5 Easy Ways to Start Thinking like a Homesteader
If you asked me 3 years ago if I saw myself living in the mountains, raising chickens, growing vegetables, and rendering beef fat…I would have responded with a big fat “Hell no!”
Buy why? I guess cause I didn’t see the point. My only dream 3 years ago was to move out of my in-laws’ house; I had no concept of modern homesteading. The more I researched what self-sufficiency looked like the more I realized how much more backyard homesteading was than just being more self-sufficient. My decision to stir my family into a more sustainable, financially free, natural living direction was not going to be my latest hobby; this was progressing into a major lifestyle change.
Hold up, I don’t have an actual homestead with enough room to live 100% self-sufficiently, so I guess I’ll start a secret Pinterest board and save all the cool homesteading pins for when I have some usable land…WRONG!
Why not start now? Homesteading is so much more than raising chickens and growing food. If you are like me I DID NOT grow up on a homestead, my parents didn’t, and neither did my husband or his parents. All that history to say; I have plenty of skills to work on until I get that “Homestead”.
Here are the 5 ways I started thinking
like a Modern Homesteader in the City!
1. Building A Community
Not only is it unrealistic to attempt to grow, raise, and make every single thing your family needs in the city, that plan is not going to be enjoyable. Now is the time to build your community!
If you aren’t going to raise your beef; who could you purchase (or barter) from? Social media is great for finding local businesses, and like-minded people… But I’ll be completely honest every single one of my can’t live without farmers/ranchers I meet through: friends(word of mouth), farmers markets, and the local stores’ bulletin board. So get out there and meet people!
2. Sharpen Your Skills
You can type google “Homesteading skills” and you will quickly find there is no shortlist. Especially if you plan to live completely off the grid; you are going to have an even bigger list.
No one said homesteading was going to be easy, gaining all these new skills is going to take time and work. Today I took my kids to the library and they had a flyer for a free seed swap! Even youtube has amazing tutorials on how to make your soap. Make a list of skills you want to learn and start checking them off.
3. Practice Being Resourceful
I’ll be honest, this one didn’t exactly come easy to me. Homesteading is a frugal way of life. Living below or within your means is one way of doing that( this is hard for me too). Being resourceful I think goes hand in hand. Training your mind to look at a problem and finding a solution with things you already own or know where/how to get for less than buying brand-spankin’ new.
You’re probably thinking “ok great but how do I start thinking that way?” Don’t worry, I gotcha! Next time you go into town or drive around town; start scouting out which places throw out large quantities of raw materials. Especially if you plan on composting or gardening knowing where to find free/cheap sawdust, 5-gallon buckets, wood pallets, or molasses tubs will come in handy!
4. Become A Conscious Shopper
This also goes along the same lines as frugal living. Let’s make “shopping around” normal again. Don’t get me wrong, I definitely enjoy meandering Targets’ isles, and online shopping. When I come across a low price, it’s really hard to pass up; even if I don’t actually need it. But seriously, let’s learn how to make informed intentional decisions when it comes to buying products. Knowing the difference between a markdown and a fair price. Making sure we know exactly where that value is in the quality of each item.
5. Start DIYing and MIYing
I’m not talking just in the craft sense. I’m talking about actually doing things yourself and MAKING it yourself! One of your husband’s buttons fell off his shirt? Sew it back on. Tired of buying enriched bleached flour bread? Start making bread. The other night I felt like having enchiladas..yum..but I didn’t have enchilada sauce. So I made some! It was delicious! My daughter loves her long hair and brushing it, but hates tangles(duh), I looked up some nontoxic hair detangler for kids and I couldn’t find much. Pinterest to the rescue! Kaleonahe’s “spray-spray” is now a staple in our house AND she can make it herself, BONUS! If you’re waiting for a sign to start cooking from scratch and homemaking things..this is it! You got this!
Even if you don’t end up buying a few acres to homestead, these 5 simple ways to start thinking like a homesteader will help you provide for your family in a more sustainable way, achieve financial freedom, live more naturally with fewer toxins, and give your self a little more freedom then you had before. The more self-sustainable you are; the more freedom you have.
Which Of These Mindset Changes Is The Most Difficult For You?