In a recent post a few people commented that our house and kitchen always looks so clean. And no doubt Jaimie is strict about keeping things in its place. She even has a very detailed bullet journal with that quote inside on one of its pages.
She likes things to stay organized and clean. And each season presents its challenges in keeping the home clean and organized. But winter especially has its moments with many days of wet ground meaning the possible tracking in of mud and debris when the boys bring in firewood. But the biggest hurdle is the wood stove and the constant ash and wood prices that surround it.
So for all of you who like to think that our house is immaculate all the time, I thought I would show you the wood stove as it was seen today and how it is seen most days during the winter season. It is true that most of the time the house is very much in order and super picked up and clean. But the wood stove is just something Jaimie has had to let go with the constant bringing in of new firewood and emptying of ash into the ash bucket.
The Wood Stove
This is the wood stove under full use this morning. The drying rack is up and drying out a load of washed socks. The top of the stove has a pot of hot water ready for whatever use Jaimie allocates it for and the floor surrounding the stove is full of debris and ash.
The Ash Bucket
This is just a lightweight stainless steel pot that we got cheap at Walmart. It holds the ash that we empty from the stove. If you don't keep your stove empty of ash, it will not work as efficiently as it could and heat your home. So emptying this bucket becomes an almost daily chore. We spread it outside over areas we want grass to grow as it will up the PH in the soil. We are just careful not to dump hot coals outside on something that will burn.
Yep, look at all that dirt. LOL
This is Jaimie's drying rack. She and @hansjurgen pulled this off of an old baby crib and have been using it ever since to dry laundry in the house during winter.
The Firewood
The firewood is what causes most of the dirt and debris around the wood stove. I cut the wood and it gets stacked in the wood shed. It still has all kinds of saw dust on it from the cutting and it gets littered all over the house when its brought in. Jaimie sweeps up what she can throughout the day but it just collects around the stove. The firewood means a warm house. You just have to deal with the dust and debris.
Look at all that dirt! Wow, that drives Jaimie nuts!
IT WON'T BE DIRTY FOREVER
Soon winter will be over and the stove will be cleaned and all the dirt and dust will be gone. The ash will be all removed and the floor tile under the stove will once again be clean and pretty. On that day, Jaimie will celebrate!
We love our wood stove. It helps us stay warm in the winter and the only cost to run it is the time it takes to cut and bring the wood in to feed it. It stays well maintained and has rewarded us with an amazing benefit of the heat that it provides!
That is the DIRTY TRUTH!
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Letting go is good.. for a season.
I’ve had to learn this all to hard lesson of letting go while we live in an RV. Not everything gets its own place when space is tight... but I’m still trying!!
Even with the wood chips and Ash, your home is still warm and inviting.
@jeejee
You can do it!!!! We went from a 4000 sq ft home to an RV by choice and got rid of the shackles of debt. Whatever your reasoms are...keep the faith good friend. We looked for the right property to make our homestead for about a year and then one day....CHECKMATE!!!
Praying that’s our story too, soon :) thank you for the encouragement!!
@jeejee
We grew up with that kinda dirt and honestly i miss it... but mom got dad to make her a wood box and that was awesome!
Yes! The wood burning makes such a mess in our house too! Only imagine carpet all around that. We try to keep the area clean but is there really any point? The carpet is coming out soon..
Hahahaha, this is so true! I totally understand the crazy feeling around the woodstove--I feel like my broom and I are one and the same through the winter months. But at the same time, I love "letting go" of the false expectations of an immaculate, "perfect" house. If I had that house, that would mean that my boy wasn't running around outside in the mud, my husband wasn't doing meaningful work outside, and I wasn't caring for my chickens. I'll take the dirt, and the wonderful realities that go along with it!
Gotta stay warm❗️
With 9 dogs, 3 kids, and wood stove I feel like I'm constantly sweeping up dust and debris. It's a never ending struggle. We try to keep most of it away from the stove so nothing accidentally gets ignited, especially when the coals spark!
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The real reality of off grid living! Tweeting..
The cost of being warm, a few ashes and sawdust. We also used to spread the ashes, now I don't have as many and we reuse the sawdust as a filler to mend broken furniture. I like the crib side drying rack. Fits in with our philosophy of waste not, want not!
Off grid life...a little dirty at times but worth it!
Looks pretty tidy to me heheh. I hear you on the constant debris from wood. I love the drying rack, is it a homemade or purchased? Our tiny cabin was built with unpeeled cedar (not our choice), so you can imagine how much debris our house creates, yikes. The sweeping mediation is a constant part of winter for us. Thanks for sharing the candid view of your winter home.
Were hoping cut our wood by 80% or more next year by building a rocket mass heater, it should reduce but not eliminate the debris ;)
God Bless Jaimie. I think what I used to hear from my Grandmother in German was "as my Father would say Ein Platz für alles und alles an seinem Platz." A place for everything and everything in it's place. Its the way things used to be when I was growing up. Clean, neat and orderly.
Wood heats you twice, once when you cut it and again when you burn it - paraphrasing Thoreau. Really enjoy the post and looking forward to getting back to the land - again! Life has tossed me about quite a bit in the last couple of years and I am currently in raging civilization. But I will return to the country life! Thanks for what you do and show.