Date: 26 March 2015. In and Out (clearing
clutter)
Folks
living on boats with limited space such as myself are aware of the
consequences of purchases. It's not just the money. Storage is
critical, and it often comes down to a few specific issues.
You will
note no place on that list is is the "Will it break?" line so often
repeated. For certain items, I don't care if it gets broken. Some
things are not that expensive. If or when it breaks, I'll simply buy a replacement.
That's not
to say I've always been of that mind. When I initially moved aboard
Seaweed I opted for plastic. It was okay. At the beginning of this
journey I had just
two bowls and a couple of plates. That was sufficient,
then.
Later I met
and made some friends with others enjoying life on the water. Being
able to share a bowl of clam chowder (a specialty of mine) with
other boaters necessitated the purchase of a couple more bowls. I
ended up with four.

The bowls feature Tigger, Scooby and Nemo. I liked that they
were similar without being identical. If one got lost, I could
buy something to fit in with the group. But now I'm tired of
them. They have to go. |
Vintage Fire-King bowl:

I wasn't so
tired that I'd have thrown those four away, mind you. I became
dissatisfied mainly because they now seem a bit juvenile. Okay, they
are kid bowls, but unbreakable and at $3 a pop, retail, (what was I
thinking to pay retail?!?) well, I wanted to upgrade.
Getting rid of
clutter isn't just throwing away stuff.
Instead, it's about
picking the very best and using only those things that bring
pleasure.
In the
greater scheme of life, not a lot of cash was invested in the
plastic character bowls. Thus, when I spotted a pretty green glass
one at a local thrift store (exactly like some we'd had aboard our
boat years ago) I bought it. I liked the color so for four bits*
brought it home.
*Four bits
equals fifty cents. Two bits is a quarter.
Now a bowl
or two or even four is sufficient but now I was faced with owning
seven bowls. On a 23' boat, that's ridiculous. Therefore I chose the
three I liked best, and the rest will leave here shortly. Does
anyone want my old plastic soup and/or popcorn bowls?!?
When you
own a boat, it's generally a good idea to take one item off for each
you add. This time I'm removing four and replacing with one. Though
I've less in quantity, I have more in desirability. Most important
of all however is I like this
group better.
The Keepers
I've tucked away in a neat little stack under my sink.

Yes, I'm
aware many people thrill to own and use matched sets of dishes. I'm not one of
those folks. Eclectic works for me.
And I do
still have a pair of plastic plates (featuring Tigger and crew) that
will be replaced at some point. I wish my grand liked Tigger because
I'd send the whole lot to her. Plates and bowls... it's sort of a
shame to break up the "set" but I'm moving off plastic and onto
glass.
When
something breaks, I'll have the fun of shopping for a replacement. I
am woman: I like to shop. Alas, Carrabelle isn't great in that
department, though the friendly people make up for that to a large
degree.
One of my favorite friendly locals, Mr.
Gander from Gander's Hardware is having some health issues
at present.
If you could add him to your prayers, that would be
wonderful. He's a real decent man.

|
What sort of dishes do you use? Paper, plastic or glass/ceramic?
Does your dinnerware match?
COMMENTS:
Categories:
Becoming Clutter-Free,
Boat Talk,
Characters, Galley,
Locations
Planning for Adventure (cruising guides) ~
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