10 Great Survival Furniture Ideas Anyone Can Build

Furniture is one of those things that you take for granted until it is gone. Everyone who heads into the woods on a hunting or camping expedition and is forced to sit on a log, boulder or the hard yet strangely soggy ground knows what I’m talking about.

Furniture helps us rest more comfortably but also organize our belongings and even keep our tools ready for use.

It is a technology that we are so inured to in daily life we almost take it for a landscape feature unto itself. Chances are good that will no longer be the case in the aftermath of a major disaster.

Between forced evacuation and the likely or even probable destruction of your home, the furniture that you utilize day in and day out might be history along with a sizable amount of your other possessions.

That means that in a long-term survival situation you might actually have to repurpose or create new furniture if you want to make use of it.

It is far from a luxury, as having the right furniture will allow you to rest more comfortably, be more productive and even protect important supplies and equipment.

To help you achieve this we are bringing you 10 awesome survival furniture ideas that anybody can make with just a little bit of effort.

You’ll Always Need a Place to Sit

I understand if you think the concept is laughable at first. You’re going to have a thousand and one things to worry about in the middle of any long-term survival scenario, and I am asking you to consider what you’re going to do about furniture?!

I get it, it sounds mildly ridiculous on the surface. But if you’ll give me just a minute, I think I can make a case for it and you might see that this is something that is overlooked by a great many preppers.

As I mentioned above, furniture is in itself technology. Technology helps us do things, and typically get work done in a faster and more efficient way, whatever the task might be.

When you lay down at night to take a rest or take a load off in your favorite chair, that rest is made more meaningful by the furniture you use for the purpose.

Similarly, gathering around a table to share a meal, unroll a map or work on a broken tool is done at a table top, an effective work surface.

Specialized furniture contributes daily also. There isn’t a proper alive that doesn’t have a small mountain of gear and supplies. Do they keep it strewn about all willy-nilly on the floor?

Of course not, or at least the huge majority don’t, they have it stored on shelves to keep it organized, out of the way and easy to reach.

The point is this. No matter what you are facing, and no matter what has happened, in the aftermath of some cataclysmic event that sees you living in a legitimate post SHTF environment, you will still need furniture in your day-to-day life.

This isn’t to say you’ll worry about it right away, but where life goes on and civilization endures you’ll need furniture.

For that reason, it is a good idea for you to know how to make your own quickly and efficiently, or at least know what you can repurpose in the interim.

All of the plans and ideas on the list below will allow you to do just that.

10 Great Survival Furniture Ideas Anyone Can Build

All of the furniture plans on the list below have a few features in common. Namely, they are easy to make by pretty much anyone with a modicum of DIY capability and a few select tools, and they are all made from materials that are easily acquired pretty much anywhere if you scrounge a little bit.

This is not to say you will definitely need all of them, but you just might.

If you do nothing else, familiarize yourself with all of them so you’ll understand the concepts and can craft them as you need them should the time come.

All right, time to get on to the list!

1. Wall Shelves

Every prepper instinctively understands that they can never have enough shelf space.

Piles of ammunition, stacks of canned goods and countless bits, bobs and other equipment will gobble up every available shelf throughout a prepper’s home with no remorse.

Far from being just an organizational asset, shelving is essential for keeping your goods up off the floor and out of your way.

When cabinets and closets fill up, you’ll have to turn to wall shelving.

Wall shelving is adaptable and can be placed pretty much anywhere, and this ingenious variation on a time-tested plan see you making it from strong, readily available scaffolding connectors and frame members. It is almost like an erector set in simplicity!

One thing to keep in mind when installing these shelves, or any other, is that you must take care to securely fasten the mounts themselves to studs in the wall, in case of traditional wood or drywalled construction, or else use appropriate anchors if bolting them into masonry.

Failing to appropriately anchor these wall shelves will result in the shelf and everything you’ve placed upon it, toppling to the ground in a terrible crash once it is loaded heavy.

2. Rack Shelving

For preppers who have large basements, dedicated store rooms, outbuildings or any other voluminous storage space, freestanding rack shelving might be just the thing.

Compared to wall shelves, rack shelving is generally more space-efficient but it obviously gobbles up more otherwise usable floor space, making it a better choice for dedicated storage spaces.

These freestanding rack shelves are strong and durable, suitable for being loaded down heavily with weighty supplies like ammunition, canned goods or anything else that could put a wall shelf to a severe test.

Like the wall shelves above, these are easily made from commonly sourced materials and fasteners, and you need hardly any carpentry experience whatsoever to properly execute them.

As always, the frame is only one essential component, but the shelves, or decking, itself is another. Make sure you don’t skip out on that part so your shelves don’t bow or break in the middle.

You should also take pains to securely anchor your shelving units to reduce the risk of them toppling over. The domino effect disaster is very real, and can also be dangerous to adults and children alike.

3. Indoor/Outdoor Seating

Sitting down to take a load off or concentrate is essential for preserving energy levels and relaxation just the same.

Compared to sitting on the ground or sitting down on the floor, sitting on a comfortable, sturdy seat of some kind is welcome if small luxury.

It is something of cruel irony, then, that chair making is actually a fairly sophisticated carpentry task and one that most will not be able to execute without prior experience.

Luckily we have just the plan for that. This sturdy, multi-purpose bench works just as well inside as outside.

Outside, it could be the perfect thing to set on a patio or in a garden without having to worry about exposure to the elements.

Inside, it will be just as much at home in an entryway or mudroom and even has storage beneath for footwear or a couple of dog bowls.

Best of all, this plan makes use of pallet wood, but not the way you’re thinking. The pallets are cut down to size more or less intact, and the existing structure of the palate lends its strength to this strong bench.

Most pallets are naturally resistant to weather and wear and tear and are perfect for this project since they are available literally everywhere.

4. General-Purpose Rectangular Table

It is hard to imagine getting through life without a smooth, level work surface for so many tasks we engage in every day.

We gather around the dinner table, plop down at the workbench, and put our heads together around a meeting table and so much more.

Tables give us a convenient place to work or rest our arms when seated, and you’ll never want to go without them when living in one place for a prolonged period of time.

This table design is simple, sturdy and adaptable to any size and virtually any application.

Like so many plans on this list it does not rely on any significant carpentry skill, specialize in materials or even much in the way of supplementary fasteners.

At least the frame does not. That part is made from stock lengths of piping with the appropriate connectors to adjust the width and length.

The top is another matter entirely, and you can use pretty much any scrap wood that you can come up with from plywood to pride up wooden planking from a destroyed deck.

Just try to make sure that the pieces are plumb and level so you don’t have to worry about anything sliding or rolling off of your tabletop!

5. Round Table

Maybe square tables aren’t your thing. Maybe you prefer round tables or need an additional table, perhaps something smaller than a giant, rectangular farmhouse sort of table.

In that case, we have just the plan for you and it even better, this plan essentially requires no real work aside from procuring the components, or rather the component!

As you’ll be able to instantly tell when you click the link above, this table is nothing more than a giant commercial-sized cable spool flipped up onto its side.

Maybe it is serendipity, but they are just the right diameter and just the right height to be used as a medium, round table. The only difficulty you’ll have is procuring the cable spool because they don’t exactly grow on trees.

Not to worry, you can check any big-box Home improvement stores, local hardware stores, construction sites, contractor supply houses, warehouses of electronic components, and much more looking for them.

Many retailers especially don’t want to mess with them at all and we’ll be happy to cut them loose if you can haul them away. Unless you live close, you had better go with a truck because the only way to move them easily otherwise is to roll them along the ground.

6. Gun Rack

If you have guns, and what prepper doesn’t, that means you’ll need a gun rack if you want to keep them nearby and handy without letting them prop dangerously up against a wall or keep them strewn about on any nearby, level surface.

Handguns are simple enough to keep handy, pardon the pun if you can keep them holstered on your build but a slung long gun still gets in the way pretty bad.

