Hello. My name is Judy and I’m a packrat!
I was unpacking boxes this morning . . which happens every morning because I’m a packrat. I was so happy to come across a couple of whisks that I’ve been missing. I decided to pull out all the whisks so I could decide which ones I want to keep and which ones I want to donate or toss.
How did I end up with so many whisks? That is enough to fill an entire drawer. It’s the same with spatulas, tongs, big spoons.
In that same box I found my little jalapeno cleaner gizmo. I was afraid it was lost forever.
It has the little serrated edge for scraping out the seeds. I love this little tool and was hoping it wasn’t lost. As soon as I opened the box and saw what was in it, I thought maybe I’d find this thing in there . . and I did.
There’s some kind of treasure in almost every box I open. There’s also way more worthless junk that needs to be thrown out . . some day!
Paula Nordt says
You can’t ever have too many whisks! I only have two and sometimes have to use one of the “whisks” that go to my hand mixer. Obviously, I need to buy more.
Judy Laquidara says
I’ve done that before too. I’ll use one, think I’m done with it, drop it in the sink and then need it, use another one and sometimes I go through several before a job is really finished.
Donnalyn Dahlin says
Judy, maybe you and I could have the inaugural meeting of PRA (pack rats anonymous). We could have them coast to coast in no time at all. My problem is I just love gadgets!!!
Judy Laquidara says
You know I do too. Even though I love seeing clutter free kitchens/homes, I’ll never have one and I’d rather have all my fun gadgets.
Joyce says
I really want a Danish whisk, but I can’t find one locally. I guess I’m going to have order one….
Judy Laquidara says
I think I got mine from King Arthur.
Lyndsey Mears says
I read you blog all the time but rarely comment but I had to let you know that I love reading about your day to day activities and your discoveries in boxes. I don’t have too many whisks but I do seem to have a tape measure in every project bag, cupboard or shelf in the house.
Judy Laquidara says
I have a lot of those little cheap tape measures that were often gifts in a package when I ordered yarn. I go from having about 20 of them in a big jar by my chair to having none and not even being able to find one anywhere. At least I don’t often lose my whisks.
Tee says
How wonderful will it be when you get all the boxes unpacked and you have everything together?
Judy Laquidara says
It will be so nice! It seems like there’s always something I’m wishing I could find. We find it and then I remember something else I really NEED. 🙂 Some day we’ll have it all unpacked.
Nelle Coursey says
You have not seen anything until you see two people living together that are both packrats!! Sometimes I think Pat is worse than me!! But then again, it could be a draw!
Judy Laquidara says
I think you know Vince is a worse packrat than I am. I can at least throw out old magazines and junk mail. He saves it all!
Twyla says
Every time I have gotten rid of something I regret it. I love my things and they make me happy. I cook a lot and my cooking supplies are out on my cabinet, salt and pepper, etc. And my mixer and coffee maker. I have a friend with a very nice kitchen who makes her husband get out the coffee maker from closet every morning and put back as soon as possible. My kitchen is easy access to my most used items.
Judy Laquidara says
I agree 100%. My kitchen – no part of our home really – is a showplace. We live here. We enjoy home more than anywhere else. We have few guests and I don’t live to show off or to entertain others so what we use most is usually in plain sight. I do need a bit more organization and a few less of the same things. My Instant Pot stays out all the time. When I first got here, I thought I wanted to put it away in a closet in the laundry room and four or five times a week I was taking it out and putting it up. Finally I said . . a waste of time and effort . . and it now has a spot on the countertop.
I have friends who rarely cook and their kitchens look like magazine kitchens. I would love to have my kitchen look like that but I love cooking at home (even though I seem to be the only one in this house who thinks I cook much) and eating at home more than I love having a gorgeous kitchen.
Twyla says
Me, too. We live the same lifestyle with very little visitors. My living room sometimes looks like a flea mkt. with all my pretties strung out all over. The clutter eventually makes me crazy so back into the closet it goes.
Emma says
Oh man every time I move I throw away so many things! Right before and right after a move I throw things out left and right – I don’t feel like packing this as we’re preparing for the move and why on earth did I bother moving this after we move in.
Judy Laquidara says
Vince did most of the packing after I had left so he wasn’t sure what was worth bringing and didn’t want to throw away anything near and dear to me so he did bring a lot that we didn’t need to bring but it’s so hard for me to get rid of things, I would probably have done the same thing.