Comments on: Our new small kitchen

By: Jacob

Jacob — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 20:49:55 +0000

@timachen – We may be going with a tumbleweed after all. If you want some ideas for small kitchens, look into RVs or perhaps better, cruising boats. They already got the dimensions worked out. The way I cook resembles the one-pot, one-plate camping style, so I could do with a sink, a one-burner stove, and 1 square foot (to put the plate which also doubles as a cutting board). I probably wouldn’t bother with a fridge. DW has somewhat other opinions and would like at least 2 burners, 4-6 sqft, a sink, and fridge+freezer.

By: timachen

timachen — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 20:38:17 +0000

Hi Jacob, long time reader but haven’t commented. I’m designing a tumbleweed (and also interested in a more detailed exposition for your reasons for not going with one though you considered it) and was curious about your minimalist kitchen footprint. Since I’m designing a tiny design from ground up, I get a lot of design freedom and wanted to know “just how much kitchen do you actually need?” The cutting boards over the sinks thing is a good way to not spend on extra counter-space that you don’t really need if that makes any sense.

Just read over your 21 day makeover plan and got your book. Seems I’ve been doing a few on my own already. Just got a bike too and building a Tumbleweeed within the year, make my own bread, always on the lookout for healthy, frugal, simple meals so those are the big ones. Your book is a welcome addition as I’m on the verge of graduating from college so I get to build my career from ground up too, no rat race or (as much) rampant consumerism to recover from. In some way, I’m sure that your book is part of what I’ve been looking for the past 6 months and been why I’ve been disatisfied for the past 5 years. My name is Tim and I’m an INTJ. I have an INTP roommate that I’m going to talk about this with within the month (at home and want to get a good grasp of this first).

By: Miserere

Miserere — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 13:32:30 +0000

@Jacob, ah, now I see it Originally posted 2008-08-11 19:01:13. It all makes sense now

By: Jacob

Jacob — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 20:09:40 +0000

@Misere – This is a repost from 2008. We moved in in October 2008.

By: Miserere

Miserere — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 19:56:57 +0000

Hang on a minute, you bought your RV in August 2008 and aren’t moving into it until now (2011)? What happened in between?

In related news, I’m a bit jealous

By: Jacob

Jacob — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 05:47:31 +0000

@Piggy Bank – We pay $475 in long term lot rent (water included). Add propane and electricity—this depends very much on your personal habits. It also depends on the outside temperature. RVs are not insulated.

Other places have less long term rent. In the Midwest, you can probably find a park and rent for $200/month. Of course if you drive it around, gasoline costs become fairly large. On the other hand, you can hop from free parking spot to free parking spot. There is at least one example of an RVer who converted the engine to biodiesel and was running it on discarded restaurant oil.

Overall, I think housing costs in an RV would be about half of what the second cheapest option (1-2 bdrm apartment) would be.

By: Piggy Bank

Piggy Bank — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 05:40:13 +0000

I have been trying to convince my wife that the RV life is the life for us. She is somewhat coming around to the idea, however it takes a lot of work to break down hundred years of traditional home dwelling. My question is how much are your total monthly expenses? (primarily interested in how much it costs to live in the RV, other expenses are relative to circumstances, depending on lifestyle)

By: Bill in NC

Bill in NC — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 20:12:43 +0000

“I’m torn on the collander.”

Plenty of collapsible silicone colanders online.

http://www.google.com/products?hl=en&q=silicone+colander

By: doubleourmoney

doubleourmoney — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:22:02 +0000

Everything will be a challenge living in your RV due to space constraints.

By: Jacob

Jacob — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 03:54:18 +0000

@Debbie M – This is more of a two-body problem. I can work with less than that (actually only need my utility knife that’s been with me since I moved out more than 10 years ago). I’ve done a lot of clubbell and kettlebell exercises, so I got fairly strong wrists (my forearms are almost as big as my upper arms), so I can turn over the pots holding one handle even if there’s almost a gallon of water in them. Ha! I knew all that exercise had to be good for something With the pressure cooker, I can remove the rubber gasket and put the lid back on and lock it. Then tip it. The water runs out.

By: Debbie M

Debbie M — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 18:06:28 +0000

I drain water by putting on the lid a little wonky and turning over the pan over the sink. However, all your pans sound very heavy. If you have a strainer, that may double as a colander.

You might want to try living with your reduced supplies for a while and see if there’s anything you’re missing. I’d only need two knives (big and little), but I’d want two mixing bowls (a metal one and a plastic one, both lightweight) and I’d want a pancake turner and a rubber spatula.

Note that if you never use your microwave oven, it can be used for storage. Similarly, you could set something on your forth burner to use for storage.

By: Tight Fisted Miser

Tight Fisted Miser — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 15:25:11 +0000

Just wishing you a belated congratulations on the purchase of your new home.

By: mjukr

mjukr — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 14:11:12 +0000

Very interesting… keep the RV blogs coming!