You won’t always need to keep your long gun in hand when working around the homestead, and a gun rack, either one on the floor or mounted to the wall, is just the ticket for keeping multiple long guns stored in a compact footprint while remaining easily accessible at a moment’s notice.

This traditional gun rack is purely functional and lacks any embellishments that are typical of classic, wooden racks of this type.

The good news is it works just as well as a fancier one and can be made from pretty much any wood you can lay your hands on. A little bit of sawing is really all it will take to crank out this handy rack.

7. Storage Chest

Storage is about much more than organization. Proper storage helps protect equipment and prolong the shelf life of supplies.

It is no wonder then that we preppers are always fussing over it. We use all sorts of containers for storage, from airtight plastic kitchen containers to heavy-duty, injection-molded fiberglass transport cases and everything in between.

However, one of the oldest storage containers used by mankind that is still useful today is the wooden chest.

You don’t need to be burying treasure to see the value in a strong chest. A chest will keep most pests away from your goods and sticky fingers off of your things.

Durable enough for transport and easily adapted to security features such as locks it is no wonder that the chest remains a viable option for storage today.

Unlike collectible examples that go for big bucks at antique malls and flea markets, a basic chest is relatively easy to make from common would in a few other components.

Compared to other projects on this list, you’ll need to invest a little bit more in following instructions and ensuring precise cuts unless you want a janky, lopsided box, but this is a small price to pay for a container like this.

8. Camp Stool

Sometimes you need seating that you can take with you without unduly burdening yourself. A perfect example of furniture designed for portable, field use is the traditional tripod camping stool.

Modern examples fold up ingeniously using an assemblage of rods, sliders, and seemingly a million fasteners but you don’t need to commit to one of these contractions in order to get the same performance.

Using nothing more than some thick wooden dowels and a triangular patch of sturdy cloth or heavy leather, you can whip together your own folding camp stool that will break down into a compact bindle suitable for lashing to the outside of your pack or tossing in the back of a vehicle.

A little bit of precise drilling is required to execute this plan, but it is nothing that most people cannot handle, even when using a hand drill.

It might not look like much, but I promise you it is a far sight better than sitting on the damp grass, on a sticky log or stump or on a boulder that is probably swarming with ants.

9. Raised Planter

Some furniture is destined for outdoor use. Especially in hard-working environments like your garden, furniture can help you stay organized, minimize wasted energy and even prevent aches and pains so often part and parcel of that kind of work.

Bending over, squatting down, kneeling and other work that brings you low to the ground will take its toll on your muscles and joints, and the more of that we can prevent the better I say.

Even something as simple as a raised, Cascade planter like the one linked above can help you garden more efficiently and hopefully keep those aches and pains at bay.

Compared to decorative examples that you might purchase from your local nursery, garden center or home improvement store this one is decidedly plain but that is kind of the point after all.

It is easy to make from easy-to-find materials and it will do the job of holding various plants and keeping them up near your workspace.

This is another plan that goes together easily with a minimum of fuss and is easily crafted using the most basic hand tools.

Depending on where you live, the most difficult thing to find might be a few suitable fasteners that are corrosion.

Remember, soil holds moisture and any fastener that is exposed to moist soil will quickly corrode if it is not of sufficient grade or finishes.

10. Indoor/Outdoor Hammock

Sometimes you just need to stretch out and really take a load off. For that, indoors or out there is hardly anything more comfortable or more relaxing than a gently swaying hammock.

It is such a shame, then, that commercial examples of hammocks usually sell for hundreds of dollars. I’ll never know how these companies figure out a way to fetch several Benjamins for what is ultimately about $50 in middle tubing and stout fabric.

This is one project that you might want to embark on even before the end of the world if the idea of a hammock in the backyard appeals to you.

Made from the same sturdy scaffolding piping we used previously on one of our shelving projects above, you can easily craft the frame of the hammock by screwing the parts together and then securing them with the appropriate pieces.

The hardest part of this build is coming up with the correct length and strength of fabric for the hammock itself. Not to worry though, as a little bit of careful searching combined with some appropriate knotting will soon produce a hammock worthy of a king!

Conclusion

There is an awful lot you’ll need during a long-term survival situation, but one thing that is easy to forget about is furniture.

That might be the last thing on your mind, but having the right furniture around can make your work easier and your rest more comfortable.

The plans and resources mentioned above will allow you to easily and quickly construct your own furniture or repurpose found materials to serve as furniture so you can get on living.

via Modern Survival Online https://ift.tt/tWNH7hX

Get-out-of-Dodge (GOOD) Bags and 30 Essentials to Pack

Every prepper understands the importance of being materially prepared for bad times.

a backpack used as a GOOD bag

Be it a small-scale emergency, local disaster, or regional catastrophe, having the right gear and supplies on hand and ready to go can make all the difference in your chances of survival.

Depending on your lifestyle and what sort of trouble you are anticipating, you might rely on the classic BOB, an INCH bag for a long-haul survival scenario, or a get-home bag if you regularly travel some distance from your dwelling.

There’s one more category of bag that is likely to fill an important niche and your survival luggage repertoire, and that is the GOOD (Get out of Dodge) bag.

The GOOD bag, or Get-out-of-Dodge bag, is the ideal solution for situations where you might be displaced for several days but have an expectation of returning home.

In this article, I’ll tell you more about what a GOOD bag is, and what supplies you should keep in it.

What is a GOOD Bag Exactly?

Let me tell you, there is no shortage of specialized bags for prepping with catchy, mnemonic acronyms.

All jokes aside, as mentioned the “GOOD” in GOOD bag stands for “Get-out-of-Dodge”.

To Get out of Dodge is an aphorism meaning to get clear or away from impending danger, and that is exactly what a GOOD bag is intended to help you do.

Although the popular conception of having a bag packed with survival supplies centers around long-term survival situations with no expectation of coming home (see BOB and INCH bags), the reality in many disaster scenarios is often quite different.

Much of the time, you might be only temporarily displaced by the event, be it a natural disaster or a man-made catastrophe.

After the danger has passed or things have settled down, you can return to your home and start getting life back to normal or just picking up the pieces.

Let’s face it: In reality, most events are not so apocalyptic that your home and much of your hometown are completely obliterated, meaning there is nothing to come back to.

Even in the case of societal unrest or other persistent hazards they don’t really go on forever.

Eventually, things settle down, law and order begin to reassert themselves and communities begin to knit back together.

This is where the GOOD bag excels, and why you will probably want one of your own.

Although it sounds quite similar in concept to a bug-out bag, the loadout of the GOOD bag is tailored to sustain you and your family in a sort of refugee status as opposed to living in the wild.

Imagine it almost as if you were packing for a lean, decidedly spartan vacation and had only 5 minutes to grab what you needed to live away from home. What would you grab?

Many of the items you thought of in this simple exercise or what you’ll find in a GOOD bag.

It is intended to allow you to live more or less normally, if not entirely comfortably, as an evacuee or refugee from your own home and hometown.

30 GOOD bag Essentials to Pack

In the next section, you’ll find a list of items that deserve a place in any GOOD bag, along with our reasoning for including them and why they will be useful in an emergency or survival situation.

Basic Change of Clothes

First and foremost, you should pack a basic, spare set of clothing. Stuff that you wear everyday is appropriate to the task, within reason.

It should be comfortable, durable, easy to wear for an extended period of time, and easy to wash with minimal care. Don’t forget to include socks and underwear, also.

Survival situations will often result in you getting dirty, or else just being soaked with sweat. Add in fear and anxiety, and you can start to smell ripe pretty quickly.

A fresh, dry set of clothes that you are ready to change into when the opportunity presents itself will do wonders for morale and keep everyone in the group happy.

Seasonal Clothing As Required

Don’t forget to include seasonal clothing as appropriate to your climate and typical weather conditions.

If you live in an area that is cold and wet, make sure you have an outer layer that will keep you warm and dry.

Similarly, hot, arid environments with a scorching UV index will mandate wide-brimmed hats and potentially light, flowing, long-sleeved garments.

