I’ve shared before about how I am not one of those super-creative people. My home is not fancy or well-decorated. I am not one of those moms who is always doing fun arts and crafts with her kids (don’t you feel sorry for them?). I wish those things described me, but they don’t.
But, there is one place where I really feel inspired to create. Maybe that’s why it is my favorite place in my home. Maybe that’s why it is the single most important feature to me as we are looking at new homes. Maybe that’s why I call it “My Happy Place”.
“It” is, of course, my kitchen. I love being in my kitchen. It isn’t anything special or fancy, but it’s mine and it’s where I make all the magic happen. 
And today, I am inviting you to join me in my happy place.
Walking into my house from my garage, which is how we always go in since my garage is on the back of my house, this is what you see. This is my favorite feature in my whole entire house-my huge walk-in pantry. I know you’re jealous. Have you heard my house is for sale? I’m just sayin’. Tomorrow I will give you a more detailed tour of my pantry.
Here’s a view from the other side. I see someone needs to put their shoes away!
Entering through the door to the left there, and you see my perfectly mundane kitchen:
There’s my stove which I totally wish was gas. For some reason, people in Florida love their flat-top stoves. It’s impossible to find a gas range in a home down there! That will be one of my first “to save for” luxuries when we move.
I try to have my kitchen organized so that I can easily access everything I need without having to take a lot of steps or look too hard for anything. All of my baking utensils, knives, measuring cups/spoons, and spices are within arm’s length of my stove.
Here’s a peek into my appliance garage. It houses my blender (for all those green smoothies), my toaster, can opener, and normally my coffee maker when it’s not in use. I also store all of my bread in there.
All of this is on your right as you enter from the pantry. Looking to your left, you see:
This is where I keep all of our regular dishes. In the bottom cabinet there I keep all of our kids’ plates and cups so they can easily access them for setting the table. My 19-month old also thinks it’s great fun to pull everything out of that cabinet multiple times a day and throw it all over the floor. Who needs toys?
A closer look shows:
And yes, it actually is.
And this:
These are my special towels and rug that I set out only for showings. Of which we have had none. Boo. 
You will notice that I have hardly anything on my counters. I don’t keep any appliances out and have very little in the way of decor. I like to be really minimalist and simple in the way that I live and I can’t stand clutter. Also, because I spend so much time in this room and make so many things from scratch, I need access to every available inch of counter space possible. I am a messy cook! I have never quite mastered the art of cleaning as I go, so my counters can really take a beating.
Why yes, that is a gardening cart in my kitchen. I didn’t want to waste any counter space on my microwave, so this is the solution I came up with. The top opens and holds the ever important play-doh collection. We would love to have an over-the-range microwave in our next home.
My poor old table that has taken a beating. This works for us for the time being but we will be replacing it when we move. We have outgrown it, broken a few chairs and I have my eye on an expandable table that seats 8. Room for two more kids. Or visitors. Whatever. As of right now, when The Chick Magnet is home, there are not enough chairs for all of us, so one of the kids sits on an exercise ball!
Looking into our kitchen from the family room. I love the open concept of our house because I can be in the kitchen but still feel like I am a part of whatever is going on in the other room and can keep my eye on my kiddos. I swear I am not trying to sell my house.
No, really.
Just a bonus, because I think my tree is real purty. This is not in my kitchen, but rather my school room (or living room, or formal dining room, or office space, or play room-there’s a plethora of things you could do with that room!).
Ok, I’m done now.
Just to be real, I can’t claim credit for the original concept for this post, but after seeing this post over at Gains and Losses: Life Through Sharon’s Eyes, I was inspired to do one of my own. Thanks for the idea Sharon!
Later this week, I will be sharing my pantry and my fridge with you as well. If you are interested in sharing yours as well, feel free to link up in the comments.
What’s your favorite spot in your home?
Where is your “Happy Place”? Are you a messy cook like me?
Cooking? Love it or hate it?
The Chick
I like your neat, well organized and minamalist kitchen!
Your tree is such a treat to look at.
Thank you!
favorite spot in my home: the “dinette” on the other side of my “condo kitchen” where an eating area is supposed to be. Put in a comfortable chair, desk and lamps along with my Mom’s birch china cupboard. It is a cozy room where I can
sit with my cats and read. Have a mobile I made from a hanger and old tea strainers. It is my favorite spot. I would say: my happy place for sure.
Cooking: I like the crock pot, casserole type cooking. Can’t get too messy in my tiny kitchen. Love every inch of it.
That sounds so cozy Julie! I used to have a little space like that in the back of my pantry. I had a comfy chair back there, a little table and I liked to sit back there and read and spend a little time in prayer. It was so nice. Space constraints made me reorganize that space for storage but it was really nice to have one little spot in my home that was all mine.
I LOVE my crock pot! It’s one of my most often-used small appliances.
Hey, girl baby or baby girl, if you prefer. You know I love to cook and if I am doing a big meal, I clean as I cook, but you do come by the “messy” from your mother. Sorry. And I can’t decorate worth a darn, but your sister, Danielle, is a great resource for decorating, whether it is a home or my face and clothes! I don’t get to cook much right now since I have started working on my doctorate and the majority of my cooking utensils remain in Idaho! It always dismays me when I go to fix something or want to make something special and realize I have no utensils to make it with. I think I miss my KitchenAid mixer the most. That made bread making so easy!
As for my “happy place”, it is in my bedroom with my laptop on my lap (where else?) and my jammies on. As soon as I get home from work, the clothes come off and the jammies get on. Ummmm. Cool, quiet, and mine. Remember the song from Cinderella called “In My Own Little Corner”? That’s me.
Love ya, sweetie and I am so PROUD of you!
Why are all of your utensils in Idaho? I can’t imagine you not cooking lol.
OH, and your Christmas Tree is absolutely beautiful!
I’m envious of how clean your kitchen is – ours is small and the “catch all” for everything, so it is a constant disaster. Right now, my “happy place” is our family room. We have garland with lights up on the mantel and the entertainment center, I put up dark red curtains, and it just looks so cozy! Perfect place for watching a movie with the family, with a fire in the fireplace too. I wish my bedroom was more of a happy place – we have too much crap from all the other rooms in there – but maybe someday!
Oh please don’t be envious lol. It is not always so clean-catch me in the middle of a baking frenzy and you would be appalled lol! Remember, I’m trying to sell my house which has made me be much more disciplined in taming the paper clutter and keeping things show-ready.
I hear ya on the bedroom! I would love to have a fireplace. Although I don’t know how practical that would be in Florida lol!
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