Although your dream is to live in the open countryside or to escape from the society of consumerism, you can still be more self-sufficient in a home located in the middle of a busy city. Self-reliance is particularly based on developing ingenuity, saving money, and injecting greater wisdom into the ways you live and work. Part of becoming more self-reliant in a metropolitan environment involves changing consumption habits that you currently fully depend on and making more consistent use of local community resources and your own personal skills. After all, you may still dream of living in the countryside or leading a completely self-sufficient lifestyle, but it's a good start to improve what you have now if you don't have the opportunity to live in a bucolic setting.
Steps
Step 1. Start with the real basics
Work on anything that still makes you dependent on existing services. You don't necessarily have to live without them, but if your goal is to be a little more self-reliant, it's wise to consider the following basic activities, which most people need to do on a daily basis or are already capable of doing without. difficulty. You don't have to be a professional, but if you have very basic skills or don't have a clue where to start in these areas, you can try to expand your skills to become more self-reliant.
- Can you keep your home clean and tidy and do some maintenance work inside? The tasks related to this step include basic ones, such as painting and furnishing, using the drill, assembling furniture, doing small plumbing jobs, and so on.
- Can you drive and do maintenance work for your car? The tasks involved could include washing it, changing the oil and battery, checking the tires and so on.
- Are you able to manage your finances? Tasks related to this could include sticking to a budget, writing your own tax return, having a spreadsheet on which to write your income and expenses, etc.
- Can you manage incorporating a wellness or fitness program into your daily life? Staying healthy is a key factor in sustaining a self-sufficient life and making it last; if you can create your own fitness program and stick to it instead of totally relying on the gym or an instructor, this can help.
- Can you be an organized person? Most often this skill relates to organizing what you will do to keep the house tidy and for outside and business appointments, as well as planning ways of storing your things to save space. This is probably the most important part of self-reliance, and without it, it will be difficult to carry out this plan.
Step 2. Do some research to see if you can grow plants and grow what you will consume
You definitely don't have to grow everything from scratch and in an urban environment it is virtually impossible for a person living in an average sized house or apartment to produce everything on their own. But you can always keep plants in pots, with perennial herbs for cooking and spices, like chili. It is always possible to grow certain vegetables, such as tomatoes, beans, peas, beets, carrots, and so on if you have a porch or balcony. And, if you like to try natural remedies, you can also grow medicinal or fragrant plants, such as lavender.
- Make sure the lighting, water, and heat are adequate for each plant you grow inside a home or confined space. Check these variables before you begin; if you have any concerns about heat, you need to know that there are a wide variety of small portable vinyl greenhouses available from hardware stores or you can make your own.
- Find out if your apartment building can use unused space in this way or if there are other neighbors who want to join together to create a community garden. Compost buckets and rainwater collection tanks can be quite compact and you can grow many plants without wasting space and optimally if you plan to share this activity.
Step 3. Grow your own fruit and vegetables and prepare the items you usually buy at the supermarket at home
There are many essential products and value-added foods that you can grow yourself, provided you know how and have the time. For example, you can make soaps and creams, bread, cheese, yogurt and preserves. And you can fix things instead of replacing them with something new, for example you can repair old shoes and change buttons, but also do more complex things, like restore furniture and fix your bicycle, or at least try.
- There are multiple evening classes and different craft projects that you can check out. The Internet is a wonderfully generous source for those who want to be self-reliant, as many people who care about this ideal share their knowledge and information.
- Also search your city's services website to find out who you can talk to in order to learn more about self-reliance and DIY projects. Some city councils provide community gardens for vegetables, run classes taught by volunteers, or can send you directly from local groups that look after them.
- Some do-it-yourself or self-sufficiency projects rely more on fun than savings, as the necessary work, tools or ingredients cost a lot more when compared with things already canned, which maybe could even be of better quality. But some projects are actually cheaper to do on their own; this can be more satisfying and better fit your lifestyle. And, if you find that you are good at something, this could become a business opportunity to develop!
Step 4. Recycle items you don't use
Consider ways you can personally reuse your stuff. For example, plastic bottles can be used to make small pots or terrariums for seedlings, while the top half can become a funnel. Once you start researching how to make old bottles, containers, books, clothes and other things useful, you will find that the range of possibilities for crafts and do-it-yourself is truly extensive, giving you many opportunity to turn your old things into handicrafts and gifts. And, even if an object has completely exceeded its useful life, you may be able to rediscover another use before throwing it away for good; for example, old clothes and towels can be used as rags for dusting or cloths for washing cars, broken dishes can be used to make mosaics and so on.
- While you can't recycle things yourself (for example, making toilet paper using recycled pizza boxes is a somewhat extreme kind of self-sufficiency, beyond what the average person can do), you should be able to find ways to separate the items you no longer need, so that they can be recycled. If the city council starts a recycling program, follow it down to the smallest detail.
- When it is not possible or desirable to buy more equipment in order to create a craft project, or take up space to store what you need for the projects, you don't have to laboriously carve out the time to do it or make the commitment. Instead, it is useful to get in touch with local artisan groups or those who have this type of interest, they would be grateful for your donation of recyclable items.
Step 5. Make sure your home has the proper equipment and tools and invest in the ones you need
Many homes do not have essential maintenance tools and this forces you to throw away things that could always be repaired, or to pay someone else to do it for you. Although in small apartments it is not always feasible to buy those tools that would be needed for a large house with a garden, it is still worth considering some useful elements to fix the hinges of the doors, to assemble the furniture and so on.