If you live in a temperate zone, this is one of those things you’ll have to stay on top of quarterly or by yearly depending.

You won’t need the same sort of clothing in the summer that you will in the winter time, and you should make it a point to rotate these seasonal inclusions out of your bag and back in as needed.

Gloves

Gloves are a mandatory inclusion for most well-rounded survival kits.

You don’t need me to tell you that we rely on our hands day in and day out for countless tasks, but you’ll definitely be depending on them in the middle of an emergency or a lengthy survival scenario.

From clearing debris to wrenching on hot car parts on the side of the road, there is just no telling what tasks you’ll encounter that can pose a substantial risk to the delicate skin of your hands.

Pick whichever kind you prefer for doing work, from lightweight technical gloves to heavy-duty leather gloves. Just make sure you have them!

Hygiene Kit

One of the most chronically forgotten and minimized aspects of self-care in survival situations is personal hygiene.

Too many preppers, even today, treat hygiene as some sort of societal nicety, something you have to do only because you’ll be around normal people during normal times.

If that’s how you feel about it, I don’t know that I want to be around you at all!

Hygiene is important, and not just for feeling good and smelling good, though it will do that for you also.

Keeping your body clean helps keep germs at bay, minimizing the chances that infections will crop up in wounds or transmissible diseases will tear through people living in close quarters.

You don’t need to go crazy here, as your usual travel hygiene kit consisting of a toothbrush and toothpaste, deodorant, baby wipes, and any other daily use items is more than sufficient.

First-Aid Kit

If there is one thing you can say about emergencies and disasters great and small, it is that they and injury always go hand in hand.

There is a better than average chance any situation that sends you and your family fleeing for the hills might result in you being injured from the outset, or else exposed to significantly higher chances of injury than you would be normally.

Unfortunately, that same situation is likely to make skilled, professional medical intervention a precious commodity.

Disruption and destruction from a natural or man-made disaster or just an abundance of casualties from any other event will strain first responders or higher-level care at hospitals to the limit.

You must be prepared to become your own first responder and that means you need a first-aid kit in your GOOD bag.

Basic items for small injuries and burns and more extensive supplies for dealing with penetrating and lacerating injuries along with sprains and broken bones should be included, and you must also make sure you have the training so you know what you are doing when the time comes.

Ziploc Bags

Gallon-sized, plastic, zipper seal bags are one of those “sleeper” survival items that you’ll wonder how you ever got along without once you have needed them even one time.

These bags are incredibly useful in so many different situations, from holding wet clothing or messy gear to stashing snacks, sensitive documents, or even carrying extra water.

They also come in really handy if someone gets car sick or you’re forced to answer the call of nature in a situation where you have precious little privacy or the ability to dispose of the waste.

Name brand bags are durable enough and seal tightly enough to be reliable for any task so spend a little extra to get the good ones.

Duct Tape

Duct tape is that one item that every, single prepper loves. If you don’t, can you even call yourself a prepper?

All kidding aside, duct tape is indeed highly meme-worthy, but it has earned a reputation in reality.

Duct tape can allow you to improvise all sorts of repairs and tools in a pinch, and that means you’d be foolish to go without it in your GOOD bag.

You can use duct tape to hold damaged bodywork onto a car, reinforce a cracked window, patch torn clothing or leaky containers, affix a bandage and so much more.

You can save a little room in your pack by compressing the roll of duct tape or by winding it around some other cylindrical item in your bag.

Multi-Tool

Tools are always handy in a survival situation, and there is indeed a tool for every task you can think of.

The problem is that tools take up a ton of room and get really, really heavy, and quickly. You aren’t going to have that kind of weight or space allowance when it is time to hit the road, unfortunately.

But what you can do is include a high-quality multi-tool. A good multi-tool will have pliers and a variety of other tools, drivers, tips, and attachments that can allow you to accomplish most tasks with a modicum of efficiency.

Best of all, it can do it for only a few ounces in weight and very little space in your load.

Shelter Gear

It might seem strange to talk about including shelter gear in a survival setting where you anticipate returning home, but it is nonetheless important when you think it through.

Whatever your situation, however you are evacuating, it rarely fails that simple exposure will be one of the most persistent and deadliest threats to your life that you’ll face.

Accordingly, you must be prepared to keep yourself and your loved ones warm. Whether you are forced to sleep in your vehicle or are planning on making a go of it at a campsite, refugee area or any place else, you have to stay warm.

That means you’ll need to include compact emergency or camping blankets at the minimum in your kit, and you might make a case for adding a small tent or bivy. Or perhaps even something like a tarp where you can raise your own shelter.

Go without shelter gear at your own peril!

Bandanas

Bandanas, humble as they are, are still a wonderfully useful, multi-purpose survival item.

You can use bandanas for their intended purpose, as a head covering or sweatband, but also as a small bundle, piece of padding, improvised bandage, napkin, placemat and much, much more. In a pinch, you can even use it as emergency toilet paper!

I promise you’ll always come up with a need for durable but soft cloth when you are roughing it on the road or away from home for a time. I like to toss three or four into my GOOD bag.

snacks and MREs: cocoa mix, Jif can, lentils, can of sardines, basmati and wild rice mix, vitamin C powder, peanut butter crackers, and trail mix

Food

You might not be away from home for too long when you evacuate, but that doesn’t mean you won’t need any food.

While it is true you can survive for weeks on end with no food, you’ll be profoundly miserable after only a few missed meals and both your mental and physical performance will begin to suffer.

Keep both your body and your mind fueled up and growling tummies at bay by keeping some food in your bag.

Portable, ready-to-eat food is ideal here, and you can consider everything from MREs to trail mix or energy bars.

Whatever it is, it should be easy to carry, have a long shelf life, require no preparation, and not be too heavy.

Water

Water is another survival necessity of paramount importance and compared to food, you can only go a couple of days without it before you kick the bucket.

The downside to carrying water with you is its great weight. Nonetheless, you must have a safe, fresh supply with you as part of your kit.

For a GOOD bag, I prefer carrying a large Nalgene bottle filled up to the top. These bottles are multi-purpose, durable and easy to clean.

They are also easy to refill whenever you have time and opportunity. Strongly consider including a compact, emergency water filter as part of your supplies; it can allow you to purify any sources of questionable safety.

Don’t assume you’ll have access to clean water from a tap at any point!

Flashlight and Headlamp

One of the most important and most used tools in your survival toolbox is going to be a flashlight or a headlamp.

You’re always going to be more vulnerable in times of darkness, and since many disasters will result in a partial or total loss of power, your world is going to get a whole lot darker in a hurry as soon as things kick-off.

A good flashlight will be bright, energy-efficient and durable enough to stand up to rough handling, dings and dents.

You might consider getting one with multiple brightness settings, color options and a blinking SOS signal.

Headlamps, while often lacking the range of flashlights, are perfect anytime you need to work hands-free.

Phone Charger With Cables

When hitting the road you had better make sure you have the capability to charge your personal devices, particularly your cell phone.

Don’t forget to include all the cables, wall and car adapters so you can draw power to stay topped off whenever and wherever the opportunity presents itself.

Also, keep in mind that the device that needs charging might not be your own. A multi-purpose cable with a variety of connectors is a smart inclusion and a hedge against loss for anyone in your family or group.

Power Bank

Despite your best efforts to charge your devices, sometimes you just won’t have a source of electricity close at hand.

Like most of the other things you’ll be lacking under the circumstances, it is possible to bring your own electricity with you for just such an occasion!

You’d be wise to keep a fully charged power bank or backup battery in your bag so that you can extend your uptime or get in a recharge even when you are far from an outlet.

Spare Batteries

Take a moment to consider all of the other battery-operated devices that you rely on, not just your cell phone.

The aforementioned flashlights and headlamps will both require disposable primary cells (assuming they are not rechargeable) as will other important personal electronics like radios.

Now, spare batteries are another item that you’ll have to stay on top of when stored for a long time. All batteries will self-discharge over time, some more slowly or more quickly depending on their chemistry.

