Lazy Bastage Tips

[flailer]

I admit it, I don't like making a mess, or dealing with them either, so, here are my favorite tips:

1) Place my coffee cup, spoon, & bfast accessories in the refrigerator so I don't have to wash them, and then use them again at the next meal.
Go ahead, say it: Flailer, you are one laz.... hey wait: that's pretty smart, and it saves soap, water, & gray tank :exclamation: Full disclosure, i do slight rinse first.

2) Use Pyrex containers for foods, with (or without) a positive sealing lid. This way I can cook, eat, & store all in one container. I will admit (hangs his head) to using the same container up to 4 times (4 meals over 8 day period) between washing (as the container holds that much, allowing for multiple leftovers). Pyrex can be used on stove top & microwave. Just don't go from a cold ref to a hot stove top FAST, or it may crack (it hasnt happened to me, yet)
p.s. YES, i admit it: i lick the fork off really well, and place it in the refrigerator too.... so I dont hav'ta wash it either.

3) Ghetto floor mats: So, I have carpeting. On the floors, walls, ceiling. frick'n EVERYWHERE! sheeze. And it gets dirty. Particularly when in wet enviro. Yes, I have throw rugs, but they dont fit well. and they get dirty too!
Solution: Paper bags. Like shopping bags. They are smaller than rugs, and because they are thin, they can be overlapped way-way better than throw-rugs can, covering every square inch of the flooring.
Pick them up, shake them off (outside of course) , and use 'em again if they are worthy. I reuse them as trash bags too, of course.

4) Chocolate. Nuff said :angel: :angel: :angel:

 

[Theadyn]

Hey, whatever it takes to save on water, right? lol Not lazy, smart!

Good tips... who's got more??

 

[Iggy]

I use my bath towels at least a half dozen times before throwing into laundry basket (air dry after each use).
I make the bed every day but unless I was dirty or had sex in there, I usually wait two weeks to wash the sheets.
I use a stiff broom to sweep my carpet generally.
I normally eat a protein bar for breakfast so I have no dishes to wash.
I shave my head so I don't have to wash my hair.
I set up my van very simplistic (no shower, insulation, auxiliary battery, water tanks, decor, etc.) both to save money and labor on set up, and so I had less maintenance.
If I'm sick or feel like sleeping in, I'll use my pee bottle so I can stay in bed a few more hours.
Did you know you can wear underwear four different ways to make them last longer? Regular way, backwards, inside out, and inside out-backwards.
Just kidding on the last one.

 

[Canine]

At work I had brought my dog with me. She was thirsty and I neglected to bring her water dish; I didn't even bring a glass for me. So I set out to look for a suitable container. Nothing except for other people's coffee mugs. I wasn't going to use someone else's mug for my dog to drink out of, except in the corner was a super nasty looking mug. I don't know what it was used for, but it obviously wasn't for drinking coffee. I smelled it and it hadn't been used for some kind of chemical storage, so I decided to use that one for the dog. This mug was no where near fit for human potability.

Except a few days later a fellow coworker used it! I felt bad, but didn't admit that my dog had used it. I asked him why he was using such a nasty looking mug. He said he purposely didn't wash it so that anyone needing a coffee mug wouldn't use his. He hadn't washed it in something like 10 years. I had to laugh. He didn't consider thirsty dogs! Lol.

 

[LeeRevell]

I haven't washed my coffee mug in years although I do rinse it a bit and wash the lid every now and again.

I heard the question of not washing your cup asked of a biologist on a NPR show and he said it was OK because...

(1) Coffee is acidic and thus harder for bacteria to survive in plus, as it evaporates its pH continues to get lower making it even harder on the bugs.

(2) If you are the only person using the cup it's just bugs from your own mouth in the cup anyway.

Guy

In the Navy we called that a "lifer cup". Our white porcelain cups were soon brown.
I once committed the serious crime of washing the shop coffee pot. Thought the Seniorchief would keelhaul me!
I still fall back on those old habits.
I sometimes just wash my boxers in the sink, rinse, wring and hang to dry. Being a batchelor I can do that.

 

[concretebox]

My Pyrex says "not for stovetop use" right on it! Not sure what you're Pyrex is but I wouldn't recommend using it on the stovetop just in case.

I cleaned out my rig today. I took the two floor mats out and shook them. Then I used a dust-pan brush to brush the dog hair, dust and dirt out the side door! I then took the blankets and sheets off the bed and shook them out. Then a quick wipe down of the floor with a disposable bleach wipe and I've "swept and mopped" the floor.

 

[sassypickins]

This is a fun thread!

@concretebox - your new blog about how you're dealing with stuff is interesting and I look forward to reading more.

