Thursday, June 27, 2013

Even The Simple Things - Squeegee!


    One of the best things about having an RV is the ability to take a hot shower, wherever I am parked whenever I want. Such a simple thing, but when I was researching my RV it was a deal breaker to NOT have a full size separate shower! Usually, I just wipe down the walls with my towel to keep the moisture level down. Of course now my towel takes much longer to dry. There had to be a better way! 

Last week while wandering through an IKEA megastore I stumbled across this under $2 fix. It's a Squeegee. Now I understand this sounds a lot like a common sense fix for an easy problem. I couldn't agree more! Sometimes the easiest things with the simplest solutions are the hardest ones to find. Have you ever looked at a problem, really studied it and just couldn't figure it out? Then later on...perhaps days  or weeks afterward it just hit you. That Eureka moment?

Take the design of this simple tool. A bit of formed plastic, a thin strip of metal and a piece of flexible vinyl (yes I know that's plastic too!) Add a dash of manufacturing and...Voila! you have an elegant and inexpensive fix for a problem that could become very expensive. Mold, mildew, rot and worse. These are some sure killers of any RV.

It's not all doom and gloom around me...well not all the time anyway! It's just that I look at the long view of any problem and try and find the easiest and most reliable solution. Something about this simple squeegee appeals to that part of my brain.

I've have been known to "Rube Goldberg" a contraption or solution that is far too complex to last very long without something going horribly wrong. However, after years of that strategy, I finally learned to spend some additional time on the planning side. No more "Scream and Leap" for me. Look at what you need from all angles THEN figure out the solution. Back to old fashioned common sense. Every time I say that to someone (well not EVERY time) they say, "It's not so common." I'd hate to think we've lost the skill and talent to do things the simple way. 

OK, so you've all figured it out....I'm using the Squeegee as an example. Don't get me wrong, it's a GREAT solution for the shower humidity problem, but it really illustrates the "Even The Simple Things Philosophy."
I'll keep finding easy solutions for things and letting you know. You keep reading!

Be Seeing You...Down The Road,

Rich "The Wanderman"
www.thewanderman.com







2 comments:

  1. Rich,

    Another item that keeps moisture hanging around (pun intended) is that wadded-up shower curtain. Swap it out for an accordion-style door or some-such, and I bet your moisture will further decline.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Uknown,
      That's the "travel" position for the shower curtain. It usually hangs straight down and it's really amazing how fast a thing shower sheet will dry. Much less water on it than the walls! Since it has weights sewn (melted?) into the bottom hem, it shifts around and makes noise when I drive. Little annoyances, easy fixes!

      Rich "The Wanderman"

      Delete

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