Alkaline chemistries self-discharge quickly compared to lithium, but lithiums cost more.

Consider spending a little bit more per battery on any that you will keep in your GOOD bag to alleviate these concerns.

topographic map, 2d map, notebook, pencil, and ruler

Maps and Road Atlas

When disaster strikes and it is time to flee your first instinct is probably going to be away, but this can often lead to greater problems.

It is crucial that you know where you are going and how you will get there, and even more important to know how you’ll deal with a blocked route or a detour.

This is easily averted by including a good selection of maps and a comprehensive road atlas in your GOOD bag. If you are smart, you will mark up likely routes of departure to safe havens ahead of time.

Although modern GPS systems are highly reliable they are not infallible, so you should be prepared to “go analog” for your navigational needs.

Compass

A good compass is a natural inclusion for your set of maps or a road atlas. Basic direction finding is one of those things that we all take for granted since many of us navigate daily by rote memorization or by using visual landmarks.

If the landscape has been rearranged by a particularly destructive disaster that method might be out the window!

A compass will allow you to orient yourself on the path wherever you happen to be. Getting lost or going in the wrong direction under the circumstances could prove disastrous for you and yours.

Lighter

Fire is one of mankind’s oldest and best technologies, and it remains no less important today than it did in ages past.

The ability to start a fire on demand can save your life, whether you are facing a long and freezing night or just need to signal for help.

Traditional methods of fire starting are great and definitely have their uses, but you will rarely encounter anything more reliable and easier to use in tough conditions than a basic lighter.

They weigh very little and are highly affordable, so you should definitely keep a couple in your pack.

Cordage

Another fundamental survival item, sturdy cordage is useful in all sorts of situations, from constructing shelter to improvising tools and even conducting hasty repairs.

If you have a good, working skill of knots and lashings to go along with it, there is very little that you won’t be able to tackle.

Overwhelmingly, the most popular option in this category is paracord. Widely available, affordable, lightweight and ultra-strong, this is the prepper’s choice.

A 50 ft or 100 ft length can still be compressed into a small bundle that will take up little room.

Notepad and Pen

Another one of those inclusions that are easy to forget. When you need to write down critical information, maybe an address or directions, or notes on the overall situation, nothing is quicker or more certain than a notepad and a pen.

You can provide yourself a little bit of insurance so that your notes won’t disintegrate or wash away by investing in a weatherproof notepad and pen. Rite-in-the-Rain makes one of the best in this category.

Deck of Cards

Yes, survival is serious business, and you might not be much in a gaming mood under the circumstances.

But sometimes the majority of your time in a survival situation might be spent just sitting around waiting for things to get better or for the all-clear.

In this case, having something to do, particularly a group activity, can reduce stress and while away the time.

For this purpose, nothing is better than a deck of cards. There are all sorts of card games that can be played with, and just as importantly be taught to, people of all ages.

Beyond this, cards can facilitate simple magic tricks to bring a little levity to the situation should you know any. Don’t underestimate the stress relief value of a deck of cards!

Pocket Ref

The internet changed the world, and most people would agree for the better.

Any bit of information, no matter how obscure or specialized, is at your fingertips thanks to search engines and smartphones. You might very well be reading this article on your smartphone right now!

And though the internet at large and the devices that channel it are more robust and reliable than ever, they are far from infallible, especially in times of trouble.

However, your need for crucial information may persist. There is a small book that can serve as a backup in this case, titled Pocket Reference, or Pocket Ref for short.

This tiny, black encyclopedia is jam-packed with tons and tons of practical information on countless subjects and is a wonderful inclusion in your survival kit.

Personal Document Package

Remember, chances are whatever has happened, wherever you’ve gone, life will go on in some form or another.

That means you’re going to need credentials, documents and other paperwork to prove that you are who you say you are and you own what you say you own to various agencies and bureaucracies.

You’ll want to have this information as a component in your GOOD bag so you are certain that you’ll have access to it when you need it.

You’ve got two options for accomplishing this: A paper file containing weatherproof copies of your IDs, passports, titles, deeds and so forth, or a flash drive containing encrypted files of the same.

Obviously, take pains to protect this precious resource from loss or theft as it could give a thief everything they need to steal your identity!

Cash

In times of trouble, money talks. One major blunder I see people making when packing and preparing for emergencies or disaster situations is assuming cash will, for some reason, be no good.

In all but the most extraordinary circumstances, nothing could be further from the truth.

Electronic currency and systems that service it might well be offline, but cash should still be accepted everywhere.

It could get you needed supplies and vital services, or just get you a favor when you desperately need one.

Knife

There is no survival situation where you won’t want to have a knife close at hand. As a fundamental tool or a close-quarters weapon of last resort, a knife can serve you well.

Though commonly thought of as a primary tool for wilderness survival situations, it can accomplish many of the same tasks in suburban and urban settings as well.

You don’t need a gigantic fixed blade survival knife, necessarily, but any knife you choose must be sharp, durable, and easy to keep on your person.

Weapons

As sad as it is to think about, any situation that sends you fleeing from your home as an evacuee is probably going to lead to an uptick in crime and interpersonal violence.

Criminals take advantage of these situations as cover for their deeds, while other people might be made irrational by fear or desperation.

Regardless of why you must be prepared to protect yourself and protect your loved ones. Weapons for self-defense are a consideration for inclusion.

Something that is potent and easy to conceal, such as a handgun, is a great option as is a ranged non-lethal weapon like a large can of pepper spray.

Get Away With a GOOD Bag

A GOOD bag is the ideal solution for short-term survival scenarios when you need to evacuate from your home but have the expectation of returning.

Packed with supplies that will help you sustain yourself while living as an evacuee, they are a far more practical option for most disaster and emergency situations.

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The 5 Principles of Patrolling Applied to Prepping

When it comes to adapting military procedure, equipment, and terminology to prepping it turn out that several sectors of folks usually get riled up.

Those who aren’t preppers in their daily or civilian lives usually accuse preppers of being posers, wannabes, and other derogatory terms.

Many of those preppers feel the need to intricately explain themselves and these choices to anyone who might raise an eyebrow at them.

And then you have people in the military who roll their eyes at the whole affair because they have lived that life and know how gravely inefficient and stupid much of military procedure really is.

The point is that there is a right and a wrong way to do everything and though there might be multiple right ways you can rest assured that there are plenty of wrong ways in accord.

This is one area in particular where we can sort of crib notes from the military. If there is one thing the military has pretty much mastered it is the minimization of risk through adherence to proper planning and other procedures.

Happily, the role and responsibilities of the basic infantryman are built on a foundation of five principles, known as the principles of patrolling.

The Five Principles of Patrolling

Without digging too far into the egotism that is wrapped up in the whole affair, I believe we can cut to the quick on this matter by agreeing to this statement unequivocally:

Engaging in any risky operation, whatever it might be, demands that careful attention be paid to proper procedure.

It could be utilizing heavy equipment on a construction site, conducting a patrol and a conflict zone, or getting you and your family to safety on foot in the aftermath of a major event.

The five principles of patrolling are not general orders per se, but they are eminently useful guidelines for shaping the decision-making process throughout every phase of a combat patrol.

Though a simple patrol might not sound like that big of a deal compared to a full-blown invasion, assault on a city, desperate defensive action, or some other high octane event, they certainly have the capability to turn high octane.

The variability that an infantryman might encounter on any given patrol means that he must remain flexible and adaptable at a moment’s notice, and these principles reflect that.

Considering that a prepper mired in the middle of a major SHTF event is going to be moving and shaking in response to constantly shifting obstacles and other challenges, this means that the five principles of patrolling are perfect for similarly informing our own decisions.

The five principles of patrolling are:

1. Planning – Determining how objectives are going to be attained, and accounting for obstacles, curveballs, and likely changes that will be encountered while underway. Put another way, how are the objectives going to be achieved?
2. Recon – The advanced gathering of intelligence that pertains to achieving the objective. This can take many forms, and often involves gathering information about weather, terrain, and likely threats.
3. Security – Providing defense and active countermeasures against known and plausible threats.
4. Control – Ensuring that all components necessary for conducting movement and other tasks critical to obtaining the objective remain functional.
5. Common Sense – The X-factor principle. Common sense must be utilized at all phases of the patrol in order to fit the other principles to the reality of the situation at all times.

