Do you live in a big city and want to start homesteading? You don’t have to have 10 acres of land to start homesteading and homemaking today. You don’t even have to have an acre. Here are 10 ways to start homesteading today, wherever you are.
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You can start homesteading today, whether you can land or no land. I’m going to tell you how!
Homesteading is about self-sufficiency, simplicity, and taking small steps to work towards the highest level of achievement in your reach. That ‘reach’ looks different for all of us.
For some, it’s growing a small herb garden in their single window and for others, it means cows, acres of orchards and flocks of chickens. We all have one thing in common, though, and that’s that we can start anytime, anywhere.
1. Start homesteading today by decluttering
The first of 10 ways you can start homesteading today is to declutter. This is thankfully something I didn’t have to learn. Shortly after my husband and I met we decided to hit the road to play music. For almost 3 years our belongings fit completely in our 2012 Hyundai Elantra Touring.
I’ll admit it was hard at age 21 to give everything away but it was one of the best lessons I’ve learned. Now every new year I have a nice big “House Purge”! Clothes, sports equipment, cake pans, candles, toiletries, etc. If I haven’t seen it recently, it’s usually moved to the purge pile and then donated.
If you live in a small space, this is a great activity to practice because it makes more room for you to grow plants and work towards self-sustainability!
2. Cook from scratch
Cooking and baking from scratch is possibly my most favorite activity of the “home-ing” varieties. I come from a family of phenomenal bakers and cooks so the pressure was on!
Since I’ve started to homestead I’ve learned to make things like my favorite chocolate cake and the best dang cast-iron buttermilk biscuits you’ve ever had. Not only is cooking from scratch good for the soul but it can also save you a considerable amount of money. Making it one of the best ways to start homesteading today.
3. Start a garden
You might not be able to plant a full-sized vegetable garden today but what about a small herb garden to start homesteading with? Starting a small garden is a great way to start homesteading.
In college, I had a roommate that had a nice, compact herb garden in our kitchen equipped with a grow light and little pod system; it was kind of like this one. It was so fun to have fresh herbs and such an easy thing to do. You can get a pre-made setup like that one or opt for a more simple sprouting setup like this one.
4. Learn to sew
One of the best decisions I’ve ever made is buying a sewing machine. I have a really simple machine that’s great for beginners and can take a beating! In one year I’ve learned to sew makeup bags, crossbody purses, diaper bags, and (my most recent achievement) pleated skirts!
It’s a lot of fun to give homemade Christmas gifts to people every year. This, too, can save you a considerable amount of money even after you start homesteading! You may think sewing is a huge time commitment but I can say that is not true.
BONUS TIP!: One of my best friends helped me out when I first started sewing and she sells her upcycled, made from love items on her Etsy store OneThingToAnother.
She’s currently taking a short break but when she’s back up and running I highly suggest purchasing one of her lavender-mint aromatherapy eye pillows. I also have one of her essential oil carriers – they clip right onto your purse and the bottles fit perfectly, equipped with a nice zipper.
5. Go green
Another great way to start homesteading and save money is to make your own cleaning supplies. If you haven’t already figured it out, you don’t need (chemicals) to make your home squeaky clean. When I clean my house it’s done with baking soda, vinegar, and essential oils.
I’ve also been making my own laundry detergent now for two years using this recipe. You can also make your own hand soap and hair supplies! Pinterest is gold-mine for things like that and a huge help when you start homesteading.
6. Do it yourself
Sewing, making your own cleaning supplies, and baking and cooking from scratch all fall under this category. The DIY projects are where it’s at and the best ways to start homesteading. All the cool kids are doing it. You can make coffee tables out of pallets, concoct your own homemade bug spray, the list goes on and on.
The best part? Becoming a DIY-er doesn’t require acreage and it’s a critical part starting a homestead. I’d say 50% of my life now consists of DIY projects. Also…it can save you money! You can check out some really great DIY ideas on my Pinterest board.
7. Barter
My mother is the bartering queen, Y’all. I have memories of being a young girl and my mother bartering massages for things like deer meat and lawn service. I guess you could say my mom really knew how to start homesteading. My mom was (and still is!) a wonderful masseuse so she had a great skill to barter.
To this day she barters with the local fish market, local grocery stores, and she’s even bartered massages for a few friends of hers to put in some beautiful raised garden beds.
I will admit if you’re not like my mom and you’re more like me, bartering can be intimidating and hard to begin so we can work towards this goal together. Either way, you can start homesteading today or tomorrow or yesterday with bartering.
8. Preserve
By learning to dehydrate, can, and freeze foods from the comfort of your own home you’re on your way to start homesteading with or without land. Canning is on my list of things to learn to do.
If you live in a city and buy in bulk, you’re a prime candidate for food preservation. For some really great preservation recipes and information, Pinterest is always my go-to. You can also buy some really wonderful books to help you navigate these waters.
9. Composting is the best way to start homesteading today
This one might be a little more difficult for some folks because it can require space. You can vermicompost! Vermicompost is composting with worms and it’s super cool. You can find all kinds of DIY setups that fit in small spaces like under your sink or buy a premade bin.
Composting is a great way to reduce kitchen waste and reuse those vegetable scraps. You’ll get some great soil and compost “tea” to feed to your beautiful container vegetables and herbs you grow!
10. Upcycle
Thrift, thrift, thrift. Reuse, reuse, reuse! All of your old, stained shirts can turn into rags for cleaning since you read my post about “5 Super Simple Ways to Reduce Waste in Your Home” and don’t use paper products anymore.
You can reuse empty yogurt containers to start seeds since you’re planting herbs and vegetables now. Use your empty salsa jars to gift your homemade laundry detergent to friends and family alike for Christmas time!
Summary for homesteading today
With these ten ideas, you’re halfway to homesteading in no time! Simplify your life, reduce your money spent, and take a couple of steps towards the goal you thought was out of reach. Good luck and happy homesteading!
More on how to start homesteading today:
What you should know about homestead before homesteading
