a good annual social media holiday tradition would be to post what the most unnecessary use of kitchen counter space is happening in suburban parents' kitchens
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When we remodeled our kitchen I had the electrician install outlets in cabinets. I also have pullout drawers in the cabinets. Nothing lives on my countertops.
My wife’s aunt passed away recently, and they had a slideshow on a loop at the funeral home. In the many photos from my in-laws house, you could watch every flat surface disappear over the years as piles of clutter grew. Someday I’m going to have to help load all that shit into a dumpster.
We had no space for a small Keurig that was gifted to us by my father in law. He replied that his fishing buddy has a bigger Keurig in his bathroom. No joke
Grandfather: second microwave (he likes his microwaved dinners to be hot all at once), a Keurig he never uses, a landline, toaster oven (he has two ovens), regular toaster, and a random assortment of junk. He has an enormous kitchen and almost no counter space. Would be impressive if not so annoying
oh my god i'm too mad about this to even post about it. my dad keeps just rinsing out mixing bowls and then setting them down right side up at random. it's just a sea of damp bowls. not even lined up or pushed back or anything. every counter
Good lord, my partner was doing this. He even put a bunch of newly washed flatware in one of the bowls, giving the extra guarantee that it will never dry.
my mom has so many "pretty bowls" and she won't fucking stack them each one had to have its own footprint and then inside it? oh you know it's a single onion
All the spices and dried herbs for cooking use are on the counter bc all shelf space that was herbs/spices is now “vintage” expired spice/herb jars/tins that my mother won’t toss or even clean and refill with fresh. They’re “sentimental”
I don't think my in-laws have contents of a single cupboard or drawer logically lined up with the corresponding use area of the kitchen. Ex: when you're at the stove you have an easy reach to coffee mugs but the spatulas & stirring spoons are as far away while still technically being in the kitchen
I don't think we've ever used the right burners on our stove cause its where we keep the instapot and a larger pot that doesn't fit with the other pots and well, we don't have the shelf room to make more room.
The electric range is just counter space here. It's perfectly safe as long as you move the double-bagged loaf of bread off the burner before turning it on. Probably for the best there's no mail today.
our bread kept falling off the instapot so its now on a nomadic journey. you can either find it on top of the breadmaker on the counter near the stove or the other side near the toaster.
The thing with a food processor is that it's a ridiculous waste of space right up until you're cooking for 5+ people. Then it's suddenly the most useful thing on earth.
Funny thing is I used it a lot when my kids were little! But now I’ve become really quick with the knife when compared to the time I take for washing the mixer.
My mom's dish drying rack perpetually full of Ziploc bags she has washed and stood upside down to dry is mine every year. To answer any questions no she has not ever lived through depression style tough times. Grew up solidly middle class and is now solidly upper middle class.
An entire breadbox. That she doesn’t keep bread in. The bread goes in the freezer.
We are also dealing with a surprise ant infestation, no doubt encouraged by the SEVEN CHICKEN WISHBONES lined up on the windowsill above the sink for crafting purposes. They are now in the compost, outside.
My mom has a GIANT antique bread box that she keeps medications in. It’s full of Advil and Tylenol that expired in 2014. She keeps the bread in the fridge.
The craft in question was supposed to be spray painting them gold then tying on ribbons and hanging them from the tree. There is no spray paint in the house for this purpose.
My mom is staying with me in my 2-br apartment this Christmas. I have about 3 sq ft of usable counter space and she keeps filling it with dirty dishes. The sink is right there and it is empty!!
My parents are very kitchen centric and aren’t offenders in this way but I’ll get you some pictures of my in-laws who drive me bonkers in unique ways annually
Ok here’s what we’ve got:
Area next to burners: candles, charging station(?!?), cheugy signs
Next counter over: keurig and toaster oven take up majority of the space
Counter on other side of fridge: toaster, more charging, stationery
Center island: Christmas candies, other unpacked stuff
feeling like a deer in the headlights trying to figure out what i'd post first and realising that im not the 'only one' going through the trauma of wondering why a half meter of counter top space needs to be taken up by tupperware containers of OATS
I'm a suburban parent whose SPOUSE purchased a plastic anime decorated popcorn bucket that is taking up counter space because it is too big to put anywhere else in our small kitchen. It's a nightmare.
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To be clear, I have this setup in my house, but I have young kids. For a retiree? Forgetaboutit
BUT
We are also dealing with a surprise ant infestation, no doubt encouraged by the SEVEN CHICKEN WISHBONES lined up on the windowsill above the sink for crafting purposes. They are now in the compost, outside.
"BONES"
Area next to burners: candles, charging station(?!?), cheugy signs
Next counter over: keurig and toaster oven take up majority of the space
Counter on other side of fridge: toaster, more charging, stationery
Center island: Christmas candies, other unpacked stuff