hooked!

They entered our house to help us hang stuff.  120 pictures, posters, and objects later (and that’s just the main floor), I think it’s been a job well done.  But, like a restless army after a war, some have hung around to see how else they might be of help.  A lot, as it turns out.  Turning vertical space into a useful storage area, these little prominences have brought order to places where we never though it possible.  Rather than sing praises of hooks, just let me show you some examples of what they can do.  To illustrate that, let me take you on a tour of our Harbal house. (A more extensive exposure is available elsewhere (1)).

Some hooks were already in place before our recent explosion.  The underside of the shelf in our entryway is penetrated with hooks to hold car keys and other things, such as masks when that used to be required. Around the corner, our hall closet is replete with hooks, hanging i.d. tags, umbrellas, a yardstick, my shoulder pouch bag, and hiking poles.  Hard to capture that with a panoramic photo, so you’ll just have to use your imagination. 

Let’s proceed down the stairs to the lower level to take our first looks.  We don’t like “downstairs” or “basement”.  The house has been zoned R2 (duplex) since it was built in 1958.  Although only one family has ever lived here, 2 could do so comfortably.

First stop is the laundry room, where the seldom-attended counter attracts clutter.  Fie to that, as up on the wall it goes!

Next stop is the lower-level kitchen.  Yes, we have a second full kitchen.  I get to experiment there as it’s mostly out of sight, out of mind.  When we had to demote our wedding-gift acquired blue Chantal pots and pans in favor of our new Granitestone set (2), I saw an opportunity.  I hadn’t hung up pots and pans in my kitchen since I put up a pegboard in my St. Louis apartment in 1981.  But those Chantal pots – stained and battered as they were – still looked pretty dandy hanging up. 

A side wall found a home for roasting pans and such that had languished in cabinets, and utensils in drawers.

Our downstairs oven rests on a chrome Metro shelf.  They make hooks, and we used them.

Back upstairs, let’s turn to the master bedroom.   A blank wall in my walk-in closet becomes a repository for a resting place for laundry I’m too lazy to hang, frequently used shopping bags, my backpack, my CPAP case and frequently used power tools, and a basket to collect most anything I don’t know where else to put.

That closet was no stranger to hooks, as there was already one for my string ties and another for my heart monitor, with discretely placed hooks coming for zip up storage bags once I get a few more sport coats out of the way.

Kathy liked it so much, she found some wall space for her backpack.

Right outside, in our “hall of memories”, came a spot above the window for my cane collection, the prize being the one given to me by the patient in whom I diagnosed and treated his Brucellosis, probably garnering my job.  No picture for this, alas.

Then, across the way, is the master bathroom, and what clutter those attract!  Hooks brought a little order here.

Off now into the living room.  Next to my Ekornes Stressless Max recliner (3) in the living room – my “office” – come 2 little hooks that support my head magnifier, headlamp, little flashlight, and reading glasses.  Just to the left hang our Oontz speaker and string bag that acts as my accessory wastebasket (it’s such a long walk across the room to our main one!).  There’s more around the corner.  Kathy has followed suit.

Kitchens always beg for more organization, and we may have quieted down that supplicant some with our recent modifications.  The bare brick walls beg.  Under sinks can be such a jungle, and we did some clearing out when we had to prepare recently for the instillation of new countertops.  But having an earnest nose under there gave me a few ideas.  Not much to look at but having that good sponge and especially that squeegee makes cleanup of those new countertops a breeze.

The little dangly thing to the far right is a bright thumb flashlight, essential to peering into the depths of cabinets.  I tacked hooks to hold up one of these under onto the doors leading to 2 other cabinets but won’t bother to show you those.

The sunroom we added on in the late 80s is really just an extension of our kitchen, a place for storage and where we pass though on the way to the deck.  Not that it couldn’t use a little organization.

The other space you step into from the kitchen is the garage.  Great organization will be coming to it this winter with new hooks and shelves, even some hanging from the ceiling.  That’s not happened yet, but we’ve taken a few small steps.

So, as you can see, this doctor has a thing for hooks.  But don’t call me Dr. Hook!  There’s already one of those, and he had different talents, including singing about my missus (4) 

Hang in there!

References

1. Ike B.  On Harbal.  WordPress 9/21/20.  https://theviewfromharbal.com/2020/09/21/on-harbal/

2. Granitestone 20pc Kitchen In A Box – Cook, Bake, Steam, Fry – Complete Set.  Granitestone.https://granitestone.com/collections/sale-clearance/products/all-you-need-20-piece-non-stick-cookware-set-black?variant=40998380372131

3. Stressless Max®. Stressless.  https://shop.stressless.com/en/c/Recliners/max

4. Ronja´s Dr Hook Channel.   Dr Hook – “When You’re In Love With A Beautiful Woman”.  YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCJpzpd-8us