Backpacks and lunchboxes get washed on the last day of school. Three weeks ago, we started stockpiling non-perishables. Why? Coronavirus. We are a family of five and we consume a lot; a little extra, just in case, is probably not a bad idea. We are concerned, not so much about getting COVID-19, but about the inevitable disruptions. We want to prepare, not panic. I grew up in Guyana in a time when scarcity was commonplace. I remember the lines for everything - food, cooking gas, toilet paper! I have vague memories of sitting for hours at a clinic, waiting for vaccinations and, I think, powdered milk, or maybe it was another place, another queue. The run on grocery stores that we are experiencing now in the U.S. gives me flashbacks. I presume that the majority of shoppers have never seen anything as widespread as this in their lives, not here in the U.S. anyway. As it happens, we were living in Lagos, Nigeria during the Ebola outbreak in 2014. Social distancing, increased...

A measuring tape was our best friend when furnishing our 1070 sq. ft space. Any furniture we would buy had to fit well and provide storage. We learnt the hard way that measuring at floor level, instead of from wall to wall, is imperative because the thickness of baseboards cause problems when space is at a premium. We made use of every nook and cranny to the extent possible. In doing so, a number of awkward spaces became functional and we were left with a fair amount of walking space. This post focuses on what products worked best for our needs. We converted the cloak closet to a pantry as the kitchen does not offer adequate storage. Wire shelving and clear Sterilite Latch Boxes and Flip Top Boxes offer a clear view of what we have. This saves us time when making grocery lists and simplifies some mealtimes as the kids are able to point out what they want for a snack or breakfast. A narrow space in the pantry (to the right of the shelving) was ideal for a wall mounted bro...