Knives In, not Knives Out

Sometimes, as we work to simplify our lives at Two Rocker Ridge (TRR), our mission to simplify often reveals surprisingly obvious solutions. We’d just never thought of them.

Like everyone else, we had a standard knife block on the kitchen counter for years. We never loved it, but it was convenient—and it’s just what everyone did. When the kids were very young, we moved it to the top of the refrigerator for safety (inconvenient, to say the least). Later, it returned to the counter, where it worked fine but added to an already cluttered surface.

When we moved to TRR, part of our decluttering included the kitchen, especially the countertop. We had always preferred that our run of heat/stain resistant material be as clear as possible, but we never achieved the goal. Here was our chance! We moved the small appliances to the pantry and only have them on the countertop when in use. And now, instead of a bulky knife block, we keep our knives tucked away in a drawer organizer—‘knives in,’ not ‘knives out.’ It’s a small change that’s made a big difference.