One Item Every Tiny House Should Have

Picture it. You are preparing to relax and read for a bit in the quiet sanctuary of the tiny abode you toiled to build. Deciding on a quick snack, you decide to pop popcorn. Things are going well until an unexpected grease fire pops up and quickly begins to become a problem when the lid to the pan doesn't squash the flames. The stars are aligned for this fire to spread quickly if not acted upon more aggressively. You need to use a fire extinguisher because throwing water on grease will only spread the fire.

Maybe you are feeling froggy and have lit some candles for romance. Unfortunately while you are distracted the flame catches on a nearby item.

Or maybe you are getting ready for work when suddenly an electrical fire begins in a faulty electrical outlet. What do you do? You can't throw salt or water or put a lid over this situation. You will need a fire extinguisher.

Are you picking up what I am putting down? That's right. You need a fire extinguisher. It is not an option, it is a must. The problem with traditional fire extinguishers is most are designed to deal with a particular type of fire: Grease, Electrical, or one that finds its fuel from trash, paper, fabric. Fire extinguishers have historically been large and require maintenance such as being "charged" now and again. Unattractive, we typically store them under a counter or in a cupboard. Out of sight, out of mind. Heaven forbid you should have an emergency and not be able to access the extinguisher.

I found the perfect solution to this. I purchased several Tundra Fire Extinguishers by First Alert. The size of a can of hairspray, Tundra puts out electrical, grease, and trash/paper/fabric fires quickly. An all in one solution that fits easily into a Tiny House. I have one in each of my buildings. I keep one in the kitchen, one in the loft, and one close to my bed.

The Tundra Fire Extinguisher sprays 4x longer than the typical fire extinguisher. The product is biodegradable and cleans up easily with a damp rag. Best part? It requires no maintenance and has a shelf life of 4 years (each bottle is printed with a performance date indicating when to replace.) Just use the product and toss the can. Replace. Simple, right? The very best part is the price. Two cans of this magic run around $25!

Having a fire in a Tiny House is nightmare I don't wish on anyone. Being prepared is simple and could save not only your home, but your life.

Want your own Tundra Fire Extingusher(s) for your Tiny House? Follow this link.* 

*This is an affiliate link. Your purchase through Amazon will send me a few pennies to help here on Tiny House Homestead. However, I have not been paid or supported by First Alert for this post. Like I said, I have 4 cans of Tundra of my own.

Game of Thrones: The Luggable Loo vs Incinolet - Making Do When You Have to Make Doodoo.

It is the Loo, the Throne, the Oval Office, the Turlit, etc. You know what I am talking about. The potty is an important part of the everyday for all people. So I cannot, in good faith, talk about Rancho No Dinero without bringing up the scoop on the poop. Ok, on to the point of this post.

This means there since there is no running water, I obviously do not have a flushing toilet.  I cannot spend my life running to a gas station (since there is none close by) or digging a hole to go to the restroom. I was forced to find an alternative solution.

Originally I had planned to order a beautiful hand-made oak sawdust toilet that a gentleman custom builds, but he is ill or on vacation or whatever right now and I cannot wait for him. I had to research a few other options until I found a good one. I ordered a Luggable Loo. Those of you who camp may be familiar with this item, but if you are not let me explain what it is and how it works.

The Luggable Loo is basically a 5 gallon bucket with a toilet seat on it. You line the bucket with a plastic bag and then simply tie it shut and throw it away. Another option, other than just throwing it away is to use it as a sawdust toilet and then compost the waste. If you plan to compost the waste, you must take the time to read the Humanure Handbook so that you can safely compost human waste. I have seen many versions of this made by DIYers, but I chose to order this one because the seat/lid unit snaps onto the bucket. I would sure hate to knock this over by accident, lol.

Using this set-up is not as gross as you city-slickers may think. It would be far grosser to dig a hole and have an animal dig it up and drag your waste and toilet paper across the yard. Besides, I don't want to poop outside on my own property. The company who makes this has several pop-up tents that are designed to work as temporary outhouses, but I simply placed it where my future bathroom is inside. After I install my household toilet and it is running, I plan to put this down in my storm shelter for emergencies. If you want to have one for emergencies, but don't have a tornado shelter, you can do like many and make a cover for it. It is just the right height for a good foot rest! The Luggable Loo is around $25 and was worth every penny.