In the next section, we will learn how each of these principles applies to prepping.

Adapting the Principles of Patrolling to Prepping

The best part about the principles of patrolling is that they require precious little modification to work directly with the goals of most preppers.

We have given each principle its own section below and will detail how it will help guide your assessment of various threats and your responses to them.

With just a little practice, you’ll be applying the principles to everything you do as a prepper more or less constantly and that will result in an even greater state of readiness.

1. Planning

Planning is a fundamental and essential principle when it comes to infantry and prepping operations alike.

Chances are this is one element that many preppers are already well acquainted with, predisposed as they are my necessity and habit to take careful stock of all the various factors that will influence a given response during a crisis.

Planning is a tricky thing, though, because it can be as rudimentary or as intricate as you want it to be. Notice that I said as you want it to be.

Most folks are more likely to do the minimum amount of planning preferring instead to remain flexible while others are highly inclined to leave no tiny detail or variable on research in the course of crafting a perfect and fully realized plan.

Is there a correct method for planning? The famous American president and General Dwight D. Eisenhower once remarked that plans are useless but planning is indispensable.

This is because he, along with so many other commanders before and after him, knew that plans rarely survive contact with events. It never fails that things will go off in the wrong order or introduces variables that you never planned for.

A few of the essential factors that should be included in your planning process are:

• Type and duration of the threat
• Distance to evacuation point or bug out location
• Terrain and routes to evacuation point or bug out location
• Number of people in your group
• Health and wellness of people in your group
• Available resources and modes of transit
• External deadlines
• Etc.

For this reason, a robust plan that is not too detailed so it remains easy to remember and one that will remain adaptable in the face of changing circumstances is likely best.

Instead of breaking up a bug out plan into dozens of intricate components that members of your group will be hard-pressed to remember, much less implement in a meaningful way, it is probably better to set a handful of phases that can be conducted at their discretion according to the obstacles that they are facing at the time.

But just by going over, reviewing and rehearsing your plans, you’ll already be inoculating members of your group against disaster.

Planning is an indispensable part of the preparation, after all! That being said, there is an awful lot to learn about the topic and it is a skill that can be developed all its own.

2. Recon

Recon, short for reconnaissance, is another crucial factor for properly conducting your prepping tasks while minimizing risk.

Recon is concerned with advanced work, particularly the gathering of timely intelligence and any other relevant information regarding your plans and your goals.

Most germane to what we laid out in the previous section on planning, recon would strive to determine if the route you were going to take to your bug out location is clear, what the underlying terrain is like, be it passable, muddy, slippery or impassable and what the situation is like at your bug out location so that you do not perhaps jump from the frying pan into the fire.

Good reconnaissance means you won’t have to make informed guesses about what you’ll be dealing with; you’ll know!

Now, for our purposes reconnaissance can be conducted through a variety of methods, though in the traditional sense it involves dispatching an advanced member of your group, a scout that you trust to put eyes on anything that you want to verify.

Depending on the situation you are facing, this might not always be practical or even possible, and so you might gather intelligence through any number of means, including radio broadcasts, reports from other travelers and survivors, remote observation using optical devices, drone flights and anything else you can think of.

Good reconnaissance, conducted properly, may radically shape or alter the planning phase as new and verified information is accumulated. Acting in defiance of high-quality intelligence is a recipe for disaster! Don’t do it!

3. Security

If you are worried about threats, be they from your fellow man, natural phenomenon, or other hazards, you’ll need to implement security if you want to minimize the chances that you’ll be negatively affected by them.

The principle of security is concerned with keeping the operation on track and safe from threats, particularly enemy action, but it could also come from any other source.

You’ll want to take pains to ensure that you and yours remain on guard and safe from anyone who might overtake you at any phase of your operation, and you also take care to avoid being harmed or derailed by other such hazards as weather, inclement conditions or dangers posed by natural or man-made threats, be they chemical or endemic.

Providing security is about much more than just having guns and other weapons handy.

It can mean providing equipment and other means to mitigate natural threats, and remaining supremely aware of everything that can threaten you at any given time.

A thorough understanding of your environment, your actions, and your people is mandatory for the proper implementation of security considerations.

For instance, protecting against inclement conditions: No matter how cold and/or how wet you become ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS maintain ONE piece of dry clothing (it could be a t-shirt, sweater, poly-pro top, etc) in your rucksack.

Again the reason is simple. When you are sucking, and I mean REALLY suckin’, knowing that you still have a dry piece of clothing is a HUGE morale booster and gives you hope that when it gets warmer or stops raining you can change into something more comfortable.

When everything you have is wet and you are cold it is infinitesimally easier to give up and quit!

4. Control

The principle of control is the one that you invoke when you establish command authority, continuity of command and ensure communication remains constant between all members of your group and in particular those who are critical to executing the plan that will help you achieve your objective.

This is another nuanced principle, but one that is likely already familiar to most preppers.

You probably already know that most groups cannot effectively be run by a committee, and instead must rely on a leader or a smaller council to make effective and timely decisions.

If you rely on a single leader, there must be a second in command nominated so that cohesion can be maintained in the event that the leader is made unreachable, incapacitated, or even killed.

More than this, keeping control over your operation means you must be able to communicate with all of the people that are a part of it.

If you are all together, this is easily enough done by talking, but over long distances, you’ll need to rely on some other form of communication.

This could be radio or cell phone comes, but it might be something as simple as a visual signal that is placed or activated in order to relay simple information to the group members over a longer distance.

Maybe someone blinking a flashlight or hanging a flag of a certain color from a tall place?

Establishing contingency plans according to the principle of control is absolutely critical for preventing the dreaded “Chinese fire drill” from breaking out in the event that things go wrong and communications or leadership breaks down.

5. Common Sense

The last principle of patrolling is another one that is inherently adaptable to prepping, and it is that of common sense. No tricks here, common sense is exactly what it suggests on the label.

Leadership and all members of the plan must reliably be able to apply their own common sense in order to solve problems while furthering progress towards obtaining the objective.

When a plan starts to break down or is rendered hopelessly out of date or useless in the face of changing conditions or circumstances or new information, it is common sense that will swoop in and save the day.

Common sense is also the grounding principle that ensures the plan conforms to reality, and that there is no expectation that the opposite will occur.

Common sense also maintains momentum and initiative. If unforeseen circumstances occur or a major curveball is thrown at the progress of the group, common sense dictates that it be overcome in the shortest way possible before continuing on towards the objective.

That is unless of course, that common sense dictates a halt be called for further review and analysis.

There are so many potential occurrences or common sense could it make the difference between wasting time or even total failure, that they cannot be listed here, but it is imperative that you impress upon everyone in your group, and hold yourself to the standard, that common sense be used at all times and in all things towards furthering the objective.

That reminds me of a story: I grew up in the Army before the days of the CamelBak and other hydration systems.

We had high-tech devices called canteens (and no we did not carry muskets).  Each soldier regularly carried 4 quarts of water.

You had a 2 qt canteen attached to your rucksack and two 1 qt canteens on your pistol belt. The rules for consumption were simple and commonsensical.

The first water to be consumed would be from the 2 qt on your rucksack, even though this was typically the least convenient when you were on the move.

The reason is simple. If you are separated from your pack you will still have 2 FULL canteens on your pistol belt- Common sense!

Conclusion

On some level these concepts are simple, but I hope it provokes some thought on how you prep and how to prioritize.

Letting the five principles of patrolling inform your decisions for how you go about prepping will ensure that you’ll be better equipped for dealing with any challenge.

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MRE Heaters: How Do They Work and How Do You Use Them?

