got into the habit of dating my purchases, well, let's just say that the items in the pantry could be anywhere from a month to a decade old. Perhaps I need my friend Wabash Cannonball to drop by. I've heard she's pretty darn draconian when it comes to food freshness.

Has anyone been through a kitchen remodel or update and lived to cook again? Cooking is very much on my mind since I've been indulging my obsession with the Gluten Free Girl's lovely blog. Every entry makes me itch to run to the Farmer's Market and find something fresh to cook. So, the thought of being without a kitchen, well, let's just say a tiny weensy bit of panic might be setting in.