My final toilet purchase for the homestead will be an Incinolet. An Incinolet does not run of water either, but actually incinerates your waste. Burning the poop away to an easy to clean up ash which is cleaned out every few weeks. I like the Incinolet best of all the options primarily because it is made of stainless steel and not plastic. I feel that over time it will hold up better and be the most hygienic of all the options.

Using the Incinolet is simple and low hassle. After installation, you simply place a liner in the bowl, do your thing, then press the "flush."  The basin opens up allowing the liner to drop down into the toilet and then it catches fire and burns. Liners run approximately .12 cents a use. The only draw back is that the unit runs on electricity. If the power is out or you are off the grid with no electricity and no solar, then this unit is not going to function as designed. In that case a composting toilet may be a better option for you.

We can not go through the building of a home without discussing the delicate topic of poop. However, I have discovered that there are many options for dealing with the topic of waste and its "management." Composting, sawdust, and incinerating toilets are the most common and the most user friendly options I have found.

For those of you who may be interested in how the Incinolet functions, here is a highly entertaining video that demonstrates its use:

So there you have it, the poop on poop!

Let's Talk Spare Keys and Where to Hide Them

You know when the worst time to need a spare key is? That's right: When you don't have one or can't find one.

I don't really see or hear many people talk or write about the need for spare keys, but almost every one of us will need one at one time or another. Most of the time it is when we are on the front porch and the door is locked, or when your toddler has hidden your key ring, or, god forbid, when you lost them at the lake on July 4th at the family barbecue.

We all get keys when we change our locks, so let's start by talking about when you should change your locks:

• After a break in
• If you suspect someone has been in your house
• If your purse or wallet is stolen
• If your car is broken into
• If you misplace your spare or your key ring
• Anytime your lock sticks (even after WD40 or oil is sprayed into it), it is hinky, or it fails
• Anytime you move into a new place

Ok, now let's talk spare keys. Spare keys never really crossed my mind until I needed one. I had a spare set that I left with a neighbor because leaving a key under the front mat is just not a smart idea, However, just when I most needed said key my neighbor was out of town! There is nothing more frustrating than knowing the comfort and security of your home is just on the other side of the door and you can't get in! Ugh! It was this very situation that made me realize that I needed to keep my spare key close at hand, but invisible to others. Research led me to some clever ideas other's have come up with for stashing this most important spare treasure.

Can You Hear Me Now?

Midland GXT1000VP4

Debbie Hite heeded the tornado warning and sought the safety of the shelter she had installed in her garage. Climbing down into the concrete and steel hole, she slid the top shut and waited out the storm. After the storm passed, Debbie realized the real danger wasn't the tornado, but the shelter she was in - the storm shelter door would not open. No amount of wiggling, kicking, hitting, etc. would release the latch. Debbie was trapped. She stayed trapped for 56 hours until co-workers came looking for her.

I  have been thinking a lot about storm shelters and tornadoes lately simply because I will be moving to a place where the potential to experience one is real. I have a list of items I will keep in my shelter, just in case. You have to consider that when you enter your storm shelter, you may emerge later to find nothing left of life as you knew it. Your house, car, everything, may be gone in seconds. Keeping some clothing, food, water, etc. in your shelter just makes sense.

MERS vs SARS - Are We Set To Have a Pandemic?

As a history buff I have spent countless hours engrossed in studies about the black plague and how it spread, decimating Europe. The damage this pandemic did to Europe is legendary, yet most today dismiss that as an anomaly, an unusual experience. Even though we had the Influenza outbreak at the beginning of the 20th Century that killed many quickly and without mercy, Americans dismiss it as 100 years ago and an anomaly. No matter how many times I speak up to say I think we are due for a pandemic, people dismiss me as paranoid or crazy. I don't mind really. I know that if it happens I will be in a better place than they will as far as food, water, shelter, and  medicine go. However with my health, it would be best that I not be exposed to anything stronger than a cold.

