Breaking in the Kitchen

Our kitchen renovation has been complete for a number of weeks now and we are breaking it in. The kitchen feels huge when I am working in it. I love that most of us can be in the kitchen and all be doing things without the waiting and bumping that used to happen. We still have to wait for a turn in the refrigerator or silverware drawer but when it is our turn, there is actual space to move to to get out of the way for the next person.

Everything felt very foreign at first. I would go for something and realize that it was no longer in that spot. I wasn't sure what counter to put things on or where we wanted to keep certain items. We spent the first weeks rearranging. One day Jim and I both opened the cabinet under the kitchen sink to throw something away, only to realize that the trash cans have their own cabinet in the peninsula. The funny thing is that we never used to keep our trash can under the sink. We will continue to shift things a few things around and hopefully find a resolution for the calender that lays on the counter.

Most things have now found their proper homes and I have mapped new muscle memory for the routine tasks. I am appreciating the new space daily. I appreciate being able to run the dishwasher without having to roll it and hook it up to the sink. I appreciate having enough counter space to make 10 sandwiches at the same time. I appreciate the color palate that I sent so much time trying to get right. But mostly I love being able to fit us all in. The new kitchen didn't undo our old habits and our brand new granite counter top is regularly covered with our life. The extra deep sink doesn't do the dishes but it does hide a whole meals worth of dishes below the line of sight. I am grateful the shiny new surfaces are easier to get back to clean. The kitchen still feels and looks new but we are breaking it in as only a family of 6 can.