Rodent and Insect Proof Food Storage

Eww, mice have been here!

I have been unpacking all the boxes from my move here now that the Shouse kitchen is usable. When I packed my kitchen in Phoenix, I was sure to bring all my canned foods and other pantry staples. I didn't plan to have them in storage as long as they have been, nor to be so inaccessible, but it is what it is and I am just now getting to unpacking and putting them away. I discovered this box to the left hidden deep within the pile of boxes.Yes, folks, that is rodent damage. I had mice in the storage area and they had a good time eating some of my baking supplies and boxed goods. Thankfully they only invaded this one box. Know why? Because all of the other supplies were in rodent and insect proof packaging. So today I will be focusing on how to keep rodents and insects out of the food in your tiny house and, as a bonus, out of your building all together.

Mice are disgusting and dirty

Practical storage in a small space can often be difficult. Limited shelf space seems to always be an issue no matter how large the house, but in a Shouse it can be an even bigger challenge. There are many options from the cheapest (zipper top plastic bags) to the expensive (Lock-N-Lock, Tupperware, etc.). I think I have tried just about every type of storage there is available. Some worked great, some fed the mice. Let's talk about what will work for storage that can keep your food fresh and the pests away.

A Week's Worth of Groceries Around the World

In addition to being a blogger and a writer, I am a teacher. I teach 6th grade. I am always looking for interesting material to present to my students because 6th graders can be very difficult to keep on task and engaged. I get quite a bit of inspiration from meme's that are sent to me on Facebook. The other day someone sent me a meme created from photographs, taken by Peter Menzel, that showed a weeks worth of groceries for folks from around the world. It really is quite interesting if you spend some time really looking at what an "average" family consumes. It got me thinking about how good people in other countries eat compared to me, which I think most Americans would find surprising. It also got me considering how the heck I am going to store food in a tiny house.

Take a look for yourself here:

http://www.walltowatch.com/view/28822/A+Week+of+Groceries+in+Different+Countries

You may also be interested to look and compare breakfasts from around the world. Keep in mind that Americans make their main meal of the day dinner, while in many countries, breakfast is a large meal and dinner quite small. You can find those photo's here:

http://www.walltowatch.com/view/1341/World%27s+Best+Breakfasts. 

My wish for you today is that you may never hunger and never thirst. Have a wonderful day!

Yard Sale Deals and Bargains

This morning we went to rummage sales, tag sales, yard sales, or to garage sales (depending on what part of the country you reside in dictates what you call it) and we found some FABU deals!! I love bargains!!! I found two wonderful scores I thought I would share with you today.