Ok...here are the boondocking "gems" given at Friday's potluck:
Jerry F: "Instant off Water Saver" can be purchased at Home Depot/Lowes/etc. Attaches to the water faucet and has a long stem. You move the stem side to side to turn on the water. Remove you hand and the stem returns to center and shuts off the water.
Wendy: Cleaning tissues bought for $1.00. Be sure and clean from "top to bottom", if you get my drift.
Shirley: Use perculator on stove for coffee instead of electric coffee maker.
Bill Dane: purchase shelf milk which is good for quite a while. It's called "Paramilk" and can be found in most grocery stores.
Helaine: (very creative idea) She pack things like macaroni and cheese/jello/pudding/instant foods in zip lock bags. Remove items from their original boxes place as much as you can in the zip lock bags and store. Be sure and cut directions out to go with products for cooking.
Here we diverted a bit.
Beth M. use wooden mouse traps to keep mice out of the bays.
Randy: came to rvforum to find out how to remove "pack rat". Also mentioned rope lights laying on the ground to prevent mice from coming into RV. Quickly added "be sure and come with full water tank and empty black and grey; reminding everyone that Jerry F. had come with nearly full black and grey tanks at a previous Quartzsite rally and needed to have a pump truck come relieve him.
Henry: put bounce sheets inside to prevent mice from entering.
Now back on topic.
Ardra: Use paper towel to preclean items such as forks/spoons until you can actually wash them. She added later that when the holding tanks are extremely full and close to over flowing, she puts "painter's tape" over the shower drain and some times the kitchen drain to prevent the tank from backing up into her shower or sink on the drive home or to the next stop.
Paul: Use shower shut off while lathering up to prevent unused water from going down the drain.
Kathy (from Indiana): solar powered reading lamp, stays charged for a long time.
Jeff: special inverter for "CPAP" machine
Ray: toilet "buttliner" place in toilet bowl; is bio-degradable and prevents "streaks" in toliet
Unknown authors:
- tea kettle in oven with pilot on provides warm water
- send your wife to the hair salon to have hair washed and styled
- bring along a case of Crown Royal
- catch water in shower and in sink while waiting for hot water to arrive
and FINALLY.....EAT OUT
Marsha~