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Thursday, May 1, 2025

The Ultimate Homesteading Checklist

Estimated reading time: 13 minutes

The Ultimate Homesteading Checklist

If you're reading this, chances are you're either interested in starting a homestead or are already working on your homestead. Either way, you’re in the right place. Homesteading isn't a goal, it's a life style. Whether you’re dreaming of going off grid completely or just want to grow a bit of food, this guide will walk you through every essential step and skill needed to live a self-sufficient life.

This isn’t just another checklist — it’s a curated roadmap based on hundreds of articles, years of experience, and the most important lessons we’ve learned (oftentimes the hard way). Each section of this guide focuses on a core part of the homesteading lifestyle — from getting started to producing food to preserving your harvest to living without power.

At the end of every section, you'll find links to some of our best articles where you can dig deeper into that topic. By the way, this post is long, so you may want to bookmark it so you can visit it again in the future.

Without futher ado, here's the ultimate homesteading checklist:

Table of Contents


▢ Get Started With Homesteading

Beautiful Homestead

Homesteading isn’t something you just do — it’s something you become. It’s a mindset shift from convenience to self-reliance, from consumption to creation. Whether you’re looking to grow your own food or live completely off the grid, it all starts with making the decision to live more intentionally.

Before you dive into building coops or planting gardens, you’ll need to think about your goals, your land (or lack thereof), and how much of the homesteading lifestyle you’re ready to embrace. For some, that means moving to a remote property. For others, it starts right where they are — even in an apartment or suburban home.

These articles will help you understand what homesteading really looks like, what kind of land to look for, and how to start the journey — no matter your current situation.

More Resources:

▢ Learn Essential Skills for Self-Sufficiency

Spinning Wheel and Chair

At the heart of homesteading is the ability to do things yourself. From fixing a leaky pipe to making your own soap, self-sufficiency is built on skills that were once common knowledge — and are now more valuable than ever.

Learning old-school pioneer skills isn’t just about saving money (though that’s a huge bonus). It’s about being able to depend on yourself when modern systems fail. Whether you're growing food, preserving it, making tools, or trading goods, these skills form the backbone of a resilient homestead.

This section will help you identify the most important skills to learn first, along with practical ways to start learning them.

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▢ Gather Supplies for Your Homestead

Homestead Tools

Before you start building coops or planting gardens, it’s important to gather the right tools and supplies. Homesteading requires more than just grit — it also takes gear. The right tools and supplies can make your life a whole lot easier (and safer).

This section covers the essentials you’ll want on hand as you set up your homestead. It includes must-have tools, items that tend to disappear in emergencies, barter goods, and even a few overlooked luxuries that can boost morale when you're living off the grid.

Whether you're stocking a pantry, a workshop, or an emergency cache, these resources will help you build a homestead that’s truly ready for anything.

More Resources:

▢ Start Gardening and Producing Your Own Food

Gardening Supplies

One of the first — and most rewarding — steps toward self-sufficiency is growing your own food. Even a small garden can provide a surprising amount of produce, and once you get the hang of it, you'll never look at grocery shopping the same way again.

Gardening on a homestead isn’t just about tossing seeds in the ground. It involves planning, soil care, pest control, and smart planting techniques like crop rotation and companion planting. The goal is to create a food system that works with nature, not against it — and feeds your family year after year.

Whether you're growing in raised beds, buckets, or full-blown food forests, these articles will help you build a productive garden that can thrive through every season.

More Resources:

▢ Learn to Raise Animals on Your Homestead

Homestead Animals

Raising animals is a huge step toward self-reliance. Chickens, goats, rabbits, and bees can provide you with fresh eggs, milk, meat, honey, and fertilizer — not to mention companionship and food security.

But before you bring home your first flock or herd, it’s important to understand the responsibilities involved. Each animal has its own needs, behaviors, and benefits. The key is to start small, learn as you go, and build systems that make animal care sustainable year-round.

More Resources:

▢ Preserve Food and Store it Properly

Home Canned Food

Growing or raising your own food is only part of the journey — knowing how to preserve it is what makes self-sufficiency possible year-round. From canning and dehydrating to root cellars and long-term storage, food preservation is what helps you build real food security.

