Anyone every built their own kitchen (from that flat box) store

[DNK]

what's the cab next to the sink base

 

[JPSmit]

what's the cab next to the sink base

will be a three drawer + 1 insert drawer unit

Sink cabinet will also have 3 drawers but screwed together so it opens as one with garbage and recycling then to the right of the dishwasher three again - we have come to like drawers way more than doors

 

[JPSmit]

So never a dull moment in the Smit house. We got going today and were making excellent progress. My son was working on shimming the bar that the cabinets hang on while I started drilling the holes for plumbing so we could hang the sink cabinet as it needs to be centred on the window and everything sent out from there. (the previous sink was not centred! ) I took the time to make a template and drilled what can only be described as the most perfect plumbing lines in the hidtory of kitchen making. They fit perfectly and we stepped back to admire our work and notices that the bottom piece of the cabinet had not melamine banding across the front. Sooo out it comes and off to Ikea - on a Saturday - in the afternoon. Two hours later I returned home with a new sink cabinet (no grief at all returning it even though it was drilled) and returned the too small cabinet (on the right in the photo) and got a 24" cabinet. Most of the gubbins were in and we were back at it. Left Mrs JP and my son assembling cabinet interiors and got the plumbing sort (shut off valves - dishwasher feed - the things I had to cut when we took the cabinet out) Oh and for some reason, the drain pipe has been cooper as long as we have lived here - properly abs now.

Fortunately I made a template of the initial holes so still have the best drilled holes in history

With the plumbing hooked up, while we have no tap or sink, at least the dishwasher works again and it was full!!

cleaned up - drove my son home and called it a night.

Progress.

Oh and for a stock kitchen, I am delighted how well it all fits. On the exterior side - to the right of the sink we had just a smallish space to fill - so back to Ikea and much much more quickly bought 2 30" X 5" drawer fronts, installed on on each side of the dishwasher and it took up the gap beautifully. This gave the added advantage of increasing the air space on each side of the dishwasher by 3/4" - we also put a silver reflective 'blanket' on the dishwasher to increase the insulation. I think it is noticeably quieter and the adjacent cabinets were not hot when the dishes were done. It was amazing how much damage had been done over the years to the side of the cabinet by the heat of the dishwasher.

 

[DNK]

will be a three drawer + 1 insert drawer unit

View attachment 73817

Sink cabinet will also have 3 drawers but screwed together so it opens as one with garbage and recycling then to the right of the dishwasher three again - we have come to like drawers way more than doors

JP, looks like a drain on the floor

 

[Popeye]

we have come to like drawers way more than doors

Yes!!!

 

[JPSmit]

JP, looks like a drain on the floor

No just a drain on the wallet.

I looked again - each cabinet has a bag of bits that will be used eventually so my son just threw the bags in the cabinets.

 

[JPSmit]

Well it is morning. The upper cabinets are full of dishes and we have a little more space to move. I also bundled up the cardboard last night so at least it is a clean (ish) working space. Never ideal when you are living in the space you are working on. So, today for your viewing pleasure my office - hey it works.

 

[DrEntropy]

That looks positively organized, JP!

The Lioness in her den. Behind her to the right of this frame is an unbelievable volume of "stuff" too.

 

[JPSmit]

actually we have been working very diligently to cull books (probably the hardest to let go of) and pretty much everything else. Mrs JP moved her library to the basement this summer leaving me much more space (we shared the room for our books)

Similarly Mrs JP has already started the 'that isn't coming back into my kitchen' chant. Yesterday I put 3 starbucks travel mugs on the local free stuff facebook group - bonkers reponse and doubly so because people asked for just one - - so they went to three individuals

 

[DrEntropy]

I'll admit I've some shelf space in Her lair as well. The Purge is yet to happen, though it is coming.

 

[JPSmit]

I'll admit I've some shelf space in Her lair as well. The Purge is yet to happen, though it is coming.

Mrs JP has always been much more of a minimalist than me who, while not quite a packrat tends to the 'I might need that one day' end of the spectrum. However, taking to heart the old adage that spouses view their husbands as 'works in progress' over the years I have ummm 'learned' the value of a clean and curated space. Not exactly ready to go full on Marie Kondo, I must none the less confess that not only do I appreciate a life without clutter, but I physically feel less stress with less cr*p in my life.

OTOH the garage................

 

[DrEntropy]

OTOH the garage................

For a number of decades the garage was my last bastion of organization. The darkroom the same. I'm the one who hates clutter in this partnership, "a place for everything, everything in its place." I've given up. The former darkroom now has become a repository for Her flea market purchases, to somehow be sold later "at a profit." The garage is full of boxes and bits piled in the middle to allow a future renovation which seems to be constantly outed by "immediate needs" for other house projects. My toolboxes are now my last fall-back to order in my life!

 

[Basil]

For a number of decades the garage was my last bastion of organization.

I try - I really try - to keep my garage organized, but sometimes it's an uphill battle. It would be easier if I didn't actually do work in there!

 

[DrEntropy]

I try - I really try - to keep my garage organized, but sometimes it's an uphill battle. It would be easier if I didn't actually do work in there!

What happened here is I stopped working in there. That made it Open Season on the available space!

 

[DNK]

The l'il missus doesn't like our garage as there are palmetto bugs and spiders in there>
Though she does lookaway just enough to park her car in there

 

[DrEntropy]

The l'il missus doesn't like our garage as there are palmetto bugs and spiders in there>
Though she does lookaway just enough to park her car in there

Hmmm... This gives me an idea...

 

[AngliaGT]

I'm beginning to believe that my Wife can't stand to have an empty flat surface
in our house.
I need to start going through things,& sell the stuff I don't need anymore.

 

[DrEntropy]

I'm beginning to believe that my Wife can't stand to have an empty flat surface
in our house.
I need to start going through things,& sell the stuff I don't need anymore.

Yeah, what's up with that? My guess is, if it doesn't slide off it gets a permanent place. A disease called "Pile-itus."

As for selling YOUR stuff, I've sold off some Alfa bits 'n pieces, probably not gonna need those anymore. But the Lotus stuff is gonna be pried from my cold dead hands...

 

[70herald]

What happened here is I stopped working in there. That made it Open Season on the available space!

Well at least you know who is at fault

 

[70herald]

I'm beginning to believe that my Wife can't stand to have an empty flat surface
in our house.

My wife just became a Marie Kondo "trainer" and really likes the first step "discarding" I can't leave anything un hidden. Actually having seen what happens in a few of the houses where she has helped teach people to start organizing themselves, their lives, their houses...... seeing such incredible levels of out of control makes me appreciate a bit of over organization... as long as no one touches my work area.