I've been getting settled into my tiny house (350 square feet.) I have a teeny tiny kitchen without all the usual accouterments and it's definitely an adaptation. I have an apartment-sized refrigerator with a tiny freezer, a 2-burner convection stovetop, a toaster oven, a coffee maker, and a microwave that came with the place. I left anything that isn't multipurpose in storage and my only other kitchen appliance is an Instapot that does all sorts of magic. (8 different ways to cook with it, I think?)

The house also came with a dishwasher. Personally, I'd rather have had a clothing washer but such is life as a renter. At least going to the laundromat I can get everything done at once. 🙂

Adaptation is good for us as preppers. When we are flexible it's a lot easier for us to roll with life's punches. And I think there are very few of us who haven't taken a punch of some sort lately.

The thing about adaptability is that if you don't use it you lose it. We all get stuck in a rut from time to time. I'm not suggesting you all need to meander around the country, but you should seriously consider shaking things up in your life just a little bit. Try a new skill or a new setting that is outside your normal comfort zone. It will help you grow and become a better prepper.

One thing I'm really enjoying about being back east is TREES. My place feels like a treehouse in a forest and although I'm definitely not complaining about spending nearly a year living at the beach, there's nothing like the smell of the forest after a good hard rain. And speaking of rain, hearing it on the roof of my loft bedroom is so soothing after only having rain 2-3 times the whole time I was in Mexico.

Every morning I sit on those steps and watch my dogs get tangled up around the trees. I keep thinking they'll figure out how to untangle themselves, but no luck thus far. We humans do this too. When we're within our problems it can seem impossible to figure out how to unravel them. Sometimes it takes an outside perspective. I hope that you all have a person you can talk to for that perspective.

THE TAINTED TRUTH EFFECT

I was sent this paper on the societal effects of "fact-checkers." While It started out in a promising way...

Our findings suggest general warnings of misinformation should be avoided as indiscriminate use can reduce the credibility of valid news sources and lead individuals to discard useful information.

...but it went downhill in a hurry.

Valid warnings of misinformation tend to originate from professional third-party organizations, target information that is actually misleading, and reduce the spread and acceptance of misinformation. For example, FactCheck.org, PolitiFact, and the Washington Post’s Fact Checker are all organizations that investigate the veracity of claims made by political figures and news organizations, operate year-round, and view themselves as a distinct professional cohort within journalism guided by rules and norms (Graves 2016). Warnings originating from these organizations tend to be precise and issued neutrally.

"Precise" and "neutral."

L
O
L

We're going to have to face the fact that coexistence is nearly impossible when people can't even recognize blatant bias. I'm all for getting along - truly - but there are a lot of folks out there that don't want to get along with those of other views of the world.

It seems like the only answer is alternate platforms, alternate banks, alternate hosting services, heck, an alternate internet.

All of this "fact-checking" leads straight to the Dunning-Kruger effect, which I wrote about here a few years back. Heck, things are WAY crazier now than they were then.

To be quite honest, I find being "debunked" by Politifact and Snopes to be a badge of honor. Especially when they're so bad at it.

It's groups like this who got the website defunded and it's positively Orwellian.

A CHEAPER WAY TO EAT ORGANIC

After nearly dying of sticker shock at the grocery store upon my return from Mexico, I decided to try Misfit Market. This is a company that works directly with organic growers, packages your produce, and brings it straight to your door once a week. I did some comparing and the prices I paid were less than conventional grocery store produce - and a whole lot fresher too.

They also carry some pantry staples, high-quality meat and seafood, and dairy product. The items that are available differ from week to week. My order above was $30 and change, shipping included.

If you want to try it, use my code to get $10 off your first order.

LINK: https://www.misfitsmarket.com/?promo=COOKWME-PM2EHZIBJYK

They don't deliver everywhere but if you are out of their zone, be sure to get on their waiting list because this is a business that is expanding quickly.

Now that the tiny house is unpacked and somewhat organized I've started building a stockpile. I have some buckets that were in my climate-controlled storage unit, and I've been grabbing grocery store goods too, like rice, pasta, canned goods, etc. I feel much better having that in my little storage loft. I'm also a couple of bags ahead on dog food.

You may wonder where I'm putting all this stuff in a tiny house. They're so well designed that every nook and cranny is put to work. The sofa is a built-in bench with a twin bed mattress on it and large, deep drawers underneath. There are drawers built into the steps, drawers built into the bed, and a loft that is tall enough to sit up in that I'd really rather not sleep in. I'm using that space for food, water, and other preps, since I'm going to be here for 6 months.

Storage furniture and creative use of empty spaces is my first tip for those living in small homes.