Preserving your harvest not only saves money but also ensures you have access to nutritious, homegrown meals all year long. It also means you're less dependent on grocery stores and more prepared for unexpected disruptions.

These articles cover the basics of food preservation and the best ways to store what you grow, raise, and cook — safely and effectively.

More Resources:

▢ Learn to Cook and Bake Off the Grid

Cooking Over Campfire

When you're living off the land, cooking becomes more than just a daily task — it’s a survival skill. Whether the power is out or you’re miles from the nearest store, knowing how to cook from scratch using simple tools and ingredients is essential.

From baking bread without electricity to mastering cast iron cooking, learning to prepare meals without modern appliances will keep your family well-fed and your pantry running efficiently. It also connects you more deeply to the food you grow and raise.

These articles will help you build an off-grid kitchen that works in any situation — and make food that tastes better than anything store-bought.

More Resources:

▢ Set Up Off-Grid Power and Water Systems

Electricity and running water might seem like luxuries off the grid, but with the right systems in place, you can have both — without relying on public utilities. Whether you're looking to go fully off-grid or just want a reliable backup, setting up your own power and water source is a game-changer.

From solar panels to rainwater collection, these articles cover the essentials of generating power and managing water on your own terms. It’s not as complicated or expensive as you might think — and once it’s set up, the freedom is unmatched.

More Resources:

▢ Learn Natural Medicine & First Aid Skills

When you live far from town — or want to reduce your dependence on the healthcare system — knowing how to care for injuries and illnesses naturally is a vital skill. Many common ailments can be treated with herbs, homemade remedies, and a well-stocked first aid kit.

Homesteaders have long relied on medicinal plants, salves, tinctures, and teas to stay healthy. Combined with basic first aid skills, this knowledge can keep your family safe and supported even when medical help is far away.

These articles will help you start building your herbal medicine cabinet and learning the first aid essentials every homesteader should know.

More Resources:

▢ Practice Frugality and Generate Income

Homesteading isn’t just about saving money — it’s about stretching every dollar and finding creative ways to generate income from your land and skills. Whether it’s selling eggs, making soap, or running a market stand, there are countless ways to turn your homestead into a source of income.

Frugality goes hand-in-hand with self-sufficiency. Learning to reuse, repurpose, and make do with what you have can drastically reduce your expenses and increase your resilience. It’s a mindset that empowers you to thrive no matter what the economy looks like.

These articles will show you how to live more affordably and create income streams from the lifestyle you’re already building.

More Resources:

▢ Learn Homestead Hacks & DIY Projects

Part of the fun of homesteading is figuring out clever ways to do more with less. Whether you're building something from scrap, repurposing household items, or making your own cleaning products, DIY skills save money, reduce waste, and boost your self-reliance.

From homemade feeders and garden tools to natural cleaners and off-grid gadgets, these projects are not only useful — they’re incredibly satisfying. You don’t need to be a master carpenter to get started. With a little creativity and some basic tools, you can build solutions tailored to your homestead.

These articles are packed with practical, low-cost hacks to make your life easier and your homestead more efficient.

More Resources:

▢ Remember Emergency Preparedness & Security

Even the most self-sufficient homestead needs a backup plan. Natural disasters, power outages, and supply chain disruptions can hit anyone, anywhere — and being prepared is part of what makes homesteading so powerful.

From building a first aid kit and stocking up on supplies to defending your home and communicating during grid-down events, preparedness ensures you’re ready for whatever comes your way. It’s not about paranoia — it’s about peace of mind.

These articles will help you cover the basics of emergency readiness and protect the homestead you’ve worked so hard to build.

More Resources:

Final Thoughts

Homesteading is a journey — not a destination. You don’t need to master everything overnight. Just take it one step at a time, build your skills, and enjoy the process of becoming more self-reliant.

This checklist is just the beginning. Homestead Survival Site is packed with hundreds of articles to help you dig deeper, learn new skills, and thrive off the land. So bookmark this page, explore the links, and start building the life you’ve been dreaming of.

The post The Ultimate Homesteading Checklist appeared first on Homestead Survival Site.



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