Pretty much everyone who has ever served in the military and a great many preppers will be entirely familiar with MREs, or meals-ready-to-eat, those typically nutritious, sometimes delicious and often gut wrecking pre-cooked field rations.

Modern MRE’s contain many components, and one component that is often discarded is the FRH, or flameless ration heater.

These ingenious little packets are capable of producing a piping hot or at least reasonably warm entree and just a few minutes with absolutely no external source of heat. 

How does an MRE heater work, and how does one use it?

MRE heaters function by way of an exothermic reaction, the reaction of water or air with chemicals inside the heater that produces a significant amount of heat in. The foil pouch containing a food item is kept next to the heater which is subsequently warmed to a pleasing temperature.

How exactly this process is conducted is dependent upon the specific heater.

Most folks that I know who eat MRE’s on the regular don’t even bother with the included heater, and that is a shame since they are surprisingly effective, highly convenient and generally safe in use.

If you’ve never bothered to read through the instructions printed on the package we are here to tell you everything you need to know about MRE heaters.

What Kinds of MRE Heaters are There?

If you’re toting the newest generation of United States military-issue MREs introduced after the halfway point of the 2010s you’ll be enjoying the very latest in flameless ration heater technology.

These ration heaters require no water and simply stick on to the side of the individual meal pouch to thoroughly, quickly and evenly heat the entree with only air needed as the necessary additive to start the reaction. 

However, if your MRE’s are government issue any time prior to that point going back to the mid 1990’s, or one of the dizzying varieties of commercially available MREs on the market, your flameless ration heater will be the older variety that requires water to start the reaction, with the entrée being placed inside the heater pouch itself before being left to heat.

Both are effective enough and both are easy to use, though the newest generation employs technology that makes them even easier, safer and faster.

Using an MRE Heater Step by Step

Both styles of flameless ration heater are easy enough to use.

The prime difference between the two is that the older style that is still the most common variety to be found requires a little bit of water for activation. 

We have provided step by step instructions for each type below.

Water-Reactive FRH (Older Type)

1. First, open the entree box and remove the entree pouch. Keep the box intact as you will need it.

2. Second, open the flap on FRH and add clear drinking water to fill the line. Be careful not to overfill.

3. Next, insert the entree pouch into the FRH sleeve before placing the FRH sleeve back inside the entree box.

4. Prop up the entree box at a slight angle so that water does not spill out of FRH. Use non-flammable, heat-insensitive objects for this purpose, such as a rock.

5. Heating will take approximately 10 minutes. Take care to avoid steam emitted from FRH at this time and handle heated entree pouches with caution.

Air-Reactive FRH (Newer Type)

1. Locate both FRH panels inside MRE. Determine which side of the FRH panel contains adhesive. Set aside.

2. Next, remove the MRE entree from the box if applicable. Discard the box, as you will not need it for the remainder of the operation.

3. Being careful to remove only the tape covering the adhesive, stick one FRH panel to one side of the MRE pouch before sticking the other FRH panel to the opposite side of the pouch.

4. Once both FRH panels are firmly adhered to, MRE pouch peel open exposed side of FRH panel to expose felt liner covering reactive elements. Heater will begin to warm rapidly.

5. Thorough heating will take approximately 5 minutes. Take care, as FRH and pouch may become quite hot.

That’s all there is to it, pretty easy huh?

In most conditions either of these heaters are capable of producing a piping hot or at least warm MRE entree with a very little work required, and this can be a great morale booster when a hot meal is called for.

How Effective Are They?

Despite the griping and complaining you might hear about them from people in military service, both types of ration heater are generally effective, and an excellent convenience option when a fire is not practical or safe.

The older style heaters in particular suffer from being a little erratic, and especially when damaged or when quality control at the factory was having an off day they might not get hot enough to thoroughly heat an entree pouch all the way through no matter how much you stir the contents when it is done.

Most of the time, though, so long as the instructions or followed carefully they could be relied upon although you did have to give up a little bit of your drinking water in the bargain in order to operate them.

The new style functions much better with less setup and less irregularity, making them the de facto choice if you have access to them.

These evenly heat the entree pouch from both sides, ensuring that your meal is piping hot and wholesome when the heating process is finished.

Additionally not having to add any water means you’ll save resources and not have to worry over precise measuring when all you want to do is get off your feet and have some warm dinner.

Bottom line, both work, and both are totally viable for preppers.

Are MRE Heaters Safe?

Both varieties of FRH are safe but, naturally, there are drawbacks attendant with both, particularly the older generation that requires water.

The old, water-based MRE heaters used a magnesium-iron powder among other elements that react energetically with water to produce heat, thereby heating your ration pouch.

While undoubtedly effective there are some concerns with this approach, namely the generation of hot steam (which could burn you) and far scarier the generation of hydrogen gas which can, in fact, build up in an enclosed space and produce an explosive atmosphere hazard. Yikes.

That is why these older MREs were not allowed on submarines, aircraft and in certain sensitive facilities.

If you are using these older style MRE heaters make sure you allow for appropriate ventilation, especially in confined spaces, and keep the operating heater away from open flames.

The newer style that requires only air to produce heat is far safer, not the least of which because it does not produce any explosive gasses that could build up.

Additionally, even though they might seem like a greater burn risk because they are only stuck to the exterior of the MRE pouch which is then not placed inside any box or other container the efficiency of these newer generation heaters, means that the vast majority of the heat generated goes directly into the MRE pouch and the heater itself can be handled cautiously.

You should still be careful when handling your newly heated MRE pouch, though, because it could be hot enough to burn exposed skin.

Conclusion

MRE heaters, new and old, rely on a simple chemical reaction in order to generate heat and thereby warm an entree pouch from your MRE.

One version relies on water to start the reaction while the newest, best version relies on air alone.

With a little bit of common sense you’ll find that both are entirely safe, convenient and capable of producing a warm meal when you don’t have the time or the opportunity to build a fire.

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Your Guide To Living Off The Land – Start Here

For some, living off the land is a far-fetched dream that would be great if it happened, but seldom does.

For others, it is a reality and a rewarding experience both mentally and physically.

With the advent of modern society, we have become accustomed to convenience and amenities that are accessible to everyone.

Inquisitive and adventurous minds have found that through meaningful research and listening to your intuition, living off the land is relatively easy to obtain if you let go of modern conveniences and live with less.

While this may not be necessarily true, we have access to knowledge that lends us a foundation on which to build a lasting life living closer to nature.

This may sound a bit preachy to some, but there is significance in living in harmony with the land.

The majority of the world already does this, through cycles of death, rebirth, and energy being recycled in many different forms.

Much of what we enjoy as a modern civilization also uses the same concepts, although usually in the background where we don’t see it happen.

This can effectively be observed through farming and agriculture, where we don’t do a lot of the work, but can pick up food easily enough from a grocery store.

This guide is designed to give you the foundation to prepare you for transitioning to a lifestyle of living off the land.

If you’re reading this, then you’ve already gotten past the first step and are open to new concepts anyway.

What Does Living Off The Land Mean?

Living off the land can be a lifetime of research as nature is both consistent and spontaneous. By most definitions, it means to create a sustainable life using the resources around you.

This includes: growing your own food, hunting for meat, building a home using natural resources, harnessing your own energy, and working within the laws of nature and the cycle of the planet.

As you can see, it’s quite a bit different than what we are used to in modern society. It requires knowledge of the resources around you, including flora and fauna.

You need to learn techniques for purifying water and heating yourself when the weather turns cold.

With no access to modern medicine (in the capacity that we know anyway) learning how to heal naturally with plants and herbs is necessary.

This also usually means you need to learn about how the human body works to be able to heal some of the more serious ailments, including physical injury.

The interesting thing that you’ll learn as you start down this journey is that it gets less intimidating the deeper you go.

There will be times when your strengths and weaknesses will shine, but overcoming them is worth it as you harvest your garden for the first time, for example.

Living off the land has plenty to offer, including returning to a simpler time where you don’t have to worry about mortgage payments or that 9-5 job that you slog away at day in and day out.

