Office Snacks

The issue of space has come up now again when I talk with mamas about where they cook and eat with their kids. Our kitchen’s too small. There’s not enough room for more than one. The counters are too high. I know the feeling. I’m embarrassed to put it out there in such a public forum, but when we lived in Indonesia, we called our kitchen a “one butt kitchen” – small kitchens we can’t seem to get away from.

So here might be one solution for those of you finding yourselves in a similar issue to us – with a “one butt kitchen”. This little nook of our house has always been known as “Zeal’s Art Room”, there’s a sign on the door to prove it. Lately he’s been calling it his “office”. It’s where we keep many of our art supplies, books about art, and often where some of his art gets displayed. It’s also home to our laundry machines and, often, our dog. It used to be the back porch of this 1910 Craftsman, until the addition was made.

Lately, when there are just two or three kids, it’s been our snack (and sometimes breakfast and lunch) place. With easy access to the kitchen and the outdoors, the kids can easily be involved in a variety of projects, including their favorite outdoor waterplay, and quickly sneak in for a snack.

So I said all that to say, that this inexpensive drop down table turned a tiny space into a space that is totally usable in an instant, and an open space again when we need it.