Getting Organized for 2012
January 16th, 2012
In the current issue of Martha Stewart Living, I read the article on Martha’s workroom. My first reaction was, “This is obsessive.” My second was that I would love to have such an orderly space for projects. On a smaller scale, I saw @ElbieSwan on Twitter. She’d reorganized her pantry so nicely. I have two. One just a tiny slab, the other more spacious. This morning I tackled them. Here’s what they looked like at the outset.
Here’s the smaller one, supposed to be my pasta pantry. Note ragbag of aprons and Graves teapot that long since stopped its Gare du Nord whistle.
Am I obsessive, or is this really a satisfying little project. Behold: I have a Jamaican painting in the pantry. Bet not even Martha has that!
Now in the pasta pantry, I have room for the pasta pot and for the bottled water that was on the floor of the other pantry.
In reorganizing, I was noticing how beautiful the contents of the pantry are!
A chic Parisian woman who once interviewed me for Maison looked at Bramasole’s bookshelves and said, “There’s a good mess and a bad mess.” Walking around the house after this project, I thought maybe a few spots filled with my treasures have moved over into the latter category. My next project:
But not today. Onward to dinner–a big risotto with odor and shrimp.
I love me a well organized pantry, something very satisfying in seeing your stock of food for the week or the season.
Now bookshelves, I like those a bit messy. ;o)
Maria
Wow, what a difference. I really need to do that as well.
Frances! Your pantry looks lovely! It is not obsessive at all, and it is very satisfying. I was so happy when I reorganized mine…of course, when you have one as small as mine, if it isn’t organized, it doesn’t fit anything!!
And, I have to agree that the contents of a pantry can be beautiful. Seeing the colors of the labels, a shiny pot, an ironstone mixing bowl, it’s the beauty of the small things in life. Oh! and I love your Jamaican painting! I’m sure your right that even Martha doesn’t have that in her pantry!
Thank you for mentioning me in your post. I’m thrilled that my pantry had a small part in inspiring you to reorganizing your pantry. You’ve inspired me so often in your books!
I know this is off-subject, but would you care to share some detail about the Tuscany island of Giglio where the cruise ship disaster has occured? I’m not suggesting you offer opinions, but have you visited that island? How far is away from your Tuscany homes? What is the population? Is their an airport there or are passesngers probably having to be driven to a big city? Perhaps other bloggers would welcome your insight into the island itself?
Judy–I’ve wanted to go but never have made it to Giglio. A friend sails out of there and says that it’s a wonderful place. It’s about 3 1/2 hours from us and I know there’s no airport. It’s quite low key. A mystery why ANY ship would be that near shore. But fortunate for the passengers who could jump and swim. What a peculiar and sad event. Frances
Funny thing it must be in the air I cleaned my kitchen top to bottom and scrubbed the cabinets and appliances! All while listening to your book on my mp3 (Every day in Tuscany) your voice is so calming I could have cleaned all day.
Cathi, my neighbor, just organized all of her closets. I hope this cleaning bug isn’t contagious.
Dear Frances,
for people like me who love to cook, this is a real feast to the eyes!!!
Thanks for sharing it with all!
Hugs,
Marisa
Dear Frances,
for people like me who love to cook, this is a real feast to the eyes!!
Thanks for sharing it with all!!
Hugs,
Marisa
I love this post! I just organized my pantry last week! It feels so good to be organized and it makes cooking so much easier. Like you I now have to get started on the rest of the house! Off to fold clothes!
When I can easily find that 28 oz. can of San Marzano tomatoes, then it’s not an obsession. Reading this, however, has lead me in the direction of my own pantry. It’s been in need of organizing for much too long – and your photos have prompted me to begin the process today. Thank you!
…ma insomma…. a me sembra tutto molto, molto in ordine, to the point of becoming inspired!
Frances , I don’t remember how you called that sweet little room at Bramasole, where you keep all your goodies, was it ” the dispensa”??
Fascinating place, most intrigued by the way you make your shelves look
like a bit of architecture, they all have a life of their own!
It comes so natural to you!
Look forward to your cookery book, and hope you
have a spot on your amazing barbecues : you and Ed are the specialists!
I believe the first one ….. was in 1993, under the moon light at Bramasole, hot august night. Your friend Anne was there too and our nine months old daughter enjoyed all your olives, green or black wasn’t an issue! all for it.
Empty bowls , all back on the shelves!
XX
Donatella
Donatella, Ed and I often recall your darling three month old sucking on olives! Italian children get an early start. See you in spring! f
Oh, Frances…..
