Morning!!
Less sore today. Even more excited to get things set up. My Queen Room is coming along nicely so that I didn’t have to spend 10 minutes looking for underwear 
Here’s the first room we finished. Obviously. The kitchen.
View from foyer
View from dining room
These shelves are still a work in progress, but I’m excited to have things I use all the time so handy – oats, french press, colander, granola (!!)
LOVE the drawer organization!! I really slimed down my choices and donated duplicates to Goodwill.
Found the perfect spot for coffee!
Still working on this pantry door but I did get two new pot holders yesterday at Target!
Simple everyday small pots (larger ones are in a bottom cabinet)
Shelf to be filled with a few more little jars. Chia seeds got priority!!
IKEA knife rack. I had to fight with Matt to get LESS knives on it and these are the bare minimum!
IKEA dish towels – love!
Appliances. So excited about the spaciousness.
VERY excited about this cabinet. We call it "White and Glass" (so clever!)
As someone with a food blog, I need lots of variety in my dishes to keep things interesting. But the truth is, I’m a white dish girl!! I love simplicity and would just have all white and glass if it were all up to me.
In our old house we had all of the "most used" stuff together – whites and colors. And then less used in the dining room.
So my solution was to group all of my simple stuff in the kitchen and all the colors in the dining room cabinet. It does mean going to the dining room for an oatmeal bowl, but for organization, I’m willing to give that up!
Did you notice there’s no microwave!?!? For the sake of counter space we’re going to give it a try without one. I’m sure you can do almost anything with a stovetop. We’ll see how it goes!
Breakfast was on the porch
Chocolate Raspberry Coconut
Whipped banana chia oat base
plus
- Crumbled chocolate chip muffin from Jess (AMAZING Jess!!)
- Andrea‘s raspberry jam (I think it was raspberry!)
- Coconut butter
<3 my spoons the most of all
See you for lunch!
{ 146 comments… read them below or add one }
I like your dish strategy! I may have to try that when I move next month. It’s hard to get to my dishes because they are stacked so high!
That is soooo nice; I would like to move in to your kitchen!
Ahhhhh, love it!!!! It’s so much fun setting up a new kitchen/house!
I need a cabinet like the one you’re housing your bowls in…my dish situation is out. of. control.
Where do you buy Chai seeds?
OpenSky
You can also find them at Whole Foods. The store I go to sells them by the bag and in the spice bulk section.
I buy them in the bulk section because then I can get exactly how much I want and I think they may be a little cheaper per pound too.
you are so brave! I don’t think I could go without my microwave!
love the organization!
Great kitchen – the surfaces are a beautiful material
And everything looks so spacious and organised! I think I need to have an appliance-cull in my kitchen 
Wow, the kitchen looks fabulous! I wish I had a kitchen like that
My husband and I have been microwave-less for 2 years, since we got married. We just never ended up buying one bc we haven’t had the space, and have totally adjusted to not having one. I love it.
Wow. I am just amaaaazed at how nice your rental house is. The kitchen is awesome! Feel lucky that your cupboards aren’t sliding at an angle and that your stove has buttons + a clock, LOL.
Holy yummy oats!
Wow it looks great! I want a knife rack. Now!
Your kitchen is so organized! I love the knife rack. We have those at the cafe where I work and I think they’re such a good idea. It saves a lot of room. You’re so organized!
It looks beautiful! I love older homes with such charm. It seems to be working for you too! I am a white girl too with dishes. We have a few for pops of color, but I love my everyday white dishes! Enjoy your day!
I love everything you did in the house so far, Kath! So organinzed and “Real Simple”-ish.
Greatest. Compliment. Ever. : )
I have friends that have gone sans microwave for 10+ years now…I don’t know how they do it! Of course, he’s a chef and they have the most awesome convection toaster oven. I’m not sure me little person could go without mine. It’s just so handy for oats and veggies somedays.
