<img height="1" width="1" style="display:none;" alt="" src="https://ct.pinterest.com/v3/?tid=2612938547362&pd[em]=&noscript=1" /> Skip to Content

How To Be Self-Sufficient In An Apartment

So you’re a first year newbie and you have decided to learn how to be self-sufficient in an apartment.

Good for you!

You’ve taken the first step and decided you want to start a homestead so you can live a more self-sustainable lifestyle.

You may be thinking it would be cool if you started to grow your own food, or maybe learned how to make your own cleaning products for your home.

That way you’ll know exactly what your family is eating and using as cleaning items because you have made them yourself.

It’s wonderful to feel confident that you and your children won’t get sick from any unwanted additives or chemicals in their food or the things you clean with.

But how do you get started on the path to self sufficient apartment living?

Self Sufficient Apartment Living

The first thing that might cross your mind is that you don’t own property out in the country.

How can you possibly start a homestead in an apartment?

You can!

The key is to start small the first year and take your time to learn some new skills.

This will make your transition from the way your life currently is to self-sufficient living much more enjoyable.

You can do this!

In fact, more power to you, for deciding to make this change for you and your family.

It honestly doesn’t matter where you live, be it an apartment or the suburb.

You can start to transition your family into becoming more self-sufficient by doing little things at first then growing them over the next year.

In fact, this is a wonderful way to get started so when you do get your own homestead you don’t feel so overwhelmed at the prospect of “doing all the things” you have never done before.

Apartment Homesteading

Even if you are apartment homesteading – and many are – you can start learning how to use fresh produce in your everyday meals.

You can also start learning how to preserve food so you won’t have to rely on buying your food from box stores quite as often.

Then slowly wean your family away from buying pre-made food in boxes that contain many things that are bad for you.

Slowly begin switching them over to more “made from scratch” food that you make yourself.

You can start right now!

It’ll be fun!

Not to mention this is something the whole family can enjoy doing together.

The skills you learn your first year will help you become more self-sufficient.

In the past, these skills were passed down from generation to generation and taught at a very young age.

Though most of them are not taught anymore, they are valuable life skills that everyone should learn.

The problem is with convenient stores at every corner, those lessons aren’t needed as much in many people’s opinoins.

But the convenience has come at a cost.

This is one reason why people are beginning to think about homesteading in their apartment until they can move away from the city and buy land to start their own homestead.

Stop Self Sufficient Skills From Being Lost

By choosing to learn a variety of self sufficient skills, you can prevent some of them from becoming lost, although some already have.

You can also prevent your family from coming into contact with harmful chemicals from various locations, like the food we eat and the products we use to clean our home.

You’re making the right choice to learn these necessary self-sufficient skills.

Not to worry, you won’t have to learn all them overnight.

You can take your time and learn a little bit at a time, with the things you’re interested in first.

A year from now you will feel proud of all that you’ve accomplished.

Not to mention, you will be more prepared for when you do get to move out to the country.

Self Sufficient Apartment Goals

First, you’ll need to write down some self sufficient goals.

Think of some things you’d like to learn to do, such as growing a garden, preserving food and maybe making some of your own cleaning products.

These are simple fun projects that will teach you basic self-sufficiency.

As your skills grow, you be able to preserve more and more food each year.

Before long you’ll be a pro and people will be coming to you for advice.

Ask yourself what skills you can learn together as a family?

If you set some goals, you can learn many skills within a year.

Hopefully then before the lease comes due next year you’ll be ready to move and maybe get your first two chickens.

Essential Homestead Skills You Can Learn In An Apartment

So now you may be wondering what essential homesteading skills can you learn in an apartment in a years time.

Here’s a list to give you some ideas:

  • Grow a tomato plant in a container
  • Grow herbs for cooking or medicinal use
  • Go to a You-Pick-Farm for vegetables and fruit
  • Preserve food by canning your first tomatoes or make salsa
  • Start buying fresh meat from a local farmer
  • Buy fresh milk if possible and learn to make cheese or butter.
  • Support local farmers.
  • Build a closet just for preserved food
  • Start stocking up on a month’s worth of food, then two months, then three months.
  • Buy a freezer if you have room
  • Start cooking from scratch, dig out your grandma’s recipe
  • Make your own bread
  • Make jam and jellies, try making hot jellies for adding to grilled chicken
  • Make pickles
  • Learn to make soap
  • Learn to make your own cleaning supplies
  • Learn to build shelves out of wood

Of course these are just a few ideas.

Think about the skills you want to learn and decide if they are doable where you currently live.

Grow A Garden In Your Apartment

You might think you can’t do this, but you can.

You can grow food in containers on a patio or balcony.

If you can’t grow outdoors, then check to see if there is a community garden you can be a part of.

If not, you can always grow a few things inside with a south facing window or by using grow lights.

Herbs grow very nicely indoors.

Another option is to go to the farmers market to get fresh produce for your family and buying organic will help.

It won’t teach you to grow food, but it’s a start.

Just growing a simple tomato plant in a big container will produce you enough food that you’ll be able have plenty of fresh tomatoes on the dinner table.

You might also end up with enough extra tomatoes that you can preserve some.

Try making salsa or canning tomatoes for stews in the winter months.

Doesn’t that sound amazing?!

Learn To Preserve Food 

If you don’t have room for a garden, or don’t want to grow plants indoors, then go to a You-Pick-Farm and pick your own produce.

This can be fun for the whole family.

You can preserve the food you pick or buy by canning it, dehydrating it or freezing it if you aren’t ready to try your hand at canning.

There’s a lot of self-sufficiency skills you can learn in a year.

As long as you set proper goals you can make your dream of being self-sufficient come true right now.

Before long you’ll be a proud modern homesteader even if you still live in an apartment with a much healthier, happier family.

Self-Sufficient Apartment Living F.A.Q.

Q: Is being self-sufficient a good thing?

A: Yes. Being self-sufficient is an essential part of healthy mental awareness. Success is knowing you are capable of accomplishing whatever you set out to do.

Q: How can I make my apartment self-sufficient?

A: There are a number of skill’s you can add to your day to day life such as the ones mentioned above. Here are a few others:

  • Reuse water for your plants, to flush the toilet, etc.
  • Learn a skill such as sewing and repurpose worn out clothes or redesign them.
  • Start an indoor compost bin. There are ones designed specifically for apartments.

Q: What exactly is self-sufficient living?

A: It is defined as the ability to maintain oneself without outside aid. It means you are capable of providing for yourself and your family.

Q: What are some of the benefits of being self-sufficient?

A: There are many benefits to being self-sufficient including:

  • You can save money because you can grow or raise what you need.
  • You can choose to grow organically thus protecting the environment.
  • You can avoid stressful situations such as empty grocery shelves because you already have what you need at home in your pantry.

Self-Sufficient Living

 


This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Sheri Ann Richerson is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Click here to read my full disclosure, Privacy and Cookie Policy!Copyright (C) Sheri Ann Richerson, ExperimentalHomesteader.com 1998 - 2021