Thrift markets, judicial real estate auctions, abandoned storage infrastructure auctions, and charity shops can be great places to find useful tools
Step 6. Invest in your kitchen with durable equipment
It is in this space that perhaps you waste a lot of money by frequently relying on takeaway service and frozen food. Many modern kitchens have very little space or infrastructure other than a refrigerator, sink, and perhaps a microwave. If you have the funds to invest, opt for a small slow cooker and a large one, a compact oven or an electric cooker and cooking shelf (some even have electric plates for added utility - if you buy some cookers of this type are money well spent). And if you can, buy a food processor (it's not absolutely essential, but it certainly saves time). Other basic and vital tools include pots and pans, decent ladles, mixing bowls and small items, such as the milk opener and cheese grater; many of these items can be bought cheaply at second-hand markets, on-line auctions and at second-hand sales.
- If you can't cook on your own, learn how to do it, because it's not difficult at all. For example, read cookbooks, watch special programs, make use of free online schools (like Delia Smith's) or go to class.
- If you don't have a cupboard or pantry, use your other existing furniture to store foods like long-life milk, canned food, etc.
Step 7. Invest in a first aid kit
This tool is important for treating minor ailments that you may have around the house, such as headaches, colds, insect bites, nicks and scrapes. First aid kits can also be used for storage needs for health tools, such as digital blood pressure monitor, sun protection factor creams, vitamins, etc. And always keep a copy of the ambulance, primary care doctor and hospital number in case of any serious injuries or health problems.
A basic survival kit is also recommended. This can be a normal box in which you can also put the first aid kit, along with candles and matches or a torch or a battery-powered lamp for a black-out, blankets and other things relevant to your needs. Many municipalities have lists of emergency supplies that every home should have, especially if you live in an area that is vulnerable to events such as earthquakes, floods or fires
Step 8. Get to know the area where you live
The simple solution to do this is to take a map, study it and know where the shops and service companies in the area are located. But, if you go on foot, by bike, by bus, by train or by tram instead of driving, you can explore a lot more without having to pay attention to how you drive your vehicle. Being able to walk and get to know the area gives you self-confidence and improves your independence; this is useful when you need to find something in the area and allows you to give directions to other people as well.
Exploring your area may allow you to discover interesting gems to see and spend time in. Walking around your neighborhood and learning more about it is a fascinating way to keep yourself busy in times of boredom and is healthier than watching television or playing computer games
Step 9. Write a list of things to do around the house
You can do this on your PC, in a diary or on a whiteboard. This way, you won't miss your appointments and you can avoid having multiple things to do at the same time. Of course, routines should be flexible so you can take advantage of opportunities that suddenly pop up. Also, always look for ways to get more benefits from every move you make from home to another place; for example, when you go to the supermarket to buy what ended up in the pantry, what other things can you do while you are there? Keep a list of things to do in specific places, so when you plan on going to a certain place, you can check off other planned activities while you are there as well.
Very often it is wise to organize a combined trip with family or friends to save money and time. Doing so can make the experience much more enjoyable, and it is also an excuse to get together with loved ones
Step 10. Eat a balanced diet to protect your mental and physical health
There are numerous easy ways to keep your mind and body in top shape. Physically, try to be as active as possible and eat healthy almost all the time. Instead of hitting the couch every night, get up and go for a walk around the neighborhood or play ball with your kids. Use housekeeping as a form of exercise; this can make work feel less like a domestic chore and more like a chance to take care of yourself! Having good mental health includes teaching yourself to dispel your negative attitudes towards life and the world around you; remember the good things in existence, and the ones that really matter, whenever negative thoughts seem to linger too long in your head. And keep your brain trained: do crosswords, solve puzzles, find solutions to complex games, talk a lot with others and read books and articles of different kinds. The portions of the brain used to solve problems are based on a “Use it or lose it” thought pattern, so it is best to exercise your mind often to keep it healthy and dynamic.
- Relax more often. Let your body and mind recover through relaxation and concentration exercises, such as meditation.
- Exercise makes it easier for the mind to maintain flexibility and focus.
- Often socializing with others, being with friends and talking to people helps you to preserve your independence. This is as important for people who are married or in long-term relationships as it is for those living alone: we all need a large circle of friends and acquaintances to be able to bounce our thoughts and thoughts outward. ideas.
- With aging and a sedentary lifestyle, muscle groups weaken and bones begin to be less dense; this can lead to osteoporosis and, subsequently, mobility problems, as well as a potential reduction in metabolism and damage to the immune system. Talk to your doctor or other healthcare professional whenever you need them, but also find ways to be more self-reliant in your health care.
- Consider your motivations for self-reliance and the way you interact with others. Often, people want to be self-reliant because they feel they have a problem related to their social interactions, or they do so when they can't trust others and / or find a way to avoid people. There are a wide range of reasons why people decide to be self-reliant, as well as wanting to reduce waste and become more responsible human beings. And, sometimes, less altruistic or inner-based motives can generate other problems, which, ultimately, could prevent an individual from actually being self-reliant. You can generally calibrate your desire to get out of your shell and stay connected with your community by calculating how often you ask for help and what your predisposition is to do it when you need it. If you hide inside a cocoon, this can cause you to be excluded from others and create a complicated life; do your best to find a solution to the alienating reasons, such as talking to others, contacting community services, or even having sessions with a psychotherapist.
Step 11. Always consider new ways you can be self-reliant based on your means and space
Self-reliance basically comes from within and from how you live with what you have. This is part of the fun and some of the best ideas come from simple needs. By looking at the area you live in and considering what the gaps in self-sufficiency are, you can improve your autonomy, which, in turn, can help make the city's self-sufficiency more profitable, to reduce waste. And, if you depend less on other services, your reduced dependence can make those services better serve the people who need them most.
