Small Space Living

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by weirdstuff

Up to your elbows??!!!! What the heck are y'all cooking that requires body coverage up to the elbows?!!! Holy Moly!!

Dutch oven cooking over a wood fire?

[Lily&Me]

We have gotten very far afield today from small space living.

And, it's okay.



Maggie

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by doug&maggie

We have gotten very far afield today from small space living.

Chalk it up to small space cabin fever, and winter weather keeping too many of us away from the wide open spaces.

[Lily&Me]

Aaaaah.......that makes perfect sense.

Tomorrow is another day.



Maggie

[Mockinbrd]

Originally Posted by doug&maggie

You may.



What colors do you like?



And, will you be coming to a rally to collect?





Maggie

Any colors will do just fine. Your choice.
No rally in my foreseeable future. - Maybe October?

[Lily&Me]

Sending you a pm.


Maggie

[Len n Jeanne]

Some fun stuff on this thread!

But seriously, folks. I would love to know-- what is your most extreme space-saving gadget or practice? You know, the ones ordinary people would think you are nitzoid to do. And possibly not stuff like putting all the pots and pans plus 3 suitcases on the bed while traveling; or crushing that bag of chips so that it crams into the overhead bin.

The best I could come up with for the question concerns our Bambi's under-the counter fridge. It is small. Every cubic inch counts. On trips where I do advance food prep, I use pans that make square muffins and cookies. These pack tightly into rectangular fridge containers. The round ones waste precious space.

Just wondering, too, if some genius has invented square-sided beer cans.

Jeanne

[spenfolder]

Originally Posted by Len n Jeanne

Some fun stuff on this thread!

But seriously, folks. I would love to know-- what is your most extreme space-saving gadget or practice? You know, the ones ordinary people would think you are nitzoid to do. And possibly not stuff like putting all the pots and pans plus 3 suitcases on the bed while traveling; or crushing that bag of chips so that it crams into the overhead bin.

The best I could come up with for the question concerns our Bambi's under-the counter fridge. It is small. Every cubic inch counts. On trips where I do advance food prep, I use pans that make square muffins and cookies. These pack tightly into rectangular fridge containers. The round ones waste precious space.

Just wondering, too, if some genius has invented square-sided beer cans.

Jeanne

I'm with you Jeanne. That fridge is dang small. I've tried some of the square and rectangular storage containers, and that helps, but what do you do with a jar of pickles, mustard, mayo, yogurt, beer! Everything is round! I find myself stuffing things into every available space and then holding my hands in front when I open the door to catch all the falling food. Ideas folks... we need ideas.

Stan
Salt Lake City

[Lily&Me]

The tiny frig is probably the biggest challenge.

We put a lot of things into ziploc bags, even leftovers sometimes, squeeze out the air and find them a space.

Mustard, mayo, BBQ sauce, pickle relish, etc., are a special pain because the containers are so large.....even when nearly empty. I hate that!

I keep a supply of small tubes and pots for last bits of condiments and small bits of things we don't use much of. The kind of tubes and pots that are sold in the grocery stores for single servings of salad dressing, etc.

We found some roll-down tubes in an outdoor store in Paris last year....when celebrating our wedding anniversary.

They are fantastic, will try to find a picture and post. We use them for mayo, BBQ sauce, etc, which allows them to lay on the shelves in the door, and be rolled down as they empty.

If it has air in it, take the air out, is our general motto.


Maggie

[Lily&Me]

REI has something very similar, can't get the picture to copy for some reason.

Coghlan's Squeeze Tubes - Package of 2 at REI.com


Maggie

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by doug&maggie

REI has something very similar, can't get the picture to copy for some reason.

Coghlan's Squeeze Tubes - Package of 2 at REI.com

Which answers the age-old question, "How do you put toothpaste back in the tube?"

Anyway, being a diabetic, portion control is one key to glucose control. I've learned that Amazon sells boxes of single-serving condiment packets just like you can get in the fast-food restaurants. They don't have to be refrigerated in the first place so they can be stored in a cabinet (good for my home hurricane kit, too in case of power outages), and if you don't mind mixing your mustard, mayonaise, ketchup, soy sauce, picante sauce, A-1 steak sauce, honey, tartar sauce, seafood cocktail sauce, and taco sauce packets all in one box, you can carry a whole trip's worth in a single rectangular Rubbermaid storage container.

Amazon.com: single-serving condiments: Grocery & Gourmet Food

Hopefully this suggestion makes up for yesterday's lack of tact regarding cuteness…

[Lily&Me]

Maggie

[urnmor]

I started using welder gloves for BBQing. They were recommended to protect aainst flashbacks when opening my ceramic grill. I now use them for all my cooking even though I have a pair of silicon mits.

