Why yes.

I find abundance very reassuring. In a country where no one is afraid of excess, I suspect that you know what I mean. Since moving back to Vancouver, I have lived in small Hong Kong style condos , where there has been little space for an abundance of anything. Visiting other, more grown-up houses, I found myself noticing that a house with a well-stocked cupboard feels altogether more substantial and grounded — as if people actually lived there rather than perched, which is how I always felt in my Hong Kong / New Vancouver style condo.

But in my current town home, there is a kitchen that by Vancouver standards is fairly roomy. When a case of San Pellegrino arrived the other day I realized that if I organized these bottles, then my home would start to feel more like the houses I envy. I also had an epiphany - I could be one of THOSE people that actually buy a case of wine they like. A whole case of wine. in my house. Imagine that!

Since my log basket purchase, I have, naturally, been seeing really good baskets all over the place — for a lot less money, of course! On a visit to Restoration Hardware the other day I found very chic wicker baskets. Now I have one in the kitchen with the bottles all lined up in it. Under my butcher block bar is another basket , purchased at Victoria Ironworks that is stocked with small bottles of tonic water, something I like to have plenty of. In the bathroom, a retro tin tub is heaped with rolls of toilet paper, another thing that I like to have lots of, and the tote eliminates the need for toilet paper holders, which I personally think suck.

And it’s not just about abundance; it’s also about order. I think that is why we get so excited by Martha Stewart and her laundry rooms — it certainly isn’t about doing the washing and ironing! It’s about the comfort that order gives us: shelves stacked with fluffy white towels; large glass jars of laundry powder with metal scoops; smaller jam jars of buttons; and so on. Order — and the ability to reach for things as you need them, rather than constantly running out — is a good thing. And these areas of the house are relatively easy places to achieve it. I can’t tell you how good being able to say "yes, I have as much Mineral water as you like," and I also know my guests won't have to go searching for fresh T.P. when visiting my commode.