I expect you and your readers would get a hoot from listening to the 2001 segment of “This American Life” in which crafts-obsessed David Rakoff (one of the funniest/smartest essayists going these days)gains entree into the sancto sanctorum of Martha Stewart’s crafts department, “THE WORKROOM” (!!!!!).
On the particular day Rakoff made his pilgrimage, the entire permanent staff was concentrating, with superhuman obliviousness to any other issue on the planet, on soaking, folding, twisting, braiding (and tying into an infinite variety of shapes) wheat stalks…all in preparation for an upcoming feature on authentic, traditional Polish Christmas ornaments. Apparently, Martha’s employees were as ferociously engaged in their work as a gaggle of cardinals & archbishops preparing for a sixth Lateran Council.
It’s all very funny…including Rakoff’s awed description of that workroom…its meticulously organized, limitless shelving…containing ANYTHING YOU COULD POSSIBLY EVER WANT OR NEED (why distinguish between the two, actually?)…and all of it utterly/completely/unimaginably arranged, categorized, labeled, properly binned or boxed…and just sort of generally dispiriting for a mere mortal to gaze upon.
all in all, it’s a very funny essay on Massah Martha’s “workrooms”. go to ( the episode of TAL is, appropriately enough, titled “Meet the Pros”):
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/192/meet-the-pros
Just for the record?….this is a house where a lot of cooking is done, and my own pantry in this old house is (used-to-be) large. It was only about six months ago that I was sitting on the back doorstep with the dogs, in the middle of the afternoon, when I heard a sudden, where-did-THAT-come-from-(?), very loud BAM….followed by another loud BAM! as I came inside….and I stood in the breakfast room, wondering what in the hell was happening, as I heard about six more bams (accompanied by crashings and the sound of many things breaking). I realized what was happening (I’d hurriedly wondered if a drunk had slammed his car into the front porch or if one of the chimneys was collapsing) when the newly-installed louvered doors came off the pantry in the kitchen. The ten, long shelves that I’d installed just a few days before in a delusional fit of “Why pay someone to do what you can do yourself?” had all detached and come down. It was very De-Walls-ob-Jericho.
I spent hours cleaning up spilled oils, dry goods, shattered glass…..you name it. The dogs had the most fun they’ve had in years (they’re terriers, and they depply relish a big, chaotic fuss). I considered later that I may be the only person in this particular neighborhood to own both a self-cleaning oven and a self-obliterating pantry.
As for the Costa Concordia horrible-business?…..Barrie Kerper (editrex of the very fine “Collected Traveler” series) has just posted a predictably informed entry on her blog. you can find it (posted 17 January, 2912) at:
http://thecollectedtraveler.blogspot.com/
Between all of this, I’m beginning to think that I’ll just avoid both pantries and cruise-ships. Surely there are other things in life.
Bemusedly as ever,
David Terry
http://www.davidterryart.com
Perhaps this is the day I shall tackle my own pantry…organization is often an obsession for me. In this case it appears it could be a positive endeavor. Thanks for the nudge!
[...] Writer’s Project: Author Francis Mayes takes a page from Martha Stewart Living and attempts to “organize” her pantry for 2012. What will be the first space you tackle? See It Here [...]
Dear Ms.Mayes,
If ever I saw a well-loved bookshelf, this is it. Why change?
yours devotedly,
JMM
i agree- it looks well loved & used…don’t change it!
I have a very little pantry-more like a linen closet-bur I would love to organize it like yours. Will get to it next week. Also working on my closet and containers of “stuff”! Very satisfying when you’re done.
I did it!!! Organized the pantry and in the process was able to discard all those overlooked items that had expired.
There must be something about the new year and January for organizing. I had not been on here in a while beeee….cause I was organizing my closets,kitchen, and pantry….to my surprise..I come on and that’s what you were doing also….how funny…made me smile..a little late, but Happy New Year to you and Ed and your family!! Sara
Frances, your bookshelves are inviting. I love it when titles are all askew and books are stacked on top of one another–a sign of a true reader and book lover. I think you may be what my mom used to call a kindred spirit.
‘Twasn’t your organization that intrigued but rather, what was on your shelves. Loved the little glimpse of your cooking life. On another note, have you visited the Carrboro Farmer’s Market in winter? It is so lovely to buy the beautiful winter greens from the farmers whose hands reflect their work.
LeAnne–Yes, it’s marvelous. Durham market is wonderful too. Thanks, Frances