No Wire Hangers, Ever!

No wire hangers? Goes without saying. But perhaps there are to be no wooden, satin, or velvet hangars, either. Why? Because we have no closets. We actually purchased a home with nary a closet. I ask you: who does such a thing? Foolish? Well, as my darling friend, Becky, would say with a broad sweep of a slender arm, "one word: simplify."  The absence of clothes closets isn't an issue for me. But I'm married to a man who is more married to his ostensibly rare t-shirt collection than he is to me. Did I mention his cowboy boots and hats? And I'm not talkin' 'bout foldable ball caps. For the love of God, man, we're moving to the beach; and you don't even like horses.
One more reason to dream of a future rancho for all of Rusty's toys, and tools, and art.

Yes, we have kitchen cabinets. This is a good photo in that it shows just how small our kitchen is. Yes, as with the exterior, our builder has covered the mauve interior paint with a light khaki. Behind the refrigerator wall is the laundry room. And, in theory, we could store something there above the laundry room -- hardly attic space, but it is a sturdy ceiling onto which we could slide something. But what's small enough, flat enough, that I won't have to look at it? Riddle me that?!

So raise your hand if you see a pantry? While not tiny in its footprint, in terms of storage this kitchen is small. Especially for two people who love to cook. I believe that a hanging rack for my copper pots is a must. Our realtor's wife, Donna (yes, the wonderful I've-got-your-back Donna) believes that the shelf-area intended for a microwave will make a great area for a vertical plate holder. I quite agree.  After all, who really needs a microwave in the world of fresh fish, meats, and produce?

Our builder kindly has provided a custom island, and this will certainly help with kitchen storage. But we're still left with the pantry issue . . . and a chef-husband who has at least ten (10) types of colored/flavored salts from 'round the globe, not to mention the specialty peppercorns and other spices. Kitchen gear absolutely is second on our priority list (right after the dog toys); happily we're in agreement on that. I see no solution but to purchase a heavy-duty, cast-iron pot rack to hang those shiny French copper pots. Cha-ching! All it takes is money, of which we have none. Nevertheless, we simply can't have a flimsy wire hanger, ever!

We paid $700-something dollars to have custom cedar cabinets added to the laundry room. And yes, both bedrooms have those large, armoire-type storage units, which, though not technically built-in, ain't goin' anywhere. Still . . . no true closet space. No pantry. No linen closet. But my home in Pô had no closet (no indoor toilet, for that matter), and I survived. But unlike packing for Burkina, we're packing for the rest of our lives, not a mere two years. So maybe it's time to revisit the packing list. Imagine your own current home. Now eliminate storage for towels and bed linens. Eliminate storage for holiday items -- we'll have no attic . . . not with our gorgeous vaulted ceilings. What about items as simple and essential as mops, brooms, a vacuum? And paperwork? Tax files, our printer, little office supplies such as paper-clips and rubber bands? Where do you keep such items?

I'm saying goodbye to my 8x5-foot N-scale train table, to 99% (by volume) of our holiday items, to all of our current furniture. Looking back, I really don't know how I spent two years in a mud hut in Burkina. But it was fabulous every single day; and there's little doubt that our home in Samara will be equally fabulous . . . even without a single closet. As for storage solutions, that must be why God made Pinterest. Lo que hay.