My mother, my two German shepherds and I started living in the Pilgrim 366 days ago.
To celebrate our anniversary, here are 25 things we’ve learned:
1) Smaller is better. I can’t recall one time in the past year when I’ve thought, “Gosh, I want more space.”
2) 400ish square feet is super easy to clean. It takes about 7 minutes to vacuum the kitchen, dining room, living room, entryway and my bedroom.
3) It’s cheaper and my savings account is happy.
4) Mice and squirrels can actually infiltrate a three-inch space between a ceiling and a roof.
5) Metal coat hangers are great plumbing tools. We keep one parked outside the grey water tank.
6) Hot water heaters aren’t hard to repair once you get around to ordering the parts and watching a YouTube video.
7) Friends love campfires and outdoor activities. They don’t care so much that the house isn’t huge.
8) Entertaining guests outside is fun (even in the rain and mud).
9) With plenty of outdoor exercise, even the dogs don’t need a lot of indoor space.
10) Dishwashers, washers and dryers, ovens and stovetops aren’t necessities. We’ve lived a year without them. We’ve survived.
11) Coffee pots are essential no matter what you live in.
12) A trampoline is a great meditation room and sometimes office space.
13) Chickens feel welcome inside. (We still miss Leonard and Henrietta).
14) Towels don’t have to be washed EVERY day.
15) These things aren’t insulated very well.
16) Nature is close. Sometimes 18 inches above your face.
17) Speaking of nature, the first time I saw a huge-ass mouse in the trailer, I screamed. Two nights ago I saw one. Didn’t even flinch.
18) Memory foam mattresses freeze when they get cold.
19) Friends can spend the night so long as you have a tent.
20) Little things mean a lot because they’re more noticeable. Things like washing dishes, taking out the trash, sweeping.
21) It’s always a good idea to keep jugs of fresh water around. You never know when you’re going to lose water pressure or have a mouse eat through a water line.
22) If your roommate is home and you want to have a private conversation on the phone, go to your car.
23) With limited cabinet space, you can hang a lot of shit on the walls.
24) Wall space is precious. Choose your artwork carefully.
25) You’re intimately aware of what electrical outlet(s) can handle what devices and when without blowing a breaker.
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