I love how organized everything looks and how gorgeous the kitchen is as a whole! I love the bowl cabinet and the cleanliness of your drawers! It makes me want to get my own kitchen so badly
I have those same tongs by the way, I love them, haha.
I knew you would LOOOOVE that muffin!!!
It was great!!
love the kitchen!! so light and airy. boo on apartment kitchens- no windows at all.
i can’t wait to have a house one day…
Looks great! Your kitchen reminds me a lot of my own.. kind of old skool
We have very similar shelves by our sink, but the only ‘useful’ things I have on it are vinegar and oil.. everything else is decoration. Love the shelf liners too!
It looks like home!
The kitchen looks great! I’m glad everything is coming together. How are things on the bakery front?
Kind of on hold this week
LOVEEEEE the open shelves! I am dying to redo my whole kitchen with nothin but open cabinets & shelves. Otherwise I am too tempted to just shove dishes/tupperware/pans in willynilly. Also in love with funky shaped white dishes. But I do love your colorful bowl display
long-time reader, first-time commenter
your new house looks GREAT! and i love the white dishes. i, too, had some banana-chia-based oats this morning – I tried the Scottish oats per the Edible Perspective recommendation 
congrats on your new home!
I survived four months in Ireland sans microwave & came home & it actually felt weird to have one again.
I like to eat leftovers cold. 
Looks like you don’t have a lot of counter space to work with there. At least you’re able to stow away your appliances in cupboards.
I know you did it for organization sake, but I think those colorful dishes look so great in that WHITE cabinet with the glass doors!
You are so streamlined and organized. Would you mind driving to Richmond and giving me a lesson
I love those dish towels. All the shelves are sweet for storage.
what a lovely home! can’t wait to see the rest of it! I bow to your organization — those are skills I am definitely lacking!
Good luck on living without a Microwave! I bet you won’t even miss it in a month’s time
Love it! Love the organization of it all!
I am all about simplicity, so I just adore my white and glass! I love your bowl/mug variety though!
What is a Queen Room? Is it turning a bed room into a giant walk-in closet/dressing room? Because if it is, I’m totally making one in the new place I’m moving to.
Omigosh! What a beautiful kitchen. You have so much storage!
Beautiful! You are INCREDIBLY organized! My kinda style, heck yeah!! I love it, Kath, and I’m glad you found your underwear! Yikes!
Your kitchen looks great! Functional and beautiful!
So organized! Love the green color in the kitchen with the white and light wood – very fresh.
I need your organization help! And now I’m oddly inspired to pay a trip to ikea
Congrats Kath! The houselooks great! We have that same Simpson beer opener! Ha ha! Mmmmmm Beeeer…..
I have it too! Sometimes we mysteriously hear homer talking from the drawer. I think water leaking from the can opener when it has been in the dishwasher sets him off!
Are a lot of your white dishes from Crate and Barrel?? I think we have some of the same bowls and plates
They’re from some specialty shop in SC but the C&B ones are pretty much the same.
I love all the organizations idea you had. My drawers always gets messy … I do have too many things. I have a problem scalling things down
What a great looking kitchen!! You should be on one of those organization and design shows on HGTV!!
I’ll probably end up copying your house whenever I get my own LOL. Course, that will be FOREVER from now…I can NOT picture myself with my own house.
Love your kitchen!!! So cute! I miss having under the counter drawers…I never realize how much I used them in the past before I missed them!
I LOVE white dishes and have realized how beautiful food looks on it! It’s just so clean and simple. It gives a chance for the food to stand out too.
I’m SO jealous of your wooden countertops. It’s my dream to have them and I always lust over them at IKEA.
What a beautiful kitchen! It belongs in a magazine, especially the cupboard with the white/glass in there. I love white dishes too, its like being in a restaurant and you can let the food really be the star.
I am so jealous of all your blog dishes!
Oh I need to go through and get rid of duplicates too! Your drawers have inspired me…I feel a project coming on for tonight!
