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["Jeanne Driese" <jeanne13 AT earthlink.net>]

Recently, though, since I'm by myself, I dry more and more things, 
including pumpkin/squash.  Then I vacuum seal the dried product in 
jars.  Not only easier to work in small batches, but takes less juice to 
do it, is easy to rehydrate, and takes  much less storage space.  I'm 
working on getting my living space, including storage, down under 500sf 
:-) .

Susan Jane, in Maine

Susan,
Here on my hillside in TN I have a total of 468 sf of space.  My main house 
is 340, my sewing/quilting/off season closet/freezer, outbuilding is 96 sf, 
and my tool storage is 32 sf.
It is a challange to do, but my motto has become "when something comes in, an 
equal amount must go out!!!  It makes life interesting these days because I 
have started to dehydrate almost all my food!  All part of my plan to become 
self sufficient using only local "stuff"  Living in a small space makes a 
person become frugel just because there is not room to put all the stuff our 
society thinks we need!
My house space includes a 10 foot wall of bookcases, as one of my passions is 
reading.  All but about 20 books are non fiction.   This year is my 15th year 
in my house.  At 73 years old I still find it manageable.  I will admit that 
hauling EVERYTHING up or down 47 steps can present some physical problems, 
but it is amazing how many bags (with stout handles) I can carry at the same 
time! :))
Jeanne
tnhillwoman
NE TN