Instead, you’ll be given opportunities to grow with physical activity and lots of problem-solving.

The Journey Begins

Your living off the land journey begins with the first thoughts of changing your lifestyle.

After that, you’ll move on to the research phase where you’ll start to unlock the secrets of the wilderness and how you can sustainably utilize them to achieve your goals.

Research

Research is the first, middle, and last step of living off the land.

Without knowledge, you can’t start the activity and without experience, you can’t gain more knowledge, so you see how these work hand in hand.

Luckily, we have the power of the internet on our side with countless hours of video and text to peruse on your search for off-grid bliss.

Several experts can be found on YouTube and you can even engage with like-minded individuals through forums to learn from their mistakes and make your transition easier.

Mind you, this should mostly be done before you make the big move to your off-grid location.

As there will probably be no internet where you choose to go, physical books are a great resource to have at your disposal.

You’ll find that doing your research can be humbling and going into living off the land like you already know everything will have disastrous effects, most often a rude awakening to your lack of skills.

Individuals who have grown up camping and going on extended periods in the backcountry can easily tell you what a humbling experience it can be to be at the mercy of mother nature.

Finances

A simpler life can mean less money is needed to survive.

A lot of people who change their lifestyle to live off the land are looking for the freedom that money generally can’t provide.

Unfortunately, to get to this point, you will need to spend some money to get started.

Firstly, you’ll need to purchase the property that you want to prepare as a homestead for you and your family unless you plan on illegally squatting (which is not recommended).

Aside from purchasing the land, you will more than likely have expenses to get you started.

This can include things like equipment for farming, building supplies, or modern conveniences that you want to take with you on the journey.

All of this is okay as an off-grid vision is different for everyone.

The interesting thing is that the more research you do the less money you’ll spend. Sounds kind of odd, doesn’t it?

It makes sense because the more you learn to utilize the resources around you, the less money you’ll spend as you can probably fashion whatever it is yourself.

An example of this can be found in building your shelter.

Some people may purchase something like a yurt to set up on their land whereas some people may build a log cabin with logs they’ve cut down and insulation they have crafted themselves from clay, grasses, and other materials.

In a sense, the finances really depend on how much you want to invest before completely switching to living off the land.

Preparation

As with all things in nature, rushing a process is never a good thing. You’ll want to look at each aspect of living off the grid with a trial and error outlook.

What may work for some might not work for others, as our needs and the resources around us vary from place to place.

Make sure to have a plan for your immediate needs such as shelter, water, food, and fire which you can slowly start to transition over to your ideal setup.

It’s okay to start this journey slowly and piece by piece. As the saying goes: Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither will your homestead.

Reading through this guide, for example, is a good way to start your research about transitioning to living off the land.

Using it as a stepping stone you can refine your research and come up with a solid plan to tackle each of the independent facets required to completely change your way of life.

How To Live Off The Land – Cycles And Lessons

This section of the guide is meant to give you a broad overview of the necessities (and luxuries) that are needed to be successful in your off-grid homestead.

It includes all of the basics needed for life plus some insight into the inner workings of mother nature.

This is by no means a complete guide, but instead, a foundation for you to learn and experience your own lessons.

Shelter

Building your home is a very personal experience and the construction will vary, depending on a few decisions.

The best thing you can do is to survey the land around you, or that you’ll be using to build your homestead.

Questions that should be running through your mind could be:

• Is there enough timber around me to build my own cabin?
• Is the ground underneath me suitable for building or will it erode?
• What will happen during storms? Will there be flooding or other issues?
• What resources are easily accessible near me? Are there waterways?
• What’s the view going to be like in the morning? (everyone loves the views)

Keep in mind that you may not be building your dream home right away.

Considerations like living in a trailer or having a canvas yurt set up are possibilities until you get more established and can turn your thoughts to a more permanent dwelling.

Starting low and slow will keep things simple enough until you get your feet wet living outdoors.

Heat

Generating your own heat is a requirement for two reasons. Firstly, you obviously need to keep yourself warm in the colder months, and secondly, it’ll probably be the same heat you use for cooking your food and sterilizing your water (unless you gather rainwater).

Most folks use a wood stove and that’s a smart decision in almost every case.

If you get a good wood stove they can be pretty efficient and they can also double as a cooking surface for your meals.

The best part is that wood is free fuel, and when living with nature, free is the name of the game.

Another excellent idea that is common is using clay to build a wood-fired kiln. Clay can be found in most riverbeds and once hardened, makes for an excellent oven and stove.

Considering clay ovens have been used for thousands of years as a heating source, it only makes sense.

A solar setup could be used to power a battery bank system that would enable you to use an electric heater.

However, the downside is that there are a lot of parts that go into maintaining a solar battery system and it is dependent on the amount of sunlight you receive.

In the winter months, this could pose a problem as the sun isn’t as strong in the northern hemisphere as it is during the summertime.

Food

Food is necessary for survival and peace of mind. Most people only think of food as a way to stay alive, but you’d be surprised at how much happiness food can bring mentally.

An example that comes to mind is having a large meal cooking on the stove while a storm is going on; there is something so relaxing about knowing that you will survive with a full belly.

Making sure you have food is the one aspect that requires the most preparation when living off the land.

You are at the mercy of mother nature and will have to work with the various cycles that the planet goes through.

This seems to be one of the most daunting aspects of living off the land to many people looking to strike out on their own, but once you get into the rhythm and utilize your newfound experience it won’t be as massive a task.

Growing A Garden

Producing your own food generally starts with the construction of your own garden.

This is where you can get really creative by growing the foods that you know you’ll eat, and for the most part, they can be really easy to grow.

Ensuring you have the proper balance of sunlight, nutrients in the soil, and pest control will increase the success of your crops.

Monoculture seems to have taken over the agriculture industry and it is highly destructive to the soil as it depletes the nutrients within and leaves nothing for future crops.

Rotating crops is a common way to return nutrients to the soil as some plants give back essential macronutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.

Having a composting area is essential to a successful garden as it provides a means to create your own organic soil.

Soil is full of microbes that help break down organic matter and give plants easy access to the vital nutrients they require.

Compost teas are a liquid form of compost and are an effective way to return nutrients to the soil as your plants are growing.

Just as with the cycles of the earth, life and death are both needed to grow a beautiful garden.

Meat – Fats And Proteins

While some vegetarians and vegans can definitely get by with just growing their gardens, some will eat meat and that requires a different approach than building a garden.

There are a couple of ways to get meat integrated into your off-grid diet with the first being to farm your own animals.

This entails that you’ll have a space dedicated to animals such as chickens, cows, or goats (they are the most common) and they can provide you with ample amounts of eggs and milk, not to mention meat.

Keep in mind that you will have to feed these animals, give them shelter, and a safe space away from predators. It is a lot of work but in the end, it’ll take care of a large part of your food needs.

Hunting, fishing, and trapping are other ways that you can get meat if you don’t want to have any farm animals.

All of these require a lot of practice and learning to listen to the land.

Looking for signs of animal passage, and knowing where they bed up or go for water are all important skills to master when out hunting.

Having various weapons like a bow and sling is handy to have and can be made using natural resources.

Water

Water is necessary for a few things, besides survival, it is used to water plants and animals, wash laundry, and even in the preparation of food.

Since it is so vital to the success of living off the land it’s best to have multiple sources available.

Sourcing water can start as early as selecting the property where you’ll be setting up your homestead.

Ensure that you have access to a water source that is running, whether this is a river, creek, or lake.

This makes for an excellent source of water that you can access if your primary source isn’t plentiful.

Digging a well is a common way to get fresh water to your homestead.

This method usually requires you to outsource to a private contractor who comes in and surveys the area, digs the well, and installs the pump.

This does depend on where you are located though, as not all sources of underground water are easily accessible.

Using rain barrels is a primitive way to capture rainwater and is effective if you have a lot of precipitation in your area.

Essentially the water is funneled into a barrel with a filter on the top that collects debris while the water is stored in a barrel.

