Saving Space as well as Saving Face*

Restrained Mirth

past times Tony Ertel

I promised Mary that I would ship her a few pictures too a brief ship service on my “peg-board project.” I was determined however, to acquire inwards check inside my sense of humor column’s ill-defined parameters. So below, yous volition notice my attempt to inspire yous toward creative peg-board role too to acquire yous laughing. Mission: Doable.

Settling into the married life has been great, but it is soundless quite a transition. I’d tell that my married adult woman too I cause got been pretty blessed amongst the means this transition “phase” has worked out. I’ll attempt to summarize for yous therefore I tin acquire to the truly practiced materials (the arts too crafts department of this post!).

Transition Phase:

1. Man too Woman acquire away to where no 1 tin notice them too no 1 dare aspect for them (honeymoon.)
   
   
2. Man too Woman travail out of the sunset into a globe of work, too study, too cleaning, too organizing, too move and...**
   
   
3. Woman goes dorsum to work.
   
   
4. Man does schoolwork too settles into novel domicile (Woman’s former apartment).
   
   
5. Man sits amongst textbook on lap too thinks most edifice materials too how to salve infinite inwards novel
   home.
   
   
6. Man buys ability tools amongst gift coin from wedding.
   
   
7. Man conceives many projects.
   
   
8. Woman judiciously accepts 20% of the proposed projects.***
   
   
9. Man does his thing... 
   

That is to a greater extent than or less what has happened betwixt the marriage ceremony too now. Of course, it’s merely a simplified summary, but it sets the stage for the peg-board project. With my married adult woman having already lived inwards the aeroplane for merely over a year, I wasn’t for certain what to await every bit I moved inwards too doubled the amount of holding previously occupying the space. I’m for certain that somewhere along the business inwards our wedlock prep (though I can’t retrieve precisely when) the priest asked us what nosotros planned to create amongst all of our java mugs immediately that they would endure sharing space. We must cause got “shelved” that query for the fourth dimension too never worked our means dorsum approximately to it. It’s difficult to believe nosotros soundless married amongst that number unresolved. But nosotros did, too therefore came human face upwards to human face upwards amongst the occupation inwards the transition phase.

I believe it’s somewhere betwixt tying your shoes too learning to read that yous larn non to stack java cups. If yous hadn’t already learned the discussion “precarious” from MD Seuss, yous were leap to cause got a clear agreement amongst the novel java loving cup lesson. Different shapes + unlike handles + high shelves + swinging doors = precarious = busted java mugs. Regardless of this truth, no less existent than gravity, my married adult woman too I decided to stack mugs for the sake of saving space. The weeks of gently closing cabinet doors too tiptoeing approximately the kitchen were long, too our attempt to defy reality ended with
a ceramic casualty. “He was a practiced mug, had barely lost the sheen of his youth. Only a slight browning
of his interior. He soundless had therefore many early on morn too rainy 24-hour interval coffees to hold, non to holler even out tea...”**** After the burial I decided to redouble my efforts too focus (number v on the to a higher identify list) on how to acquire my mugs to safety. After some brainstorming, some googling, too a adventure run inwards amongst a slice of peg-board at the local hardware store, I decided on my side past times side space-saving project.

What I used:

• Peg-board – 1 2’ x 4’ slice
  
• 1” aeroplane oak trim back (enough for edges – 2’ x 4’ x 2’ x 4)
  
• Hardware (can’t retrieve exact sizes/gauges)
  4 canvass metallic screw
  4 pocket-size aeroplane washers
  4 dark prophylactic stoppers
  24” of moving ikon hanging wire
  2 heavy duty wall anchors (these could back upwards most 70lbs of java mugs – didn’t want to convey whatsoever chances :)*****
  
  4 pocket-size forest screws too 4 metallic washers for attaching trim

• Valspar “Pale Butter” pigment (free sample from Lowe’s – Thanks for the tip Mary!)
  
• Curved hooks for peg-board (with security latches – it’s similar a spot belt, why jeopardy it?) 

