Kitchen KonMari*

It’s a rainy day here on the Oregon coast, so no better time to take some snaps of my favorite Alto kitchen things and then write a blog post about them! Some of these are very specific to the Alto 1743 model, some are not, and some would work in any trailer, you get to decide…

Everything in the Kitchen Sink

I love the suction holder for the sponge, it keeps it dry and hides it when the sink cover is down. When I am in transit, I put the fruit bowl (a little low on fruit today…) into the sink, along with the current water glass and any extra fruit (apples, for example). The sponge holder slides around the glass cover so I can move it where it doesn’t hit the stuff in the sink.

And why on earth is there a microwave cover on the frying pan? Well, it’s a fake lid, and keeps the spatter factor under control, while also letting me see how the cooking is going. The pan didn’t come with a lid, so the microwave cover is a fairly good substitute (thanks, Mary!).

Stowing Securely is an Art

My two go-to items for shelves are (1) plastic containers, either sterilite or other cheap ones and (2) name-brand Contact paper. You can’t have enough of either one, I think. There is a plastic container for every possible shape you might need (see how that Bailey’s bottle found a safe home?) and you can put them on shelves like playing Tetris.

The contact paper lines each shelf and then pieces of it cushion plates and pots and pans so they don’t bang around when moving. I tried the cheaper stuff, but it didn’t stick to the shelves and post-move, everything was a mess so I threw it all out and used the good stuff. (And thanks, Mary, for the sterilite tip, it has been invaluable!)

The bottom shelf in the two kitchen cabinets is actually the floor, so this is where all the weight goes: cans, rice containers, heavy bottles, and so on.

Making the Most of Storage

First, every trailer should have a tiny astronaut.

Second, everything below is probably pretty specific to the 1743 model Alto. In the top photo, the space above the cupboard is incredibly handy for storing bread, tortillas, frying pans, etc. when not in motion. Of course, on moving day, it all gets stowed away (yes, even the moon man has a safe place!).

The left-most cupboard was built to hold a microwave oven, so it can take a lot more weight than the other two sections (Thanks, Rhea, for that excellent tip back in May!). I put oils and stuff here, but I also keep my toothbrushing supplies here because it’s right above the only sink in the trailer. Easy-peasy!

The bottom photo shows the extensive variety of light items that can fit into the two lightweight sections: paper goods, napkins, plastic glasses, storage containers, etc.

Decluttering and de Cleaning Supplies

Every trailer needs the equivalent of a junk drawer and the blue tray on the left is mine. It’s a place to throw everything when I am settled in at a site, and it’s easy to move it around and clear kitchen counter space when cooking. And that’s Lewis Harris Bear keeping watch on things. He goes everywhere with me because even intrepid vagabond explorers need a teddy bear.

The paper towel holder is the brilliant invention of my fellow 1743 owner, Susan. Because the counter sticks out to make room for the sink, there is just enough room to hang the paper towels there and not have it hit you every time you move. I often forget it is even there, that’s how out of the way it is!

Both it and the two cloth towels are hanging on Command Strip hooks, the coolest invention known to humanity, at least those humans who live in trailers. You can get them anywhere and they are easy to stick up and easy to remove. Another thing I can’t get enough of.

The Geek Factor

As a full-time vagabond, I don’t have “home internet” for surfing, I have a Verizon hotspot and an AT&T cell phone, along with a T-Mobile hotspot I mostly use for their free binge streaming. But all that gadgetry is no good if you can’t pull in a decent signal. Enter the Weboost cell signal booster, a marvel of modern technology. There is an outside antenna and an interior antenna, both connected to this black box that needs 12v power. So I used Command Strips (see how handy they are?) to mount this on the back side of the upper kitchen cabinet, where it’s mostly out of sight, out of mind.

And then, just because I can, I mounted the battery reader next to it, so I can plug it in whenever I need to do a battery check. Yeah, I could probably get a dual 12v thingie so both can plug in at the same time, but that’s just being too efficient 😉

The blue holder (Container Store special) holds all the power/wires so that things look reasonably neat up there, should anyone besides me ever care.

Never Stop Wining

Whoever invented wine in a box is a freaking genius. It is simply the smartest way to carry wine on the road. And it is a great way to not only end a day but end this post!

 

*KonMari is the term Marie Kondo invented to describe her method of tidying up. I love her books. You can get them on Amazon.