Kitchen looks great! I love the green on the walls and the green accessories! My favorite color.
When we moved into our house in May 2008, we gave up our microwave, and we haven’t missed it once!
It’s not hard. You’ll like it.
We got rid of our micro over a year ago and haven’t looked back since (credit goes to the slow food movement and also wanting to keep the zapping away from our brains and bodies)! Bonus: The bottom of leftover pizza gets crispy when re-heated on the stovetop instead of a soggy microwaved slice!
I didn’t have a microwave for a year (just didn’t have counter space in my first tiny Manhattan apartment) and honestly- I loved it. I only missed it a few times and loved being forced to use my oven/stovetop. And ate NO frozen dinners for a year!
Love the painted toes that snuck into the picture of the kitchen drawer!
No microwave? Keep us updated on how that works out…
I like the new house, the kitchen organization is very cute
I’m a white plate-kinda girl as well, but I’m also trying to expand my dish collection for food blogging purposes.
Looks great and of course so organized. You inspire me to get moving on my own over-stuffed kitchen!
You’re inspiring me to pare down on my kitchen utensils. Our utensil drawers are out.of.control. ! I LOVE that you’re trying to co without a microwave. We have limited counter space in our kitchen, but my husband won’t give up the microwave. Funny thing, he uses it maybe ONCE a week !
Love the new kitchen, Kath! Your Ikea towels are so cute, and I love the green theme. I’m excited to move (hopefully sometime soon!) and use all of my vintage dishes!
I went for almost 2 years without a microwave. Since having one, I find that I’m throwing away less leftovers and no longer avoid recipes with melted butter. Good luck, it can be done.
I’m going to write a novel. Please forgive me.
1. I love how simple everything is, and how you pulled together the colors of green and white with the wood accents. Did you paint the walls or were they already that GORGEOUS color?
2. The bowl in the bottom of the white cabinet.. the big one.. is absolutely gorgeous! I have never seen it on your blog before!
3. I notice you don’t have a mat in front of your sink or oven. Is that because you haven’t found one yet or you aren’t getting one? We don’t have room for one in our current place, and I really miss that!
4. Majorly jealous of the height in that bottom cabinet. My blender and other similar appliances have to lie sideways in certain cabinets. Ew!
5. You have done so well in such a short amount of time. It looks really beautiful!
It was already painted!
That bowl is from OpenSky but has been discontinued
I hate carpet in the kitchen! I trip on it and it just gets dirty.
Love how everything looks! I especially love the cabinet with all the colored bowls in it – is that from ikea as well?
From Crate + Barrel a while back
Looks fantastic! Feel free to come over any time and work on my house. LOL
I am laughing because I have that very same Homer Simpson bottle opener!! It’s my husband’s and he has no idea where it came from, but it makes me happy every time I use it
Beautiful home! My husband and I moved into our house more than a year ago and decided to try it without a microwave and we’re still going strong! It can be done! You end being more creative with meals too!
We used to have our micro in the laundry room. I suspect there will be moments you will REALLY want one. Just hide it somewhere else:)
Love the little preview! I really want to get rid of our microwave. It just takes up so much room on the counter-top. I also wish my drawers looked as nice as yours. Mine are a jumbled mess!
What an adorable place!! Reminds me of the house I rented before I got married that belongs to my parents. SO much character!! Great job on your organization. Makes me want to reorganize my kitchen
Was the kitchen always green?? I adore it!!
Totally looks like a Pottery Barn kitchen… and I mean that as a huge compliment!
I don’t know about a microwave, but we lived for a long time without a toaster. Then, some well-wisher went and bought us one for our wedding and now I’ll never get it away from him!
I love your kitchen. Love the white.
