kimskitchensink's Profile

I just eat them raw, in salads or whatever. I'll also put them on pizzas (even just adding to a frozen pizza) or in pasta sauces. I've never soaked them or otherwise prepared them. Just chop and go. I love having them in the house but haven't been able to find them recently - I prefer the ones not jarred in oil. I like 'em dry! :)

Do the cashiers usually believe you when you give them the tare weight? I can see cashiers giving customers trouble ("how do I know your container weighs that much?")...but maybe I'm just a pessimist :)

We have no range, no backsplash, no nothin'! The range is just up against the wall (which, thankfully, I painted with an easy-to-clean eggshell paint when I moved in!). When we're cooking anything smoky, we open the window, and sometimes drag a fan into the (tiny) kitchen as well. Sometimes, if we're cooking something especially smoky, we open the living room windows too, even though the kitchen isn't open to the living room very much at all.

And yeah, renting this cheapo apartment makes me not want to spend any money on major reno. I did install an IKEA pot rack above the stove though - yeah, my pots and pans get a little greasy from time to time, but better for them to be hanging from the wall than cluttering up the cabinets!

I use my toaster oven for everything! I sometimes don't want to heat the whole apartment by using the regular oven (especially if I'm only baking a small portion of stuff), but mostly I use it to broil (our oven has no broiler)!

Shantiquax - I have those little fungus gnats as well. I used some fly paper (twistie-tied to the blinds behind the plant - but be careful...the leaves can stick to the paper!), which worked for the main bulk of the flies. I still get a few here and there, so I just purchased a Cobra Lily from Trader Joe's (under $10) at the recommendation of the gardener for my office's building. She said a Cobra Lily (or any carnivorous plant, though this is one of the prettiest) will definitely help with the fungus gnats!

Renter379 - I am intrigued by these beneficial nematodes!

I have a fear of apartment buildings for this very reason. I have always rented in buildings where my front door is outside (even if the building itself was gated, you never entered the apartment from an inside hallway), and I think that will always be how it is for me. I know there are benefits to having an indoor-front-door, but I just can't shake the feeling that I'm in a stuffy hotel or something. Having my front door outside just feels more like home to me.

Any tips for coping with the squashiness/gloominess of an interior front door?

I agree that swapping out things like towel/TP holders and light fixtures are an easy way to bring some unity to the space. Add coordinating towels and you're good to go! I think a nice sage green or charcoal paint (not too dark) would also personalize the space a bit without making it seem smaller.

Just out of curiosity, where in Berkeley did you find this place? It looks really nice :-) If you don't mind, email me off-thread at kimskitchensink [at] gmail [dot] com (I'm a fellow Berkeley resident curious about what's out there).

I can't move the dresser, but I like the idea of taller (and enclosed) storage units. I'm on the Freecycle/Craigslist hunt!

Thanks for the tips, everyone! I just got laid off, so now I'll have even more time to make this area functional!

And no, BerlinDirk, the rest of my apartment doesn't look like this! This is my "junk spot" and it just has the unfortunate luck of being in my bedroom! The rest of my place is organized and clean...part of why I am so baffled at my inability to get this area organized! ;-)

I agree, Jose A, that those plastic bins are just awful. They've traveled with me since college and I think it's really time to retire them in favor of some sort of closed filing system.

Thanks again, everyone!

why not?