Cracking the whip…

I’ve been consumed by an urge to impose order on my life for the past few days. My OCD only pops up maybe every fourth month or so, and then I realize that there are scary things growing in the back of the refrigerator and dubious objects in my pantry dating back to our move in five years ago.

So in a fit of optimism, I went to the Container Store and bought many small plastic containers and rolling drawers to install in my pantry.

I was flummoxed right off the bat by the plastic…which kind to get that wouldn’t leach PCBs or whatever the heck all over us, rendering organization useless? But I wasn’t getting glass, as I can just see how that would go the first time a marsh mellow war breaks out. But eventually, I got a ridiculous number of containers, some drawers, borrowed a friend’s label maker, and was off to the races. “Contain yourself!” The bags at the Container Store say. Really, Container Store? Can you? Because sometimes I fear that is not enough Tupperware in the world to corral my craziness.

Both of my little kids went to bed last night by 8:30, which just doesn’t happen, so I ripped everything out of the cabinet. When every speck of table, counter, and floor was covered with random food objects with expiration dates of 2006, I broke out the power tools. Now, I should probably mention that power tools are not my strong suit. Or measuring. But I’m sick of losing all my groceries to the black maw of my pantry…plus I like these shiny drawers.

After Googling how to insert a drill bit (There’s this thing? Called a Chuck key?) I marked with Sharpie and drilled holes in my pantry. I was a little afraid, as I’m not used to drilling stuff. But I quickly became drunk with power and began fantasizing about what else I could undertake, now that the mystery of the power drill is unlocked. Bookshelves! Everywhere! Drywall! In the basement!

I’m sure there are finer points to this handygirl stuff that I’m missing. BUT I do now have two fine rolling drawers. I did install one backwards initially, and noticed at about 2 am. When I finished at around 4, I was giddy with triumph. They rolled! And I did it! There were labels! On everything!

I convinced one tiny corner of the universe to bend completely to my will. And now that we have a power drill? The sky’s the limit.