[Mockinbrd]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

Which answers the age-old question, "How do you put toothpaste back in the tube?"

Anyway, being a diabetic, portion control is one key to glucose control. I've learned that Amazon sells boxes of single-serving condiment packets just like you can get in the fast-food restaurants. They don't have to be refrigerated in the first place so they can be stored in a cabinet (good for my home hurricane kit, too in case of power outages), and if you don't mind mixing your mustard, mayonaise, ketchup, soy sauce, picante sauce, A-1 steak sauce, honey, tartar sauce, seafood cocktail sauce, and taco sauce packets all in one box, you can carry a whole trip's worth in a single rectangular Rubbermaid storage container.

Amazon.com: single-serving condiments: Grocery & Gourmet Food

Hopefully this suggestion makes up for yesterday's lack of tact regarding cuteness…

Pro,
This is a very good idea

For most spices I use small 1 1/2" X 1 1/2" zip lock bags. You can get 100 for about $7.50 from Amazon.
Once filled, I throw 20 or so in a large 'spice' plastic bag to keep them a little bit organized.

I think I was lacking tact regarding 'cuteness'. Sorry if that teasing offended.
It's cabin fever for sure.

[Mockinbrd]

Originally Posted by doug&maggie

The tiny frig is probably the biggest challenge.

We put a lot of things into ziploc bags, even leftovers sometimes, squeeze out the air and find them a space.

Mustard, mayo, BBQ sauce, pickle relish, etc., are a special pain because the containers are so large.....even when nearly empty. I hate that!

I keep a supply of small tubes and pots for last bits of condiments and small bits of things we don't use much of. The kind of tubes and pots that are sold in the grocery stores for single servings of salad dressing, etc.

We found some roll-down tubes in an outdoor store in Paris last year....when celebrating our wedding anniversary.

They are fantastic, will try to find a picture and post. We use them for mayo, BBQ sauce, etc, which allows them to lay on the shelves in the door, and be rolled down as they empty.

If it has air in it, take the air out, is our general motto.


Maggie

Maggie,
I'm nuts so take my suggestions with a grain of salt.
I transfer all condiments to separate smaller containers. I keep small glass jars from my grocery purchases for this use.

This way I keep large containers out of the mini refrigerator. The easiest to work with are jars with wide open tops, Ma Cohen's Pickled Herring jars are a favorite. LOL and minced garlic jars. More LOL.
And I purchase individual Bailey's Irish Cream, and when emptied, you could use that 100 ml container for oils or other speciality liquid. And emptying those are the fun part.
The same re-purposing for my 187 ml individual wine bottles. Unfortunately, these are plastic, but what the hey.

And, at times I've experimented with "the perfect size" card board box. (Now you know I'm nuts.) But this kinda works.
Find a box and then load it up with all that necessary little condiment, left overs, etc and slide that in and out of the mini frig.
That way you aren't scrambling around looking for the "whatever" item. Just pull out the cardboard box, keep the mini refrig door closed and find what you need.

This system has helped me to use the back of the frig without loosing food items.

Hope this helps.

[Lily&Me]

Great ideas....and no plastic!

I try to avoid too much glass because of.....well, weight.

Also because glass sides are not squishable.

Glass is better, tho.


Maggie

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by Mockinbrd

I think I was lacking tact regarding 'cuteness'. Sorry if that teasing offended.

No apology necessary. Far from being offended, I was amused by it. I refuse to take myself seriously lest I get a swelled head— it's already bigger than my hair, so no room for it to swell anymore! If I couldn't poke fun at my own shortcomings, what a dismal world it would be.

[Mockinbrd]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

No apology necessary. Far from being offended, I was amused by it. I refuse to take myself seriously lest I get a swelled head— it's already bigger than my hair, so no room for it to swell anymore! If I couldn't poke fun at my own shortcomings, what a dismal world it would be.

Wellllll.....
I'll consider teasing you as, 'helping' you.
Wouldn't want a big ego to stunt any more hair growth. Don't want you to lose your beard!
Thanks!!

[Lily&Me]

Life is too short to be thin-skinned and easily offended.

I have a relative, however, who makes a lifestyle out of being offended. Goes from one offense to looking for the next..... Always in a snit, you are expected to figure out why.

I digress.......

Back to not being offended while living in a small space.


Maggie

[kaylorsan]

Another great site for small serving sizes of condiments, cereal, snacks, OTC meds, etc is Minimus. They have a huge selection of food and goods. We keep Bessie stocked with them. Also lots of great stuff if you frequently spend a lot of time with air travel.
http://www.minimus.biz.