Anything can happen at any time. Are you prepared? If you’re not but want to be, you might consider homesteading. This provides you the opportunity to become more self-sufficient, so you won’t have to rely as much on purchasing food or handling things that come up if there is an emergency and no way to get help. To start homesteading, you don’t need a lot of supplies or money, but you can do a lot if you have the time to prepare, so it is a good idea to get started today.
Should You Buy a New Home?
Buying a new home isn’t a necessity for homesteading, but there are a few things to consider. If you’re planning on purchasing a home anyways or you’re worried you don’t have enough space right now, consider the following.
Where You Can Store Supplies
You’ll want to make sure you have supplies on hand for anything that could happen, so you’ll need some space for storage. Storage can be as small as a backpack full of supplies from places like Preparedbee.com in case you need to leave in a hurry to a closet dedicated to storing food and other essentials. Take a look around to see where you can create extra storage space in your current home or look for spaces with plenty of storage if you are getting ready to buy a home.
How You Can Grow Food
Consider how you’re going to grow food if you need to live without being able to shop for what you need or if food continues to get more expensive. Gardening doesn’t mean you need acres of land, so it is possible to grow your own vegetables even if you have a smaller space. Hydroponics and similar methods can be used if you need to grow food indoors, but you will be limited by the space you have. Containers can be perfect for growing food on a balcony or in a smaller yard. Methods like square-foot gardening can help you grow as much as possible in an outdoor area of your yard.
Whether You Can Raise Animals
If you’re planning on raising animals, you will need room for them. Whether you’re planning on having larger animals like pigs for food or animals that need space like chickens for eggs, you’ll want to make sure your yard can handle them and that they’re legal to have where you live. If you are planning on buying a home, this is one reason you might want to purchase one with a larger amount of space outside.
Creating the Storage Space for Supplies
Make sure you can store any supplies you need to have. There are different types of storage space you might need, depending on what you plan on doing and how self-sufficient you want to be.
Storage for Food and Water
Make sure you have shelving in a cool, dark place to store food and water. You’ll want to have non-perishables on hand and a way to store as much water as possible in case there’s an emergency and you don’t have access to fresh water. You can also purchase a water filtration device so you can access fresh water from a local well, stream, or other source.
Tool and Other Supplies
You will need a wide range of tools to care for your property. Think of tools you’ll need for repairs inside the home, gardening tools, and anything else that might be needed to survive. Knives, shovels, and more can all be basic, so you don’t need to spend a lot of money on the tools, but you will want to make sure you have at least the basics on hand and easily accessible.
Feed and Animal Supplies
You will need to store food and other supplies for your animals if you have any. Animal food should be kept in a cool, dark place that’s free of pests. You may need other supplies to care for the animals properly. Make sure you have medical and other supplies on hand for the animals and that you know how to do any care they might need on your own. Some animals may not need a lot of extra care, but others may require specialized care, such as sheering if you have sheep.
Getting Started with Gardening
Start learning how to grow your own food so you will always have something to eat. Vegetable gardens don’t have to be huge to provide plenty of food, and you’ll be able to feed your family with what you grow.
Grow the Foods You Like First
If you’ve never grown food, start small and start by growing the foods you enjoy first. Tomatoes are often touted as an excellent option for beginners because of how easy they can be to grow, but if no one in the family likes them, start with something else. Choose the foods you enjoy and you’ll have more fun gardening and get a lot more out of it.
Branch Out and Add Other Options
Once you’ve got a few types of vegetables growing and you’re a little more experienced, go ahead and enlarge your garden area to try out a few more foods. Some vegetables are a little more challenging to grow, but once you’ve got the basics down, you should be able to grow them. Pay attention to what grows best in your area and when to plant everything for the best results.
Plant Trees, Too, If You Have Space
If you have the space, plant a few trees, too. Apple trees, banana trees, and other types of fruit can produce quite a bit each year and can also provide plenty of shade for your family or any animals you might decide to raise.
Raising Animals
If you do plan on raising animals for food or other purposes, make sure you have plenty of room for them and that you’ll be able to care for them on your own if necessary. While it’s a good idea to have them checked out by a vet regularly, the goal is to be prepared for emergencies and to make sure you’re self-sufficient. Even if you lean on vets and caregivers for things like sheering sheep, you’ll want to learn how to do it in case you need to in the future. Make sure you’re also prepared with plenty of food and water for the animals if there is an emergency and know how to care for them if needed.
Learning to Do Things Alone
Make sure you take the time to learn how to do things on your own instead of relying on a specialist to help you with them. The DIY mindset is crucial if you’d like to start homesteading, as if there is an emergency, you may not be able to get help. There are a few things you’ll definitely want to be able to do on your own if anything happens.
Be Able to Handle Minor Medical Emergencies
You will want to make sure you have basic medical supplies on hand and can handle minor medical emergencies from home. It is always a good idea to get medical care, if possible, but if there is an emergency and medical care isn’t available, it is a good idea to know how to handle cuts and bruises, how to handle a fever or other illness, and how to set bones so they can heal.
Fix Things Around the House to Stay Safe
Learn how to fix as much around the home as possible. It is not going to be easy to get someone to fix things for you if there’s an emergency, so you’ll at least want to get it to where it’s safe until you can get someone to fix it. Learn how to fix minor issues around the home and continue to learn as you go to be able to do as much as possible without help.
Make Sure You Can Repair or Make Clothing
Learn how to sew with a needle and thread so you can patch up clothes in an emergency to keep everyone warm and dry. It may be fun to learn how to make your own clothes, even if they’re just basic, so you can be sure everyone will have clothing if there is an emergency and you can’t purchase anything new. This could be especially important if you have kids, as they grow quickly and will outgrow their clothing over time.
Learn Other Essential Skills
Take classes and learn other essential homesteading skills, like canning, to make sure you’re well prepared if you do need to be completely self-sufficient for a period of time. You’ll want to learn as much as possible so you can rely on your own skills instead of needing someone else.
If you’re planning on homesteading, you can get started with what you have right now. You don’t need to buy a big home with plenty of yard space unless you’d like to start raising animals or have other needs. However, you do need to take some time to learn as much as possible and to expand your skill set. With the right preparation, if anything does happen, you’ll be self-sufficient and will be able to do as much as possible to stay safe and healthy at home.