You didn’t show a photo of the fridge, but if you decide you want a microwave could you set it on top? Our microwave has always lived atop our fridge (you can anchor it with little pads under the feet if it feels wobbly) and I love how convenient that placement is.
beautiful! i am a white dish girl too…colors are great, but white dishes really let the food speak for itself
Kath, I just have to encourage you to NOT get a microwave! People made fun of us when we chose not to get one, but it is actually really liberating (and the microwave is actually a totally unnecessary appliance for us). I honestly have never missed it and it is so nice to live a little more simply. I love it. : ) Hope everything keeps comin’ along!
I havn’t used a microwave for 15 years, at least- I don’t have a good feeling about them at all, and I don’t think food is as good when it’s microwaved. I’m kind of surprised so many people still use them.
Love the colored dishes cabinet!
I love all your dishware! And I am envious of your coffee stash
Another vote for the microwave-less life. We decided to try life without one (due to very limited counter space) and found that between our toaster oven and the regular stove, there’s really no need for it.
Kitchen looks great – love the green theme!
Love your kitchen!! It’s very cute and country-like
And last Christmas our microwave went out Christmas EVE! Now, we dont cook the stuff in the microwave of course..but how are you supposed to heat up leftovers? 
I seriously was in tears when we went to get a new microwave and one wasn’t going to be ready for another two weeks. There was no way I could go without one that long!! But alas..we did fine. And once the new microwave was installed, we hardly used it! haha 
It’s all a matter of what you’re used to.
The house looks gorge!! I bet you’re happy to get the kitchen organised – one room down, how many more to go?? I’m with you on the white crockery – it looks clean, elegant and is timeless.
That looks like the most amazing breakfast. Your kitchen could be a spread in Real Simple. Its inspiring to organize my own kitchen.I don’t have a microwave in my new apartment and I thought it was going to be an issue, but it really isn’t. Even with leftovers we just reheat in the oven. I actually have started to prefer them this way – they aren’t as rubbery.
Microwaves are so overrated. I don’t have one and never used it when I did – food tastes terrible and I doubt it’s safe. My husband is a chef and we are foodies like you guys. Trust me, you don’t need one.
My boyfriend and I have been living without a microwave for over two years. It’s a lot easier than people think.
The house looks amazing!! Just like Taysa said above me, my boyfriend I have also been living without a microwave. It makes some things more difficult–like heating up leftovers–but for the most part we manage perfectly fine with the stove top and the oven. Good luck!
Your kitchen is sooo beautiful. One of the best parts of moving is reorganizing the kitchen in an entirely different/perfect way.
You’ve inspired me to go through my crammed kitchen and edit!
Cute kitchen! I love this! I’m wanting to get everything nice and organized in our new house and you’re giving me some good ideas.
The husband and I have been wanting a knife strip so we don’t have to use a knife block which uses so much precious counter space.
Love, love, love how you’ve organized so far! I really enjoy moving into a new house and being able to set things up in an entirely new way.
It’s SO cute, and you’ll be 100% fine without a microwave!
I am bookmarking this post for inspiration – I love EVERYTHING! I need to simplify my kitchen as well and I think that may be a project for my time off.
Your kitchen is lookin’ gorgeous Kath! wow! Perfectly organized but also spontaneous-looking. I am really hating my crappy dorm communal closet kitchen right now. Yuck! Ordering new plates/bowls though soon to spice things up — made me think of you .:)
Chocolate/raspberry/coconut sounds like an amazing oats combo! I’ll have to try it.
Do you have a tea kettle? I find it’s impossible to make it without a microwave unless you get one. They’re super cheap on Amazon.com!
Yep!
I love your kitchen! So neat and organized.
I’m also a white dish and glass person, but it’d be sort of a waste to trash all our old dishes for a new set.
I have a toaster oven and an oven and a stove and couldn’t go one week without a microwave…I just love that you can heat things in minutes. Sometimes I am in a huge rush and do not have time to wait for the oven or stove to heat up! But I am sure you can do it, especially because most microwaved food is processed…
I want your kitchen! Naturally that would be the first thing you show us
Wei Wei
Our microwave broke about a year ago and we haven’t bought a new one since they are questionable in regards to health. We had done good. I guess the main thing I miss is making quick baked potatoes.
