Instead of waiting for the perfect property or the perfect time, take the plunge and start homesteading today. Here are 19 ways to homestead anywhere. Don’t waste your time wishing for a dream. Start learning skills today that will help you when the dream finally comes true.
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Homesteading isn’t Where You Live, It’s How
When we lived on a city lot, I often wished for more land. I wanted a homestead and didn’t see how I could make that happen in a tiny yard in the middle of town. Then I heard somebody say that homesteading isn’t where you live, it’s how. That simple idea changed my ideas about homesteading. I started learning everything I could from skills to general knowledge that would be useful later. I started baking with sourdough, making my own cleaners, planted a garden, preserved what I grew, and switched to homemade body products.
Since then we moved to the country and have a bit of land, but it needs a lot of work. That means lots of time and money. Although patience isn’t my greatest strength, I’m trying. And while I wait for a barn with a cow, I’m still learning how to homestead in the season of life that I’m in right now. But I’m still wearing my cow shirt as much as possible as a subliminal message to my husband.
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Ways to Homestead Anywhere With a Kitchen
Ways to Homestead Anywhere: Make It
Learn to make sourdough.
Sourdough is not difficult to learn. By using it, you’ll reduce your reliance on the store. Most of the baked goods I used to purchase are now homemade. This not only saves us money, but they are way healthier for us too. You can check out my guide to creating a sourdough starter and be making discard biscuits.
Learn to preserve food.
Instead of letting things go to waste, learn how to properly preserve them. Dehydrate fresh herbs, so that you can use them all winter. Freeze some tomato sauce. Can a batch of apple butter. Use stale bread to make bread crumbs to keep in the freezer. The possibilities are endless. This is good practice for when you are living the homestead dream. Plus it will save you some money.
Learn to cook from scratch.
When you go shopping, buy ingredients instead of meals. Instead of buying a box of cookie mix, grab a bag of chocolate chips and learn to make them from scratch. You could even make up a large batch of dough, roll it into balls, and freeze it for later. That makes it just as easy as those slice and bake cookies. Start testing out recipes and soon you’ll find yourself with a repertoire of from scratch meals.
Ways to Homestead Anywhere: Buy It
Buy from local farmers.
Just because you don’t live on a farm, doesn’t mean you can’t eat like you do. Find local farmers that sell direct to consumers. A great place to start is at your local farmer’s market. I’ve written a whole post about sourcing real food. Right now you may only be able to find raw milk, but think about where you could be in a year.
Buy in bulk.
Buying in bulk will save you money in the long run. It will also prepare you for harvest time on your future homestead. Ask the tomato guy at the farmers market for his seconds. Then you can take home lots of tomatoes to preserve, just like you might if you had your own garden. I like to purchase grains and spices from Azure Standard. I’ll buy enough flour and sugar to last the whole year.
Ways to Homestead Anywhere With a Garden
Start an indoor herb garden.
Herbs can grow just about anywhere. They’re like domesticated weeds. Plant a few in mason jars and keep them in the kitchen window. If you want more, try an Aerogarden. You can do herbs and lettuces in it year round right on the kitchen counter.
Plant vegetables in containers.
Get a couple of pots and plant a tomato plant or potatoes. Make use of any balcony, porch, deck space. I planted a container garden the year we moved. Although it wasn’t as fruitful as my in-ground garden, it provided lots of herbs and enough produce to eat fresh. Do what you can with where you are.
Learn to grow one food really well.
If the idea of gardening overwhelms you take things slow. Decide on one plant you like, for me it’s potatoes. Plant only that and learn how to grow, harvest, and preserve just that one plant. After a year, you’ll be an expert on the one plant. Then you can do the first plant and a new plant the following year.
Figure out how to plan a garden for best production.
Maybe you are reading this in the dead of winter, so gardening isn’t possible right now. Take time to research about techniques, pest control, and plant types. Check out my guide to square foot gardening. I’ve found it the easiest method to wrap my head around.
Start composting.
