Now that you have gotten your kitchen organized to the point that you can move things around, you need to know what it is you are moving. There are two important areas of identification. You will want to mark your appliances so that you are able to use them accurately and safely. then you will want to label things in your kitchen you need to identify. It is tempting to get carried away with both of these processes, but think it through and you will find a method that works right for you.
MARKING APPLIANCES
A quick look around the kitchen will give you an idea of the appliances you need to deal with. If you still have enough vision to see contrasting marks purchase a few bottles of fingernail polish - white, red, and black (this is something you couldn't have done ten years ago.) If you are safer to use tactile markings you can get several kinds of raised clear or colored dots or plastic markers to put on surfaces for marking. Go ahead and look at the catalogs again but be sure to come back here when you're done by selecting BACK in your browser until you've returned to this page. Click here to go SHOPPING.
The Refrigerator takes care of itself with the possible exception of defrosting. If you need to change settings you will want to put either a contrasting fingernail polish dot or a raised mark on the setting you need for defrosting and another on the usual setting. Then put a corresponding mark on the pointer so you can align them for proper cooling again.
The Stove takes a little more work and might even require some sighted help if you are not sure of the settings at this point. You will want to mark each burner knob with a bar, dot, or contrasting stripe as the knob pointer, then a dot at the off position and another at the midpoint or medium setting. You will then need to know which way the knob turns to raise the temperature of the burner. You can be sure to align the line and the OFF DOT so that the stove is safely turned off when you are finished. By adjusting the knob from the middle setting right or left you can set simmer to high heat. If your stove has buttons to change the burner settings you will probably already know these by touch and not need to mark them, but you still might want to put a reminder mark or dot on the OFF button to be sure you hit the right mark to turn off the stove.
The Oven will again need a pointer you can either see or feel and then a raised or contrasting mark at the off position and generally at 350. From this setting mark you can turn the knob to higher or lower settings as you need them, but most things are cooked on 350. Those with a self-cleaning oven might want a mark put on that setting to be sure it is used when wanted and otherwise not dialed. If you have one knob for temperature setting and another for cooking selection - bake, broil, etc. be sure to mark both knobs in a way you are certain what they are telling you.
The stove can be one of the most dangerous places for you to learn about your loss of vision if it is happening gradually. Don't lean down and look at the knobs with a magnifying glass or with your nose close to the knob. You will find yourself with very short hair in no time. This is a place where pride needs to be set aside and you need to learn to let your fingers tell you what is happening and your eyes confirm the information if it is safe to do so.
Microwave cooking has got to be one of the best things that has ever happened to simplify the kitchen for people with low vision or who are blind. Many microwave manufacturers offer Braille or tactile marking kits for their own products. If you are purchasing a new appliance of any kind be sure to ask the salesman to phone the manufacturer and obtain and install these marking kits before delivering the product whenever possible. If you have had your microwave for awhile or are unable to get a marking kit, you will want to mark the START, STOP and COOK TIME buttons. Make sure the STOP button is very distinct with double dots, a long bar, bright red marking or other marks that "you can't miss." THis will save you from the mistakes we all make with our microwave like leaving a spoon in the dish. If it sounds or smells wrong, TURN IT OFF!
To set the time you may be tempted to mark every number. this will just give you a jumble of dots to sort out. The settings are going to either be done with numbers in a phone-like pattern, food type options, a dial, or some odd configuration of numbers and food options. You will want to have the pattern explained, then decide what you will be setting. If you will use 3 minutes or multiples of 3 minute sessions then put a mark on the 3 minute choice. If you will cook vegetables put a mark there. Once you know your product you can decide what marks you need most, then learn what is above, below, and to the right and left of the mark thereby using it to fine those items as well. You may want to make a tape, large print list or Braille list of everything in the selection panel to remind yourself of little used options.
Small Appliances Most small appliances don't need to be marked because they have so few options. On and Off are obvious as are low medium and high. You might want to put a mark on the favorite setting for toaster or toaster oven, but generally this is something you can tell by touch without a mark. For instance on my Toaster Oven the knob goes full right for the darkest toast setting. Once again remember to keep your nose out of the operation of the appliance. Trying to look at the egg in a cookie dough bowl I caught my hair in the mixer and almost scalped myself. It is important to learn when to use remaining vision and when to let your fingers and ears and other senses check things for you.
Now that your kitchen is becoming a place of familiar potential for you, it's time to start labeling the things you will be using in the kitchen.
Click here soon to learn about LABELING
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