Since rainwater is essentially free from adverse chemicals it is good as a backup solution. You can also use it to water your garden!

If you have to get your water from less than perfect sources, having a way to sterilize the water, whether it by boiling or using various chemical and membrane style filters is important.

Energy Production

This is more of an optional thing to have on your homestead, it really boils down to how off the grid you really want to go.

For most, documenting their experience on camera and sharing it with others is a humbling way of preserving those memories.

Others need the energy to keep their own self-built power systems online and functional.

Solar

This is the most common method of generating your own electricity.

This involves placing solar panels to capture the energy of the sun while then transmitting that energy into batteries which can then be used to power various electronics and appliances with an inverter.

If you robustly build the system (meaning lots of batteries) you can survive off the minimal sun in the times of the year when it’s not as strong.

Wind Generation

Micro wind generation is not a new technology, but it’s not used as widely as it could be. The wind is plentiful but unpredictable, and because of that, it makes for a good backup choice.

Having a 500-watt wind turbine on the roof of your home could be enough to power small electronics or an electric heater.

Hydroelectric Power Generation

This is an excellent option if you have a fast-moving river near where you live.

It uses the current in the waterway to rotate the turbine which then generates electricity for your charge controller and battery system.

Sanitation

Everybody has to poop and it’s no different out in the wild as you’re living off the land. Composting toilets are a popular choice as they don’t require any water for flushing.

There are two types, ones that accept both urine and feces and others that can only take feces.

These kinds of toilets rely on heat and microbes to break down the organic material that will then turn into compost.

When in doubt just dig a hole and put an outhouse over it. This is a common option that is inexpensive and requires no water to flush either.

Sawdust is a common topper after you’ve done the deed and can be obtained easily from your woodpile when processing firewood.

Of course, this is all subject to laws and regulations that are in the area you’re residing in. Remember to do your research to make sure you are in line with environmental laws.

Protection

If you’re living far enough out in nature then you might not have to worry about people bothering you, but there are wild animals that could be curious enough to merit some self-defense.

Having a dog is one of the simple things you can do to bring some joy to your home as well as a built-in security system.

Dogs have far keener senses than we do and can generally pick up on predators or other animals snooping around your homestead. It turns out that dogs really are man’s best friend!

Using trail cams to set up remote viewing points can also provide you with information on what’s been visiting your homestead to allow you to prepare accordingly.

The Seasons

If you’re living in North America you will undoubtedly experience all four seasons and it’s important to realize that you need to plan for each one.

Spring

The springtime is when you want to start preparing your gardens to be planted.

This includes working with the land and making sure you have everything needed for your plants to grow throughout the spring and summertime.

A lot of foraging can be done in this season as a lot of young plants make for delicious wild edibles.

Summer

Summertime is a great time to harvest berries and fruits from the land around you. In fact, a lot of your garden should be ready to harvest at this time too.

Summertime is also a great time to start preparing your woodpile for the winter.

In North America the winters tend to get very cold and being stuck without wood could spell disaster in an off-grid setup.

Fall

Harvesting and preserving your hard-earned food comes into play during this season. Cleaning up your garden and getting it ready for the winter months will make your job easier in the spring.

This is also a time to hunt wild game as most areas will be open up to hunting.

Ensure that you are following local laws and have the required permits and tags that are in place to promote conservancy.

Winter

Wintertime is all about enjoying the fruits of your labor throughout the year and is a good part of the year to plan out what you want to accomplish in the coming spring season.

Spend this time reflecting on your accomplishments and enjoy the sleeping forest.

Using Nature As Your Inspiration

A lot of the modern conveniences that we enjoy today have stemmed from something observed in the natural world.

In fact, you can even recreate some of these amenities using natural resources found all around you.

An example that comes to mind would be something like a wood-fired hot tub, or a sauna built from timber on your property.

Effects On Mental Health

Living off the land is not an easy task, and it can sometimes get exhausting, especially if you go at it alone.

Isolation and the struggles associated with living off the land can cause anxiety and unforeseen stresses.

These feelings eventually pass, and once you’ve gained enough experience you will relax more and more until it becomes natural to you to be living outdoors.

Keeping some modern conveniences such as movies and music can help with the hard times and if you got a dog for protection, they can also be a source of comfort for you.

Also keeping your physical body occupied with small projects and hobbies can help take the edge off.

Physical Health And Wellness

The mental choice to live off-grid can overcompensate for what your body can handle. Living off the land is physically tolling on our bodies and requires that we maintain a high level of health.

Knowing the limits that your body can handle will help avoid any costly mistakes that will leave you off your feet for extended periods.

Make sure to eat properly, stretch often, and only work as much as you know you can handle.

This is probably a good time to mention having an extensive first-aid kit for emergencies.

You never know when you’ll need medical attention, and paramedics more than likely won’t be able to reach you if you’re out far enough.

Taking a first responder course is also a good way to build up a strong foundation of knowledge to help you in a bind.

It’s Okay To Ask For Help

Unless you’re a hermit living far away from civilization, you more than likely have friends or family.

Pride can sometimes come into play, and that can cause people to not ask for help when it is needed.

Some jobs (such as building a home) can sometimes prove to be too big for one person to handle on their own.

Don’t be afraid to ask others for help with these things. Oftentimes you’ll find the experience enjoyable and people will be glad to aid you on your off-grid quest.

Additionally, it’s a great way to flex your newfound skills and hopefully inspire others to create their off-grid.

The Power Of Community

For as long as history has recorded human activity, we have embraced the idea of community and what can be accomplished as a group.

There is something incredibly powerful about a group of like-minded people pouring resources, experience, and knowledge together to create a community that is both sustainable and happy.

Of course, you should be sure to vet out anyone living in your community, but do it with an open mind, especially with people you don’t know very well.

The best way to go about this is to cultivate a group with similar ideals and do a trial run to see if it is a viable option for you.

If living with another group of people isn’t your way of doing things, at least keep the bridge connected if you or they need any help in the future.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some common questions that people have about living off the land and how to get started.

How Much Land Do You Need To Successfully Live off the Land?

This answer will be different for everyone as it depends on how large you want to make your homestead.

The general consensus is that you can successfully create an off-grid homestead on as little as ¼ of an acre.

This is more for people who want to live within a suburban area and as you venture out into more and more wilderness, plots of land become larger.

What Should I Plant in My Garden for Food?

You can plant anything you want in your garden, your imagination is the limit. However, you may want to consider only growing things that you or your family would enjoy.

This eliminates the possibility of unwanted waste and gets you more familiar with what grows best in your area.

What Kind of House Should I Build on My Property?

There are many different types of houses you can build on your property, but there are some things you should consider before choosing which one works best for you.

Deciding on whether or not you even want to build a house yourself should be one of the first questions you ask yourself.

If a prefabricated home is what your heart desires, several companies specialize in off-grid homes made with sustainable materials.

An example would be Mitchcraft Homes in the US, which specialize in building tiny homes meant for off-grid living.

Yurts are an excellent choice and are generally made of thick canvas, have spacious interiors, and are weather resistant.

Building your own home? Log cabins are a great way to build a home that can stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer months.

This is a labor-intensive process but also equally rewarding once it’s finished.

How Do I Find a Piece of Land That Works for My Vision of Living off the Land?

Researching your ideal piece of land can be done in a few ways.

Some people watch others living off the land through videos on YouTube and get a general idea of what they’re looking for.

It’s also a great excuse for a road trip to go and explore potential areas where you might like to settle down.

There Is So Much Information To Learn Before Living off the Land, Where Do I Start?

Online resources are the most accessible for most. For those who don’t want to use the internet, there are a variety of books that can help you get started on your living off the land.

• Unlearn, Rewild: Earth Skills, Ideas, and Inspiration for the Future Primitive By Miles Olson

• The Backyard Homestead By Carleen Madigan

• The Secret Garden: Growing Delicious Food For Essential Living by Susan Patterson

• The Psychology Of Wilderness Survival by G. F. Ferry

• Living Off The Land By Christopher McNab

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