I read an article this past June (http://news.yahoo.com/mers-virus-spreads-easily-deadlier-124612196.html) regarding a virus spreading in the Middle East known as MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) which has a very high mortality rate. MERS spreads quickly and easily and, according to what I have read, does not respond to treatment well.

Are you aware that plague still exists today? Plague is estimated to have killed between 75 million and 200 million people in Europe. It reduced the population of Europe by 30 - 60%! Every year there are still deaths from plague around the world, including in the United States. Scientists are still trying to understand the origins of the Plague outbreak not just for posterity, but because they understand the potential still exists for pandemic outbreaks. The only significant difference between a plague outbreak and MERS is the ability to treat Plague with modern medicine and antibiotics. Plague, caught early enough, responds to antibiotics while MERS appears to be highly resistant to most of our treatments. If a disease spreads rapidly, symptoms develop quickly, and it kills with great speed, we must scramble to find a cure equally as fast and simply avoid being exposed by whatever means necessary. Sometimes those means are quarantine, both self-imposed and government imposed.

For some time now I have been building a comprehensive first aid kit and have blogged about it (You can go here to read those posts). I firmly believe every family should have a comprehensive first aid kit whether you live in the city, suburbs, on rural property, whether close to town or out in the sticks. Having a comprehensive first aid kit will allow you to be more independent so that you can avoid germ infested places such as doctors offices and hospitals. These places are often dangerous simply for the spreading of germs factor. In the case of something like MERS, doctors offices could be deadly. Besides even with the common cold, no one feels like driving to a pharmacy or doctor's office just to get meds. Most would prefer to stay home in bed, drinking liquids, resting, and only having to walk as far as the medicine chest to retrieve medicine.

When I read about things such as MERS, I am forced to face the possibility that a major pandemic is not only possible, but is actually probable in my own lifetime. Air travel makes the rapid spread of a disease that much more realistic an issue. Being prepared with adequate food and medicine, being as self-sufficient as possible, along with planning in advance for potential large-scale situations, allows me to feel a little bit more secure and confident that I am able to deal with the very real potential of such an occurrence. Proactive vs Reactive just makes sense.

If you are concerned about these very real possibilities as well, you may want to start with building your first aid kit and considering what would happen in your world should a pandemic hit. If you find that possibility of a medical pandemic too unrealistic, just consider if a major weather even were to hit your area. A weather event (remember hurricane Sandy or Katrina?) would have the same consequences with limitations on the ability to purchase food, water, and fuel as well as potential disruption to the power grid and telephone systems.

What do you think? Are you prepared for a potential pandemic? Do you agree or disagree that there could be a pandemic within the next 50 years? Have you prepared for emergencies in any way in your home?

Mason Jar Monday - Mason Jar Safe - Protect Your Valuables

No one likes to come home to find their house has been robbed. No one. Recently a good friend had hour house robbed three times in a two month period. Yes, she needs to move. However, the police are fairly certain it is the same robber(s) and, with any luck, they will be arrested. This has gotten  me thinking about just how I can protect the things that insurance just cannot replace. Small valuables and heirlooms that, if stolen, would break my heart. TV's and such can be replaced, but my Mother's Ring and my pearls are precious to me. Short of wearing them all the time or carrying them with me, there will always be the risk that some nefarious intruder will help him/herself to them while I am away. This got me thinking about security of a rural property and just how to prevent my most precious of things from being taken even if my TV and such are.

Frequently in catalogs and online stores you will find everyday product packaging converted into small safes. These are known as diversion safes. The idea is that you hide small valuables inside the replicas of everyday household objects and then place the can in among other every-day items. Thieves typically don't like to spend more then 5 - 10 minutes in a place and, hopefully, will skim by your valuables without even noticing them. The cans and containers are weighted so if you pick them up they feel like the real product. I found shaving cream cans, cleaning product cans, fruits and vegetable cans, a hairspray can, and even a hairbrush that opens up to reveal a hollow hidy-hole. All of those are great, but here is one that really caught my eye!