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

2 weeks to wash sheets? pffft...more like 3 months lol shit now i just toss em and buy a new set for 15 bucks at wally

 

[Iggy]

I might get to that point too eventually. But right now, I have company in my van occasionally and I don't want to give them a reason to not spend the night with me. I actually had a woman pull back the covers and sniff the sheets recently. Lol

 

[Canine]

Iggy, that could be the start of a Seinfeld episode. "The Sniffer" could be one date, etc. Lol.

 

[sassypickins]

Was prolly a bedbug check too

 

[Almost There]

Was prolly a bedbug check too

I was thinking the same thing but didn't want to say it out loud...

 

[Iggy]

Was prolly a bedbug check too

Lol

 

[flailer]

Thanks peoples, I love it :heart: I'm picking up ideas here

My biggest yuckiest issue is dirty socks. I like hiking & cycling, and the socks get really nasty. Really sucks - gag me with a back-hoe!

I'm packing lots and lot of underwear & socks, so I rarely have to do laundry. When I do do laundry I can stuff everything, including sheets, into a single load. OK, maybe I should use the term "CRAM" everything into a single load.

So, again, my problem is dirty sock stench, and the only solution I currently have is to hike in sandals, skipping socks altogether. And this works as my sandals are hiking sandals, but I don't get all the support I would like, so my hikes get shortened, and that sucks.

The only solution that comes to mind (which I have not tried yet) is to use a large nut container (Costco, mixed nuts, screw on lid) 1/3 full of water, dab of soap, 2 maybe 3 pair of socks at a time, and hand-shake the living snot out of them, rinse and hang-dry.

I thought of this solution for underwear, but as I change everyday, and they pack down so small, and of course they are much MUCH cleaner than socks, I havent needed to try it.

Any ideas? What do you guys do for stinky stinky stuff??

 

[Almost There]

Have you tried something like the Smartwool socks that we use for hiking.

I find that the good hiking socks, no matter how many days in the bush that I wear them, don't smell bad. They've smelled of swamp mud when I got a soaker - heck I was banned to a distance of 50' one time for swamp mud, but never ever because of feet smell.

If you want to wash small clothing items out between laundry trips, use a gallon ziplock rather than a round container that will take up space. 1 or 2 items, some Dr.Bonners, add water, zip shut and agitate vigorously for as long as your arms will hold out, let soak, agitate some more, rinse and hang to dry. Long distance hikers hang stuff from the outside of their packs to dry on the trail.

 

[flailer]

Thanks Almost There!
Dr. Bronners is the plan!
But, don't the zip lock bags open while shaking, make a mess, and stop the whole process?

Oh yeah, and on the smart wool: Of course, why in the heck didnt I think of that!!! I have three pair, but only carry one, for cold weather sleeping. duh!!

 

[Almost There]

Thanks Almost There!
Dr. Bronners is the plan!
But, don't the zip lock bags open while shaking, make a mess, and stop the whole process?

Oh yeah, and on the smart wool: Of course, why in the heck didnt I think of that!!! I have three pair, but only carry one, for cold weather sleeping. duh!!

The zip locks will only open if you use the cheap ones! I like the ones that have two lines that lock. And of course, if you hold them by the bottom and upside down, there's a good chance you'll get wet.

I use my hiking socks year round every day now because they're just so comfortable. I only change to dress socks when I have to! As for cold weather sleeping, I have a pair of TMax Heat socks, girly colours but who cares, warmer than toast. For regular cool weather sleeping I have a 'mistake' pair that are too big for in my hiking shoes but work great for sleeping.

 

[Ariel]

Flirtin' with danger using that Pyrex on a stove top... any major temperature fluctuation and you'll have a shard impaled in your eye.

http://www.today.com/health/kitchen-calamity-reports-shattering-cookware-rise-1C7700507

 

[Almost There]

Flirtin' with danger using that Pyrex on a stove top... any major temperature fluctuation and you'll have a shard impaled in your eye.

http://www.today.com/health/kitchen-calamity-reports-shattering-cookware-rise-1C7700507

Thanks for the link.

While I know full well not to use any of my glass cookware on top of the stove, I've been guilty of putting it in the oven while the oven came up to temperature and not being careful of the surface I put the hot dish on at the end of baking.

I'll be more mindful in the future...some of my stuff is old and some not so old.

 

[flailer]

Flirtin' with danger using that Pyrex on a stove top... any major temperature fluctuation and you'll have a shard impaled in your eye.

http://www.today.com/health/kitchen-calamity-reports-shattering-cookware-rise-1C7700507

REALLY? I can not count the number of times I have done this. and the twice cooked rice comes out so amazing.

........ This lazy bastage doesnt like trips to the hospital .......