Alert! Alert! I'm a loser! At the very least I'm losing the battle of how to move forward on my antique hardware cabinet.
You may remember this slick looking antique hardware cabinet from last fall. I dragged it home from a flea market, cut it down to size so it would fit on this wall and then pledged to get the drawers filled up and handles switched out once Christmas was over and I had more time.
Aren't I hilarious? We're all hilarious actually. Future time is WAY more abundant than real time. Ditto for future money! We always think we're going to have more of it than we have right now. That almost never happens. O.K., it never happens, ever, I just didn't want to sound like a downer.
When Christmas rolled around and I had a week off after it, I had WAY better things to do than figure out my hardware cabinet. I have absolutely no recollection of what those things were but they definitely weren't figuring out what to put in my tiny drawers or what kind of handles I should have on it. I have a blurry memory of me alternating between sleeping and napping for a full week but that can't be right.
Every so often I try to shove something in one of these drawers. Very little fits. I bought a box of microwave popcorn thinking I could fill a couple of drawers with bags of microwave popcorn because that's the weird kind of thing I think would be fun to keep in there. That and doll heads.
But the bags of popcorn don't fit ... and this is the important part ... by about a quarter of an inch. EVERYTHING doesn't fit in these drawers by about a quarter of an inch. Each box measures 4 ¾" wide x 5 ¼" long by 5 ¼" high on the inside.
I KNOW there are things I should be keeping in here. I know these are the BEST drawers in the world for ... something. Like they're seriously perfect for holding 4" by 5" boxes. I thought for a time I'd keep my seeds in the drawers but that's dumb. I do all my planting in the basement so having my seeds upstairs doesn't seem very practical. And I like to be practical. I say that with all the confidence of someone who cooks her pizza in an outdoor wood burning oven that requires chopping wood and stoking for 3-4 hours.
AND I STILL NEED TO FIGURE OUT A GOOD SYSTEM FOR INDEXING THESE DRAWERS. We've established I have no ability to remember if I own avocados or not, I'm never going to be able to remember what is where in these drawers without some sort of a list or index.
One of the suggestions you gave the last time I was whining (about this) were to keep one drawer for alphabetized index cards. Someone else said to hang an antique clipboard on the side with everything itemized. I think that would look good actually.
As far as handles go I still don't have a clue, but I think I'll probably get something basically like what I have now only not so ugly. Just a round, worn brass knob that looks authentic. I just realized something and now I feel bad for you. I'm basically just thinking out loud putting zero thought into making this post entertaining for you. In keeping with that poorly executed writing style - I just lifted my head from the computer to the television and thought I saw a young girl with a massive black beard. Turns out she was just holding a doll with black hair in the vicinity of her face.
Back to this cabinet. I need help. Am I missing something? Is there something that I should be putting in those drawers that's painfully obvious that I haven't thought about?? Don't say spices because I don't want to have to open 34 drawers to take a look at all of my spices. I'm a spice browser so I like them all to be in one big drawer for easy eye access.
I realize not knowing what I own is likely to make this difficult for you, but I probably own the same things you do. Scissors, paper, elastic bands, a guinea pig merry-go-round, those sorts of things. I'd want to make the best use of the drawers possible which at this point is making any use of them.
As a last resort I do have one thing I can put away in all of those drawers - all of my hopes and dreams for this hardware cabinet. Just kidding, I still love it, it's beautiful. It's just a bit of an asshead.
Have a good weekend!
We have a 21 drawer hardware cabinet from the 30's or 40's in our kitchen and I love the ideas everyone has listed - will use some of them. However, our cabinet doesn't have a logical place for labels and (as we suspected when we brought in into the house) most of the time when we are looking for something we play musical boxes and end up opening most of them trying to remember where we put things. It filled up organically - as needed. Now we have stamps/labels, reading glasses, sunglasses, batteries, lots of things that would normally go into a "junk drawer" etc. There is also a drawer for strange odds and ends for kids that our grandchildren love and enjoy the magnets, walkie-talkies, and tiny flashlights, etc. in "their" drawer.
Nail polish. You can become a nail polish blogger & reviewer and store all your supples in the drawers!
or
You can take up jewelry making and fill up the drawers with beads.
or
You can take up felting and keep your coloured wool supply and needles in the drawers.
Okay, I'm out of ideas but can say that I have made similar purchases lol ;)
Good luck, I hope you figure out something to stuff them with.
I think you just need to start filling it. Put a regular clipboard on (wait to see if you like using it before finding the right antique one) and write down what you put where. If you go get something from another room, put at least some of them away in the drawers since that's where you need it. After 3-4 months of putting stuff in, you'll be better able to organize it (group drawers with like items together, move things higher or lower depending on how often you needed it...).
Well, 12 drawers in a row reminds me of months of the year. For example the bottom row for the things that you need for that month that you don't want in your everyday life - batteries for changing out smoke alarms, new toothbrushes/toothbrush heads at the start of a new quarter, business card/notes for tree trimming, reminder to service your heater... get the point? If you buy appropriately small things for someone's birthday - stash it away in that month's drawer. Also include an index card for general stuff (like look in October to see if your spices are still good before the big baking season)
I think it's a great 'put aside' system that you might want to consider.
Hi Karen,
I so enjoy reading your articles. They're always funny and informative. So envious of those mini drawers. I would just put mini herb pots or plants in random spots and have them dangling out.