Wow, everything looks stunning! The white and green colors are great together. On the microwave note: I haven’t had one at home in seven years and hardly even think of it. I think you might miss it occasionally, but living without one is totally do-able.
And now I’m dreaming about chocolate and raspberry…such a delicious duo! Time to make a raspberry sauce for overnight oatmeal
It is so clear that you don’t have kids. Your house looks SO clean. I am jealous.
Are you sure you’re not “young house love’s” cousin?
I see Bart made the cut – great work –
breakfast looks wonderful
Your kitchen looks great! I see some great Ikea buys in there!
I definitely couldn’t live with my microwave! It is so easy and perfect for quick jobs!
But everything looks so beautiful!
Beautiful!!! I too like white dishes… Food photos.come out much better that way!
You house looks beautiful and so organized. I love using canning jars to store my food staples in. I love the look. Those shelves are to die for. As far as the microwave…my friend is lecturing me on how bad they are for you. Also, right now they are selling “college” microwaves which are super tiny and would probably fit on the little counter to the right of your stove. I vote for NO microwave. (14.1 x 18.1 x 10.9 inches). I cannot wait to see the front room.
I didn’t have a microwave for awhile in my old apartment. It’s amazing how quickly you adapt. I never had white bowls and plates until recently, but I just love the way they look. So clean and professional.
I love love love how clean and inviting your kitchen looks Kath… makes me want to cook in it!
It also makes me want to take everything out of all my cupboards and start over! lol …next project idea = CHECK
I thought I read somewhere to store oats out of the light in a dark cupboard ?
I now aspire to get rid of my microwave- ever since I read that microwaving zaps much of the nutrients OUT of food ;( (plus I an still suspicious on radiation from microwaves,cellphones etc !)
Love to read tips as you go on how you deal with no microwave-I hope it works well and I am ready to give mine away….(goodbye convenience !!;)
Your kitchen makes me happy! So bright and pretty. And I LOVE all the bead board. Great job!
I to vote no microwave!
We have been wave-less for about 3-4 years. We had one and then it conked out on us, so we bought a new one that shorted out less then 6 months later. After we got rid of it we realized how much we enjoyed having all that extra counter space, and that we really did not use it much at all.
We also do not have a toaster and that has worked out well too, even though I may get one just for when my Mom comes to visit. (it drives her crazy that I don’t have one)
I’m super envious of your kitchen and all the space. You’re super organized. I realized something. I don’t have a drawer dedicated to my measuring stuff. I have the space, I just need to organize it. Maybe this way I’ll meausre more often.
Great blog. Looking forward to reading more.
Paula
Feel free to come organize my kitchen anytime.
I love your kitchen! It looks great! You are so organized.
yes! thank you for the detailed pics! i love reading your blog because you’re so ORGANIZED!
I love your organization. Right now my kitchen is so overwhelming that I don’t even try to update it and organize. WHen we move in a year I’m going to go through all my old editions of Real simple to get ideas.
hey kath, kitchen looks great. (love the rocking chair though) – can i ask where you guys found your cabinet/china hutch? we’re in the market for one and yours is right up our alley…
all your “extra” bowls would drive me crazy. we only have the stuff that came with our white crate and barrel place settings
love love love your kitchen!!
Your breakfast concoction looked delicious! I’m suddenly craving muffins!
you seem SO organized!! what’s your secret??!?
i love ikea but the closest one to me is 2 hours away! boooo.
We haven’t had a microwave for a few months now and it’s pretty fantastic. It’s amazing what we think we “need”, and we really don’t!
My fiance and I just bought our own house and for the sake of counter space and keeping a clean, organized, modern home, we banished the microwave. I can honestly say I haven’t missed it. AND it gave me an excuse to buy an air popper for popcorn!