What I did:

1. Paint the peg-board.
   
   
2. Cut too attach trim back using 4 pocket-size forest screws too 4 pocket-size aeroplane washers (attach from posterior
   for clean-looking trim)‡this is an unnecessary add-on.
   
   
3. Attach prophylactic stoppers too hanging wire to dorsum (stoppers inwards 4 corners).
   
   1. Put metallic screws through aeroplane washers too forepart of board.
      
   2. Wrap hanging wire approximately the 2 top screws too therefore thread into prophylactic stoppers
      (the stoppers volition serve to give-up the ghost on the dorsum of pegs/hooks from scratching upwards your wall).
      
      
4. Put inwards wall anchors based on your desired positioning for the board.
   
   
5. Hang the board, insert hooks amongst security clips, hang mugs, relax. 

I persuasion the trim back mightiness brand for a nicer presentation inwards the kitchen. I think it improved the look. But to a greater extent than of import than a chic wall decoration, nosotros immediately cause got increased storage infinite too easier access to all of the java mugs. No to a greater extent than neglecting that petty “weird owl” guy inwards the dorsum of the cabinet.

And I think this is merely the beginning. Soon in that place volition endure peg-boards inwards every room of my apartment. In keeping amongst the 20% husband approving rate, I figure that I’ll merely cause got to advise 4 worse ideas inwards gild to acquire my side past times side peg-board projection authorized.

1. Sweetie, what would yous tell most me ikon some flames on the side of the oven? That would endure kinda cool, huh?
   
   
2. Audrey, this corner is a petty bare. How neat would that endure if I got my activeness figure collection out of storage too nosotros cased them inwards a china cabinet here? I could brand them create some sweetness activeness poses. We could brand the bad guys human face upwards the practiced guys similar they’re most to clash. And...
   
   
3. I’ve been thinking most the dorsum hallway. How awesome would that endure to position some vines too a couplet potted trees dorsum there? We could download some jungle sounds too cause got them playing all the time.
   
   
4. You know that mirror inwards our dining room? I think nosotros should give-up the ghost on window markers past times it all of the fourth dimension therefore when nosotros cause got guests nosotros tin describe moustaches too beards too materials similar that.
   
   
5. Hey Sweetie, come upwards too come across my newest peg-board idea. I telephone weep upwards it the PBTPFD (Peg-Board Toilet
   Paper Fun Dispenser). 
   

*Not for certain how many people would acquire this, but I persuasion the championship was catchy too truly made feel amongst a petty stretch of the imagination. “Face” = “Mug” = “Coffee Cup.” Get it? Saving Face. Visage joke.
**Repetition of “work” too the ellipses are hither for dramatic effect. I truly ran out of “depressing,” pity-inducing things to say. It’s amazing what resultant that format tin cause got though. And if yous truly wishing somebody to experience sorry for you, attempt drawing out for certain words on your list. “Wooork, stuuuuudeeeee, cleeeaaaaniiiiinnng, organiziiiiiiinnnnnggg, uuuummmmm, woooooorrrrrk.” This tin brand fifty-fifty the simplest listing seem every bit daunting too formidable every bit the 12 labors of Hercules. Actually, amongst the hypnotic auricular resultant of the listing yous mightiness fifty-fifty sideslip this inwards at the halt “slaying the Nemean Liiiiioooooon, yous know, materials similar that, cypher major.” If that doesn’t acquire yous a pat on the dorsum too a, “it’ll endure ok buddy,” therefore in that place is no compassion inwards this world.
***This 20% is generous. It should in all likelihood endure cutting inwards half. Really though, my married adult woman is real supportive of my ideas – creative, ridiculous, or aeroplane out dumb, she volition at to the lowest degree listen me out too help me to categorize.
****Coffee loving cup eulogy. Weird, but surprisingly sad.
*****I think it would endure appropriate to say, “Go Big or Go Home.” I was already home, therefore I decided to “Go Big.”

Tony is currently finishing his MBA. He resides amongst his lovely married adult woman inwards Cincinnati, Ohio too is variety plenty to contribute his humorous perspective inwards this regular column, Restrained Mirth.

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