My Kitchen is a Disaster

but I manage to make whole food, gluten free meals anyways!

This post is meant to encourage all of you out there who don't think you can do it.  I didn't think I could do it either.  My kitchen is small.  I have very limited counter space.  Exactly 2 electric sockets, both pretty awkward to reach.  A tiny pantry.  Everything desperately needs updated.  Except the appliances which are all too large for the original 1970's kitchen, lol.  We can't mount the dishwasher because the handle of the oven is in the way for it to open.  Previous residents tiled the countertop and now half of the tiles are broken and fallen off the edges.  One of the doors under the sink is missing.  Lighting used to be a single 40 watt mini bulb in the ceiling fan (?!!) that previous residents installed.  Thankfully we installed a solar tube last year and now the kitchen isn't a dark hole anymore (yay!)  And it's been half painted for over 2 years now.  Maybe I should go paint it instead of writing...nah.

Here's what I've been working on doing.

Counter Space
I hate the thought of a messy kitchen that I have to go clean before I can do anything else.  When I'm having a low energy day, it makes the difference between getting up and cooking or doing chicken nuggets...again.  So I disciplined myself to get everything clean and put away before bed, and start the dishwasher too.  Then when I wake up, I put the clean dishes away first thing after brushing my teeth.  Yes!  Even before breakfast!  Having an empty dishwasher gives me a place to put dirty dishes besides on my limited counter space, or piled on the table.  I run the dishwasher even if it's not entirely full, because often there are things in there I use every day.  After starting the dishwasher, I take out the trash.  I have a tiny trashcan under my sink, so it gets full very easily, and it is great to wake up to clean counters, clean dishes and an empty trash.  Kitchen is ready for service!

Random Clutter
Earlier this year, I was reading a blog called Apartment Therapy, and they were discussing philosophies of "stuff".  They had read a book, and the point of the book was "if you don't love it, don't keep it".  I don't remember the name of the book, sorry.  But I liked that concept.  So I went through all my kitchen stuff and got rid of a ton of it that I never used, but was overflowing my (limited) drawers and cabinets.  I didn't exactly follow the concept.  My thought was, "if I don't use it, don't keep it".  I slowly expanded that thought throughout the year to "is this the most useful kind of this thing, or can I easily (and inexpensively) do something else that would be more efficient?"  I went to a kitchen supply store and bought 4 half sheet baking trays for $4 each (it was a special bargain) to replace my random variety of mis-matched trays that didn't fit anywhere together.  Now they all fit very nicely in my oven drawer and I gained quite a bit of space.  I was baking casseroles more, so I bought some Anchor casserole dishes with the silicone lids (I just looked these up on Amazon and wanted to cry just a little.  Mine don't have green lids...sad :(...)to replace my random assortment with no lids.  Now instead of having to immediately package up leftovers in a variety of containers, I just put the lid on and set it in the fridge.  They have really streamlined my cooking routine and were totally worth the 20 or so dollars I spent on them.

Menu Variety
Another thing I have started doing recently is making my own freezer meals.  And it really doesn't involve doing anything besides what I would have done in the first place.  All I do is make a big casserole, and once it's cooled and manageable, I fill 2 containers that hold enough for 2 servings each, date, label and freeze them.  Then when I'm having a low energy day, or am tired from doing other things all day, I have delicious, home cooked, safe food for hubby and I to eat.  And it lets us have more of a variety.  It gets a bit old to eat the same casserole for a week straight, lol.  I don't cook more often, or a greater amount.  I just manage it differently.

I know, I know, nothing here is amazing and kitchy.  But remember I was and still am coming out of many years of brain fog and bad health from the hypothyroid.  These are just simple, stupid things that make it possible for me to manage meals and life a little better!