On A Lighter Note...

Have you ever found something in your house you have grown comfortable with but periodically talk to your significant other about upgrading? It doesn't have to be something expensive like wood flooring to replace carpet. It could be something very simple and inexpensive like...plastic container ware.

My wife and I talk about several things around the home that we really want to upgrade, alter, or just flat-out replace. And our plastic-ware for food storage is always an easy topic.

1. Because storing it always turns the designated cupboard into a plastic version of a grenade explosion. We never take the time to sort and stack and organize and after a week it is a jumbled mess of lids and containers. I posted on THAT subject before and blamed gremlins or some such for the continual "chaos in the cupboard".

2. Because it is a cheap item and every sales magazine we get, offers the latest in stackable containers for a low price. Sometimes several versions in the same magazine. (Personal Solutions, LTD, Harriet Carter, etc.) You know the type, right?

So a couple years ago I ordered a mega-piece set for a mini-price and we were excited when it came in. Finally we were going to organize the cupboard and have everything MATCH. (Backstory: our plastic wear has historically been a hodge-podge of different types, colors, and sizes. Some were take-home containers from friends dinners that never made it back to their house (don't judge...you've done it too!) and some were containers from grocery store items that were sturdy, and carry-out food places...a true plastic container tower of babble!) Oddly I don't think any of it is Tupperware!

Well after a year of the new set of containers sitting first on the floor in their original box, then on the counter, then shoved into the spare  bedroom next to the kitchen...we had one piece of the set in the cupboard and the rest I gave to a co-worker so we could stop look at it and feeling like mental patients for letting it sit unused.

We then at some point got another set (my wife's choice this time...we take turns in this lunacy). We didn't like it when it came in and the stuff is so cheap it is never worth the hassle to return. We finally ended up giving it all to some friends of ours. (So we do give back to compensate for keeping other friend's containers.) Sort of a plastic ware paying it forward.

This ended up being a annual or semi-annual dance we did. We always do it without the others knowledge until the box shows up and we have managed to never sync a purchase to where we would be buried in plastic ware.

Now to current time. My wife's turn this time. She ordered a set of some fancy looking square fit-inside-each-other-when-stored plastic ware. These also came with a pump that allows you to suck the air out of each container to retard spoilage, marinate meat, or reduce freezer burn if freezing food. She ordered two sets of four. They are like Russian nesting dolls in the cupboard. Each side of each container lid has a locking tab so no more fighting tight fitting corners...just set the lid on and snap down the tabs and the seal is airtight. Downside...two of the lids are tripods now as one tab arrived broken off each one and the exchange policy is bizarre so we use them as is and they seem to work okay.

See they fit nice and square

Then the ones we just can't get rid of

See the side tabs and the airhole

 Now for the other side of the cupboard...

Okay so we need therapy (never mind new cabinets)

By now you have picked up on the fact we are actually using this plastic ware. Square works good in the fridge, freezer and cupboard. The pump works extremely well for removing air from the containers. We do not allow them in the microwave!! We have melted enough plastic in our food over the years to meet our maximum lifetime intake requirement many times over.

Everything is going well with this upgrade...just one small problem.....we cannot let go of many of the old plastic ware items! They are just comfortable sizes for things like hot sauce for dipping chips and storing smaller quantities of leftovers or sauces. They are like old friends. So now we have a Frankencupboard of plastic ware.

This has been about four months now...and just a couple weeks ago another box arrived with...you guessed it...MORE plastic ware. Apparently my wife could not help herself and she had to order these round bowls with lids. And guess where they are...

Tossed unwrapped into the bottom drawer under the kitchen counter!!!



Is it possible that any of you can relate to this fetish/phenomenon? Do you have upgrade syndrome and yet can't let go of the familiar? Have you had your lifetime allowance of microwave-melted plastic? Could some sort of therapy be in order?