Yes! That is a canning jar safe! It is described as looking like preserves. You unscrew the lid to find a cavity inside where you can hide small valuables. If you are like me, you have a large pantry for "putting by" and this would blend right in. This is just $14.95 on Amazon (click here if you would like to buy one. Yes, this is a shameless plug for my Amazon store so I can make a few pennies for the holidays). 

So what would you put in such a limited space? Well, I keep copies of important documents scanned and saved in digital form on a flash drive. I would drop a few flash drives that hold important files in there as a backup plan. I would keep jewelry that I don't wear normally such as grandma's wedding ring and my good pearls. You get the picture. With the amount of "puttin' by" I do, I know this jar would disappear into the crowd. I challenge a thief to go through all my canned goods on the hopes of finding a secret stash. 

What do you think? Do you think these diversion safes work or are they just a waste of money? 

C'mon Baby, Light My Fire

It is a romantic image: Air cold enough to see your breath and a nice hot fire to keep you warm. However, anyone who has ever been really cold and trying to get a fire started knows how frustrating and scary it can be. Wind, rain, a lighter that is dying, or even worse, just a couple of matches left in the pack, can send the blood pressure rising and the anxiety into overload. Well, to help alleviate the worry of not being able to get kindling to light quickly and easily, I am going to share a DIY that you can assemble from things you typically throw away or recycle. Collect the materials over time, assemble and store. You can store lots of these in a small area. In the time of an emergency or even when you are just trying to get a fire going in the hearth, you can use one of these and save yourself all that stress.

Off Grid Lighting for My Tiny House

Living off the grid poses a number of problems to be considered when it comes to lighting. Electric lighting can quickly drain a battery and, in my opinion, is harsh to the eyes. LED lights help to eliminate the battery drain, but I still don't find the light they throw that pleasing. Additionally, where I will live has weather that may prevent my solar panels from recharging the batteries as quickly as I would like all the time. While I could run the generator, I have decided to go back to tried and true oil lamps. Not just any oil lamps, mind you, but Aladdin brand oil lamps. Let me explain more.

Puttin' By - Home Made Rice-A-Roni

Mix in the Jar

Lily's Dinner

I am a big fan of provident living or, as I call it, puttin' by. I believe that preserving part of the harvest and planning for lean times in advance is just wise living. I poke around the web frequently for recipes to help with variety in my pantry. I came across Lynn's Kitchen Adventures where Lynn had experimented with different recipes to make your own "Rice-A-Roni" like side dish.

Loving Dinner!

I mixed up a batch, but only had half the amount of chicken bouillon that the recipe called for, so I added half beef builion to it. I cooked it up tonight when we had Bunless Onion Burgers and Pasta Salad. My granddaughter could not get enough! I have to say, it was very good. It only takes 1 cup of the mix to make side dishes for 4. I made enough of the mix to make two full quart canning jars. I vacuumed out the oxygen from one of the jars and (dropped an oxygen absorber in there too) and kept the other unsealed to use it first.

Tragedy in Arizona

Yesterday, Sunday June 30th, a wild fire that was sparked by lightning on Saturday night, spread out of control through the town of Yarnell, Arizona. Yarnell is southwest of Prescott, AZ by about 35 miles. I lived in Prescott for 7 years and my son and his wife still live there. The fire overtook 19 elite firefighters from the Granite Mountain Hot Shots. All but one has perished. My heart cries out for these folks who laid their lives on the line to protect others. They gave the ultimate sacrifice in the protection of others. The average age on the hot shot crew was 22. Please keep them in your thoughts.

Don't Worry, When You Die I Will Be Happy To Use All Your Stuff

One of my obsessions is watching Youtube videos of things that can help me in my quest to live off grid and have a sustainable homestead while still living comfortably. This morning I was poking around for a DIY on building a rocket stove. True to form, I got off on a tangent and found a guy who is a "Prepper" who decided to shut off all  his utilities and try to live "off grid" to simulate an emergency situation for one full week. I can see that this man makes a comfortable living. He has purchased/built a home solar system and also built a rainwater catchment system. I totally got sucked into his first video when I saw the beautiful gardens his wife manages to maintain that fill their backyard. Other than the ability to harvest immediately the plants that are edible, this guy is in serious trouble.