The Japanese really have the whole "Form meets Function" thing figured out, don't they? So much of their culture is about thoughtfully designed, practical products that make life just a little bit better. That's our jam too!
While I probably won’t be flying over to Japan anytime soon (let’s pour an Asahi out for all the uneaten bowls of ramen waiting for me), I can adapt some of their beautifully designed ethos into my everyday life. Like in the Kitchen.
Our growing Pantry section is full of goodies that elevate your everyday kitchen vibe.
This adorable little Turtle scrubber is probably the cutest thing we bought. It’s seen in various sizes in almost every kitchen in Japan for good reason. It’s made from 100% coconut fiber and lasts For. Ever. Ok, nothing lasts forever, but this little guy will last up to 5 times longer than most supermarket sponges.
A good knife is another essential tool. Speaking of which: Did you know you’re more likely to cut yourself with a dull knife than a sharp one? It’s true. The pressure you have to apply with a dull knife makes them very dangerous. These new Kotobuki Japanese knives are many things, but dull is not one of them!
The Kotobuki Picnic Knife is razor-sharp, but it comes with a sheath to cover the blade that makes it portable. It’s an all-purpose knife that easily cuts through Manchego and dry salami like butter, which means the only real work is arranging your newly sliced snacks.
Likewise, the Brass Knife Pen comes with a cap and is both literally and figuratively sharp. Plus it’s gorgeous to look at! I love it for anything from opening mail to slicing out pages from my favorite newspaper and magazine articles.
I hate itchy clothing labels, so I always keep one of these pocket clippers around to cut labels out of new clothes. They're also handy for opening the foil seals on new personal care bottles in the bathroom and that plastic film over the burrata in the kitchen. We eat a lot of cheese in this house.
The other reason I’ve been spending a bunch of time in the kitchen? Reorganizing. Left unchecked, the corona clutter threatens to take over completely. The struggle is real, my friends. I've been cleaning and purging almost every day since March. Now all that’s left to do is to organize things into our pretty bamboo caddies. Cleaning products can sit together neatly under the sink, spices, vitamins, and medicine each have their own caddy, which makes it much easier to grab them when I need them and tuck them away again when I'm done.
When everything is finally cleaned and organized (at least for the moment) I like to reward myself by cutting fresh greenery from my garden. These legit, iron-clad Bonsai scissors make it so easy to for me to have a Martha Moment and snip a few fresh olive or eucalyptus branches for a charming home arrangement.
Ah…bliss. At least until tomorrow, when we do it all again. Having the right tools makes it much nicer and easier.
xx, mlk
