And so it begins...

Steps for Kitchen Remodel: 
 
Step # 1: Number and label all the cabinet doors and and their  
                  corresponding cabinet.

Okay, actually it's something more like Step # 445.  I didn't list all the planning, and scouring the internet for kitchen ideas, and calling everyone I know to get references for painters, plumbers, carpenters and electricians, and actually calling all those referred people to give me estimates, and running all over West-Tennessee to price materials, as steps in this kitchen update; but they were VERY important steps none the less.  No, I just decided to start my list of steps with the beginning of actual physical labor being accomplished.

Step # 2:  Rearrange my cabinet contents and purge A LOT of stuff. 

I really started doing this a few weeks ago, but I got serious about it last night.  And as the Hubs said as he walked in on me in full-on rearranging craziness, "You're messing with the whole system now."  Yep Honey, that's the plan!  I wish I had taken pictures of what the inside of the cabinets looked like before I started rearranging, but honestly, as a person who prides herself on being organized, I would have been too embarrassed. Now, because I have decided to have glass panels inserted into a couple of my doors, I needed to stage those cabinets not only to be functional, but pretty as well.

Please forgive the quality of the photos; I was working at night and just used my iphone to snap some quick pictures instead of pulling out the DSLR camera and trying to set up a whole perfect lighting scenario.  Anywho, I removed the doors to the cabinets where I will have the glass paneled doors installed and organized all our everyday green dishes in there.  I also added my white ramekins and a milk glass basket for a little interest.  These cabinets formally housed all my Tupperware bowls and other plastic storage containers.  It was organized, but not very pretty.  So I had to shift things from other cabinets to accommodate the plastic stuff.  You might be asking why I didn't just move all the plastic stuff to the cabinet I took my green dishes from.  Well, I have a very good answer for that.  That cabinet still houses a bunch of our other everyday dishes, just not the pretty matching ones.  I know.  I know.  I should just get rid of all those other dishes; and eventually I will.  But for now, I just can't afford to replace them.  And they serve a particular function.  And I'm trying not to go too crazy with getting rid of things.  Is that enough excuses?  Yeah, well it's a process.


Step #3:  Remove the cabinet doors above the refrigerator.

Another home blogger that I follow did this in her kitchen makeover and I really liked it.  Instead of having a hard to access cabinet that hides stuff that I don't need; by removing the doors, I now have another display cabinet for some of the lovely things that I need but don't use very often.  Before I started this purging, I didn't realize how much stuff I was squirreling away.  As organized as I like to think that I am, I'm still a little bit of a pack-rat.

Okay! That's enough for now.  I really wish I could keep going, but that's all I was able to accomplish last night.  Well actually, I did get one other thing done.  I had another contractor (my uncle) come over and give me a second opinion about moving the sink.  His verdict - it can be done.  With enough money, anything is possible.  And I'm probably gonna have to loose an upper cabinet, and it may not be aesthetically pleasing to anyone but me; but if that is what I truly want and I'm willing to pay for it; don't let anybody change my mind.  We shall see.