Your new place is so great! I love the charm and character it has. And I like how you keep things simple. My husband and I are big on zero clutter and getting rid of stuff we really don’t need. Him more then me, but I am working on it
I think I would get by fine without a microwave. We only use ours now to reheat leftovers and that can easily be done in the oven. Actually, the hubs prefers to warm some things up on the stove/oven because he says it tastes better. Another great use for parchment paper is using it for re-heating pizza in the oven(a trick I learned in Real Simple).
We have been without a dishwasher for over a year now and I miss that more then I think I would a microwave!
i love how you’ve organized your kitchen! it looks great! can’t wait to see your other rooms!
wow you are living in my dream house!!! i love it. and i loved c-ville. try pita pit!
Great kitchen + house. You’ll do fine without a microwave. We’ve gone almost 6 months without one and I do not miss it one bit. Just have to use the oven/stove more often and wait for things to heat up, but I enjoy the challenge!
<3 the Guy Fieri knives.
Our microwave broke about a year ago, and we decided not to replace it. I love the extra counter space. It’s a *minor* inconvenience, but I just have to be a little more organized (i.e., remembering to take a chicken breast out of the freezer in the a.m. if I want to use it that night).
I was never too paranoid about the microwave, but now that it’s gone, I’m kind of glad. Oh, and we have three kids, so we cook A LOT.
Everything looks great! We haven’t used a microwave in years and don’t miss it one bit!
Hey I just bought 2 of those same Target potholders
Cute!! And I am totally a White dish person (and jelly jar glasses) person …….
I have wondered if we could do without a microwave also – I hate using it ;(
i LOVE an organized kitchen. i’ve been housesitting a lot this summer and am so impressed with all the uncluttered drawers here!
I love all the organizing, reminds me of my own house.
Kath, I would have moved in here after just LOOKING at the kitchen
And I’m glad to hear that you are microwave-less. It’s so damaging to the food, and then it negatively affects our health.
http://www.bodyecology.com/07/08/02/microwave_dangers.php
http://www.mercola.com/article/microwave/hazards2.htm
Enjoy those articles
I love that you have all your essentials in such an easy to reach spot. I hate digging through the cupboard every morning for my oats!
LOVE your new set up everywhere – so organized and gorgeous!
I love the color of the kitchen walls! Amazing.
I LOVE THIS KITCHEN. I am so happy for you guys!! I can’t wait to hear more about GH!!
Hi Kath- last week I sent you a comment asking if I could purchase something from the ‘kerf shop’ and have it sent to Canada.
I tried tonight to purchase the garlic oil and the message was that they do not send to Canada.
Any idea of this is coming soon???
Thanks
Hey Rebecca,
They said they did in the FAQ but when I checked with my contact, that was a mistake. So sorry!
As it turns out, OS does NOT ship to Canada
That green is my favorite color ever
I currently have my younger sister home from college and she is TRASHING MY HOUSE, and it’s so lovely to see your lovely organized kitchen. A nice mental escape from my (temporarily) chaotic one.
I’ve been living sans microwave for about 7 months and I would say that I could count on one hand the number of times I have actually missed it. I do cook a lot, but I’ve just planned around the lack of microwave.
Those two knives at the left of your rack are TERRIFYING. I’m much mroe comfortable looking at your beautiful oats
I loove all those random bowls in the hutch! It’s very eclectic!!
Your bowls are so cute
I went without using a microwave for almost 3 years – it’s really not that necessary.
Wow! You guys have done a wonderful job at decorating your new space! I was wondering what color you picked for your dining room? I LOVE it! We are in the process of picking paint for ours and I think it would look great in our space. Merci!! Nathalie (from Canada)
We didn’t paint it! We just moved in.
I’m sure you can pull off a no-micro lifestyle
My sister hasn’t had a microwave for years and she does it just fine-even with a toddler!