Best,
Samantha
I know you said no spices but how about salts? 1 quart Anchor Hocking Square Glass Jars with Lids. 4" x 4" x 5" high. Salt in the jars; jars in the drawers; alphabetize or use those cute library card drawer labels others have suggested. YES, I know you said that isn't what you wanted to do, but to me this just screams SALT WALL! You could easily fill these with 34 different kinds of cooking salts from all over the world. Espresso salt; gray salt; black salt; sea salt; black truffle salt; lime salt; lemon salt; lavender salt; ghost pepper salt; curry salt; smoked salt; ginger salt; vanilla salt; bacon salt; Amethyst Bamboo 9x (if you're feeling flush!) Don't even get me started on bath salts! Good luck! I'd love to have this dilemma!
I would remove drawers from one of the rows, maybe the second from the bottom
Well, it would be perfect in my jewelry studio for all the little items I have. Lots of threads and cords of various types, small tools, containers of enamel powders, metal scraps, soldering bits, and shells and chemicals...I could go on and on and I haven't even listed beads! If you don't want to turn your kitchen into a jewelry studio let me know and I can take it off you hands. By the way, I live in Texas.
Personally, I think you have found the perfect potato storage furniture. Considering the excess amount of potatoes you had/have, you could put a potato in each drawer.
Sometimes repetition reduces visual clutter. You might try buying a big bag of those round paper and metal key tags and hanging one on every knob. Do all of them, one will absolutely not look right. If you think it has potential, make "french" "enamel" tags. Quick video link to how to make one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvsbCVGsolw
Personally, I would fill it with art supplies. I could totally fill it and then sigh for another one. :) In the kitchen, I would use one section of drawers for recipe card storage. I'd have tapes, batteries, vintage scissors hanging from a hook on the side, pens, twist ties, rubber bands, birthday candles, decorating sprinkles, cookie cutters, rosette irons, icing tips & detritus, cords from my electronics, my tea collection would take up many many drawers, and then also my collection of loose leaf tea tools. I'd fill one bottom drawer with something scented, probably dried lemon and orange peels and bay leaves. If the next generation is set to start producing toddlers, I'd add a drawer or three full of tiny treasures and maybe make one bottom drawer into a tiny borrowers style dollhouse. Hrmm.. and I would make up a bunch of small jars of scented sugars and a small box of different fake and real sugar packets and store that in the tea section too. So basically junk drawer meets baking cabinet meets tea center.
Oh, and a drawer full of paper for taking notes, making lists, etc with a handful of pens or a pen attached to a string.
Candy! In every. Last. Drawer.
1). Leave it empty and be happy knowing you never have to clean it all out!
2). Maybe spices in small bottles in alphabetical order.
3) leave one or 2 drawers open with tiny plants spilling out of them.
I would use it for dry things like: tea, coffee, bulk herbs, spices and potpourri. Also seeds.
And buttons. Or varying lengths of wire. Rubber bands and clothespins. Weird little toys that'll be fun to find three years from now. Sentimental knickknacks out of display rotation. Crayons. Chalk. Q-tips and nail clippers (not clippings). A million dollar bill and 7 counterfeit pennies. Aprons, napkins, fancy handkerchiefs, and socks! Cheesecloth. Darts for a nearby dartboard. Charging cords.
End of spitfire round. I love that piece. I hope it makes you happy.
Boy I sure love the voice to text on Phone features that don't type what we say sorry about all the words that were wrong I couldn't see them when I was sending it out😢🧐🤓😩
Maria
Hi Karen
Love yr post, hardly make comments🙄
Your suggestions for you the first one is the one that I would do if I had that piece I would make it a picture holder collage so what do I mean by that is I would bring the drawers out and place a picture on top of it if the drawers are too loose on the bottom put a nail under it when nobody can see thumbtack.
I love focuspoint Claus and I love pictures of things are liking people animals I think it would be outstanding and if you wanted to you can give depth and 3D look to it just buy by how far out you bring the drawers where how you set the pictures up but personally I would just do it around them all kinds of different pictures with different frames different sizes
The other idea is putting small plants and it the kind that you're not need to be watered all the time every two weeks😎🤗👍
What about aging your existing hardware with vinegar?
I didn't get to read all the comments - way too many by the time I got here! But I will repeat what others have said - it looks nice just as it is! Do you have anything in the larger drawers at the bottom?
One idea would be to pull some of the drawers out and see what that looks like! Cubbyholes!
Still no idea what to put in them, though, many are too high to get to easily anyways.
Still, I think it's nice if you do nothing. Or, move it to the basement or workshop and use it for small parts and tools and seeds but of course you'd lose the decorative feature.
When we put in our new kitchen 12 years ago, I decided every door knob and pull would be different. I have made a collection of them and have been gifted some as well. Each and every one has a special 'something' about it...and I still just love them all. Friends have thought of me while in Paris and/or Penticton/wherever and I have the knobs to prove it! It's been fun and I never tire of them.
Cupboard doors? Apologies if someone else has suggested this, but I can't make myself read 192 comments. Could your cabinet guy make the drawer fronts into 4 hinged cupboards doors (4 high X 3 wide) and then install shelves inside? Or maybe 3 X 3, if you wanted to keep a row of drawers?
I started to read the comments but there was too many. But I almost vaguely remember you saying something about storing seeds in these drawers when you first posted about this monster.