Need ideas! How to replace electrical gadgets with non-electrical

[Unionville]

I'm interested in ideas on how I can replace things around my house with self-generated (non-electrical) substitutes. For example here are some things I've replaced already: Air Dry clothes (vs. Dryer), hand sew (vs sewing machine), use a chisel and saw (vs power saw), hand egg beater (vs electrical).  Can you help me come up with additional ideas?  This has become a new challenge for me.  I love it! And I'm learning a lot of new skills.

[redbird]

You can hand-wash clothes. I saw something that somebody here had linked recently about this little washing machine thing that's powered by pumping it with your foot. I can't remember where it was though. I just remember it was something like $200 and the amount of clothes you could fit in it at one time was quite small.

Obviously, you can also wash dishes by hand. You don't even necessarily need a drying rack. If you have a dishwasher you can open it up and use that as a drying rack to sit your clean, wet dishes in while you're washing the rest of the dishes. I've done that in the past. I just don't do that now since my current apartment's dishwasher is really old and really gross looking inside, even when it's clean. I bought a drying rack that sits on the counter top instead.

[Life in Balance]

+1 for using the dishwasher as a rack. 

Can opener, exchange your electric for a hand-held.

[With This Herring]

For sewing, you could also use a treadle sewing machine.  You rock the plate back and forth with your foot, which turns the belt to run the needle.

Get a reel/manual lawnmower instead of a gas or electric one.  Or even a scythe!

For pressing laundry, you could use a flatiron or a box iron.

Use a shake flashlight or a lantern.
Use a crank radio or whistle to yourself.

Instead of a power drill you could use one of two different hand-cranked drills.
Hand brace drill (possibly also called a hand auger)
Eggbeater drill

You can use a woodstove for range cooking, baking, and heating, or even cook things in a fireplace.

And, for traveling, there's always a Flintstone car, a human-powered helicopter, or a human-powered plane.

I found this thread from another forum, which might prove useful.

How far do you want to go?  You might be well-served to pick up a book on the 1800s or the Amish and Mennonites.

[Daley]

Meteor, I refuse to take your request seriously until you utilize RFC-1149 to respond to this thread.

On a more serious note, why? I'm all for learning how to do the base, core labor and use those corresponding primitive tools, but if you already have the technology... why not continue to take full advantage of it while you still can and make your work load a little easier after learning the basics instead of outright replacing? You don't necessarily need to live in a yurt to be a frugal badass.

...and mind, this question is coming from someone who's been described as a neo-luddite systems administrator.

[Unionville]

IP Daley,  i don't understand what the RFC 1149 is. I am for real. 

Why do I want to do this? So far, every time I add another item to my hand-skill list, I feel less dependent on gadgets.  Sometimes electrical gadgets are a hassle and when they break you can be stuck in the lurch. And it cost a lot to have them repaired. For example, I'm glad I don't own a dishwasher or clothes dryer.

For whatever reason, it's liberating to me to do things like our ancestors did. I feel less dependent on electricity (and when our overdue earthquake happens I will probably be able to carry on). Best of all:  I get to own less stuff.   

I'm sure if my main job in life was a seamstress, it would make sense to have an electric sewing machine, but that's not my situation.  Obviously I use a computer, so that I like.  But I find doing things by hand very relaxing and less noisy too. 

[Silverado]

Meteor, I refuse to take your request seriously until you utilize RFC-1149 to respond to this thread.

Excellent. I am often in awe of both what is out there and that people find it and apply it in appropriate situations.

Could a grammar nazi please advise on the structure of that sentence? It looks peculiar to me, but it is late.

[arebelspy]

IP Daley,  i don't understand what the RFC 1149 is.

In short, it's a joke saying you can use carrier pigeons instead of the Internet. :)

[sparkytheop]

You could use a solar oven instead of your regular oven to cook (or a grill, or a campfire...)

[BlueHouse]

There are loads of ideas on Gilligan's Island reruns.  Please see the Professor. 

[sparkytheop]

If you're a coffee drinker, make coffee with a tea kettle and a French press or a single cup brewing cone.

[RetiredAt63]

If you're a coffee drinker, make coffee with a tea kettle and a French press or a single cup brewing cone.

Doesn't everyone use a single cup cone?  So easy, so fast, so versatile.

[teen persuasion]

Let's see - knead bread/pizza dough by hand rather than with Kitchenaid mixer, hand mix cookie dough too.  Knit socks, mittens, hats, scarves, sweaters.

I've got a waffle iron that heats on my gas stove, no electricity needed.  My gas stove is an old one with pilots, so I can use it during power failures.

[Poeirenta]

We live off grid, so in the low sunlight times of the year we use a stovetop espresso maker instead of the electric, a dust mop instead of the vacuum (unless we are charging the batteries with the generator), and we bid farewell to the microwave for four months. We often choose hand tools to do our forestry work simply because we hate the noise and exhaust. But you can only get so far with a bow saw and pair of loppers. Maybe we should get an old school double handled saw...

[seattlecyclone]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analytical_Engine