Storage War
I have with
some difficulty accepted most of Mrs. Cranky’s edicts. I don’t wash Tupperware in the dishwasher
even though I know it to be dishwasher safe.
I separate colors in the wash, even though I know that after several
washings colored clothes will not bleed.
When we buy something new I save the box because…well I really don’t
know, but still I save the box. I will
not throw things away, not even a 25 year old VCR rewind machine or
instructions to operate machines that we no longer own. I accept that to protect our sink from being
scratched we need a smelly germ and food catching rubber mat that blocks the
drain.
There is one
place where I am drawing a line in the sand.
Storing
dishes in the cupboard.
Mrs. C. has some everyday dishes. There is an assortment of large plates,
medium plates, saucers, cups, and bowls.
When stacked in the exact Mrs. C. order, all of these dishes will fit between
two shelves with just enough room left to slide a sliver of paper.
When you are
done with the large plate and want to put it away you have to reverse the
process.
There is
room in the cupboard to stack the bowls and cups separately from the other
dishes.
Mrs. C.
prefers the jenga puzzle method of storage.
Let the
battle begin.
“It’s crazy
to store the plates so they barely fit in between the shelves!”
“Everyone
stores dishes like that.”
“No they
don’t, I’ve never seen them stacked like that!”
“You’re a
WASP.”
“What does
that have to do with it?”
“WASP’s are
so structured and rigid; let yourself go and stack like the rest of the world.”
“What, the
rest of the world is nuts also?”
“You’re a
jerk!”
“What if we
had one more friggin dish? It wouldn’t
fit. What then?”
“We don’t,
and you’re a jerk.”
I don’t
care. I’m not backing down. I’m putting the cups bowls on a separate
shelf.
Let the
Storage War begin.
Hey, you could be arguing about the national deficit?
ReplyDeleteGoing through all that just to get a plate out would make me just use a paper plate and stand over the sink, bachelor-style.
ReplyDeleteS
Oh dear. What a war you could start if you solicited cupboard pictures.
ReplyDeleteI have a set of china (in a china cabinet, of course) & 3 sets of everyday dishes & plenty of cabinet space so that they are all easily accessible. Not bad for someone who doesn't cook any more, right?
ReplyDeleteyou would have the world of all battles in my house...whoever unpacks the dishwasher seems to make a new and different decision every time about where things belong...
ReplyDeleteAll you have to do Cranky, is break a couple of plates as you're trying to jam them under the bowls. A new, pristine way of stacking dishes will then become acceptable. Either that or you'll get a smack across the head.
ReplyDeleteI recommend Astrids' method. I've used that ever since I was 8 years old and wanted to get out of drying the dishes. You just have to learn to dodge the smack over the head.
ReplyDeleteI don't ecactly agree with this stringent way of stacking dishes, but my guess is that it would be a good idea for you to think it is perfect.
ReplyDeleteIs this really the battle you want to fight? Start working on that white flag, my friend.
ReplyDeleteIs this really the battle you want to fight? Start working on that white flag, my friend.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry...but there is NO WAY I could stack my dishes and bowls like that. If it takes too much effort just to get one bowl or plate, I'd starve. Really, I would. I'm that lazy.
ReplyDeleteIn our cupboards we stack the big dishes on one shelf, the bowls on another, and the small dishes on yet another, and then plastic cups go in the pull out drawers next to the dishwasher (easy access for the little ones who are "thirsty" 872 times a day) and then the coffee mugs are in another cabinet on a shelf of their own. There is NO JENGA in this house!
((Sorry Mrs. Cranky, but I have to side with Mr. Cranky on this one.))