If you are able to garden outside, start composting. It makes use of your kitchen waste and turns it into delicious food. If budget is a concern you can simply collect scraps in a bowl and make a pile in the yard. My grandma likes to bury hers in the flower beds. If you don’t want a pile and have the money I highly recommend a compost tumbler. We’ve used ours for 4 years and love it. I also have a compost bucket that I keep under the sink to collect scraps. It prevents smells and bugs.
Other Ways to Homestead Anywhere
Ways to Homestead Anywhere: Make Your Own
Make your own cleaning products.
This one will do wonders for your health and wallet. I’ve found that almost everything can be cleaned with baking soda and vinegar. Although I do like to mix it up and use essential oils to make nice smelling cleaners. As you run out of a commercial cleaner, replace it with an all natural one. I’ve got recipes for toilet bowls, shower spray, dusting, windows, and leather. With just a few ingredients you can have a clean home without the chemicals or cost.
Make your own body products.
Similar to the cleaners this will do wonders for your health and budget. Most homemade body products take the same ingredients, so once you make chapstick you could also make lotion bars. Use castile soap for everything from the dishes to your face. Just like with the cleaners, start slow by replacing things as you use them up.
Experiment with herbal medicine.
Although modern medicine has its place, there are many times when herbs can be used instead. You can buy dried herbs or use the ones from your garden. Either way this gives a homesteader more freedom and a sense of power. I know it has left me feeling empowered. Herbal medicine is another level of self sufficiency that can be easily pursued without land.
Ways to Homestead Anywhere: Do the Laundry
Learn to mend clothing.
When your favorite shirt rips or the button falls off your pants, take it as an opportunity to learn how to repair your clothing. The homesteading mindset is not one of waste, so fix it or repurpose it. We use ruined shirts to tie up tomato plants. But seriously, there’s no need to throw out a good pair of pants that have a small hole. Throw a patch on there. Even an iron on patch will work.
Line dry your laundry.
No line necessary. Use a drying rack, retractable line, or a traditional outdoor line. Whatever you pick, line drying will save you money on electricity and in clothing. Using the dryer is hard on clothes. In the winter I figure that I’m already paying to heat the house, so I might as well use that same heat to dry the laundry. Yes, it takes longer and sometimes the clothing is stiff, but it’s such a little step. If you don’t like the stiff laundry feel, toss it in the dryer with an ice cube for 5 minutes after it comes off the line. I absolutely LOVE seeing my laundry on the line. It makes me feel like Ma Ingalls.
Ways to Homestead Anywhere: Homesteading is All In Your Head
Embrace the mindset.
Homesteading is a state of mind. Homesteaders make use of the resources available. Whether it’s using old shirts to tie up tomatoes or sourdough discard to make pizza. They try to rely on the local community instead of mass producers. Buying from local farmers and locally owned shops supports the community. Preparing is part of life. Preserving food for winter and buying in bulk to avoid food shortages and inflation. Homesteaders are determined to do it themselves. Anything and everything is online. Watch a video and learn a skill.
Grow where you are planted.
Instead of wishing and dreaming your days away, do what you can where you are at. Maybe a dairy cow and orchard aren’t possible in your apartment. But you can cook from scratch and plant some herbs in the kitchen window. Everything you learn now will help you on your journey to the dream.
Pinch Pennies
Stick to a budget.
Learn how to budget and get out of debt. Make a budget and follow it. Pay off cars, credit cards, and loans. This will set you up to be able to purchase the homestead you dream of. Plus it will serve you well for the rest of your life.
Find at home hobbies.
This goes along with budgeting. Find things that you enjoy doing at home. Try knitting, woodworking, playing an instrument, reading, or whatever you enjoy. Once you have property out of town you won’t want to be running to town to be entertained all the time. It will cost a fortune in gas alone. And let’s be honest, it will save you money right now if you quit going to the movies every Friday night. I encourage you to find something that does not require a screen. The sky’s the limit. Save movie theaters, bowling, and arcades for special times like the occasional date night.
The site may contain links to affiliate websites, and we receive an affiliate commission for any purchases made by you on the affiliate website using such links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. As a Revive EO Affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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