Storage and Organizing Frenzy

I just knocked out seven dozen cookies. Rolling and baking, that is. I'll do the decorating tomorrow. 7 dozen isn't really a lot. Unless, of course, you have a stupid oven that you have to watch like a hawk, bakes unevenly, and you can only use the top rack and a smallish cookie sheet. Sigh.

I've started compiling a list of requirements for a home bakery, and of commercial spaces that I could possibly rent in the evenings or on weekends. My kitchen is just too small and does not have the required items, but who knew this would happen? Like I said, I took cookies to work one day, and now I'm playing catch up. I plan to remain anonymous until I get something worked out, so that "THEY", whoever they are, won't nail me to the wall for making the cutest cookies you've ever seen from my house. Then I'll edit this so they'll never know I was bad. : )

And yes, I tell every person that wants cookies that I do them from my home. If they have concerns about that, that is OK; they are welcome to use the bakeries in town. I will not be offended.

And storage.............I need more. Buying stuff from Sam's Club these days - way cheaper for real butter and vanilla than the grocery stores; and 7 lb bags of powdered sugar.... Oh, and did I mention I have acquired close to 400 cookie cutters for practically any occasion? Mmm hmm. And I am an organizational freak, apparently. Most people are happy to throw their cookie cutters into a bin and spend 10 minutes looking for one each time they want to make something different. That drives me up a wall. Not me, oh no. Plastic shoe boxes with lids that are stackable (thank you, Dollar Tree!) labeled and sorted by season or holiday or types of cutters. Summer, Birthday, Girlie stuff, baby, sports, animals, guy stuff, Christmas...............the list goes on. I think I have 30 different bins.

In an apparent fit of having to know what I have (helps avoid buying duplicates) I put them into Excel. Yup. Sortable by type or season. Approximate size and place I got them from. My boyfriend and I play a game when I get new ones called, "What is this?" Since he doesn't have a preconceived notion of what it is supposed to be, it can be anything. We twist them around to see what else they look like. Some of my cutters can be up to 3 or 4 different things, or more, which means I can buy less cutters. (Uh huh - right. It's very addictive.) And of course, they go into the spreadsheet. For instance, a diploma can also be a firecracker, present, or campfire. (Also a canoe with a person in it, but it's a weird stretch).

Nice, huh???? I must be a lunatic, but at least I'm doing something creative in my after work hours. But finding space....a continuous challenge.