Be Self Sufficient in a City
Whether you dream about living in the wide open space of the country or getting away from the throw-away society, you can still be more self sufficient at home in a busy city. Self sufficiency is all about developing resourcefulness, saving money, injecting more wisdom in the ways that you live and work. Part of becoming more self sufficient in the city environment involves working out what you're most dependent on and how to make more use of local community resources and your own skills. At the end of the day, you can still dream of living in the country or running a completely self sufficient lifestyle, but it's a good start to improve on what you have now if its not possible to leave the city.
Steps
- Start at the bare basics. Work out where you're currently dependent on existing services. You don't have to do without them, but when striving to be a little more self sufficient, it is wise to consider the following basics that most people need to do, or already can do easily. It's not necessary to be a professional, but if you have basic skills or no skills at all in these areas you can look to expand your abilities to be more self sufficient.
- Can you keep your place clean and tidy and do maintenance about the house? Tasks related to this might include basics such as painting and decorating, drilling, furniture assembly, Plumbing Drains Waste and Vents, and so forth.
- Can you drive and do Car Maintenance and Repair? The tasks involved may include cleaning your car, changing the oil, batteries, keeping tires in check, and so forth.
- Can you manage your own finances? The tasks involved may include keeping a budget, filing your own taxes, keeping a spreadsheet of income and expenditure, etc.
- Can you manage to incorporate a Sports and Fitness into your daily life? Maintaining your health is a key underpinning of remaining self sufficient and if you can make and stick to your own fitness program rather than relying on the gym or a coach, this can be helpful.
- Can you be an organized person? Most often this is about making a home maintenance roster as well as external appointments and job rosters, as well as plan storage methods to save space. This is arguably the most important part of staying self sufficient and on top of everything.
- Investigate to see if you can grow some of your own produce. You certainly don't have to grow everything from scratch and in a city environment it is simply not possible to feed one person in the average home or apartment space. But you can always keep a pot plant with perennial culinary Growing Herbs and Spices and spices such as chillies. It's always possible to grow certain vegetables in pots if you have a small porch or balcony, such as tomatoes, beans and peas, beetroot, carrots and the like. And if you like to try natural remedies, you can also grow medicinal plants or fragrant herbs such as lavender.
- Ensure there is adequate lighting, water and heat for any plants you grow indoors or in a confined space. Check this before you start; if you have concerns about warmth, be aware that there are a wide variety of small plastic vinyl portable greenhouses that can be sourced from hardware stores, or you can make your own.
- Find out if it is possible in your apartment complex to use unused space, or if there are other neighbours who want to join in to make a community garden. Compost bins and rain-water catchment tanks can be quite compact and many plants can be grown compactly and very well if planned for companion planting.
- Make your own produce and grocery items. There are many essential items and value-added food products that you can make yourself provided you learn how and make the time. For example, you can make your own Soap Making and ointments, Breads, Cheese, yogurt and Jams Preserves and Condiments. And you can fix things instead of replacing with new, such as repairing old clothes and fixing buttons up, right through to furniture restoration and tinkering with your bicycle.
- There are a lot of night classes and different craft projects you can look into. The internet is a wonderfully generous resource for those seeking to be self sufficient, as the many people who care about this ideal share their knowledge and information.
- Also look at your local city services website to see who you can talk to in order to find out about DIY and self-sufficiency projects. Some local councils have community vegetable gardens, run volunteer classes, or can direct you towards local groups who run these projects.
- Some DIY or self sufficiency projects are more about fun than saving money, as the labour content, tools or ingredients cost far more than is feasible compared to a pre-made thing, which sometimes may be better made. But some are actually much cheaper to DIY, satisfying to do and can be made to suit your lifestyle. And if you discover you're good at making something, there may be a business opportunity in the making!
- Recycle your throwaway objects. Consider ways you can personally re-use items. For example, plastic bottles can be used to make small pots or terrariums for seedlings, while the top half can be used as a funnel. Once you start researching how to repurpose old bottles, containers, books, clothing, etc., you'll discover that the range of craft and DIY possibilities is really extensive, giving you many opportunities for turning your old junk into craft wares and gifts. And even if an item appears to be past its usefulness, you may be able to discover yet one more use before a final discard; for example, old clothes and towels can be used for dusting cloths or rags for cleaning machines, broken crockery can be used for mosaic craft work and so on.
- Even if you can't recycle things on your own (for example, making your own toilet paper from recycled pizza boxes is somewhat extreme self sufficiency beyond the average householder), you should be able to find ways to dispose of the items somewhere that will ensure they get recycled. If your local council runs a recycling programme, make use of it to its full extent.
- Where it's not possible or desirable to buy more equipment in order to make one craft project, or to take up storage space saving up for projects you don't have time or a commitment to make. Therefore, it's useful to connect with local craft or interest groups in your local area that would be grateful for the donation of recyclable items.
- Ensure that your home is stocked with adequate tools and appliances and invest in ones that you need. Many homes lack essential maintenance tools; this forces you to throw away things that could always be repaired, or to pay for another person to do it for you. While in small apartments it is not always feasible to purchase many tools for as wide a host of needs that a large house and garden may need, it's still worthwhile considering tools to adjust door hinges, assemble furniture and so on.
- Secondhand markets, estate auctions, abandoned storage facility auctions and charity stores can be a great place to find good tools.
- Invest in stocking your kitchen with durable equipment. This space is where a lot of money can be wasted if you frequently rely on consuming takeaway or frozen meals. Many modern kitchens have very little space or facilities beyond a refrigerator, sink and maybe a microwave. If funds are available, invest in a small slow cooker, a crockpot, compact or benchtop oven and a griller (some even have hotplates or hobs on top for added utility - these are well worth their money). And if you can, buy a food processor (while not essential by any means, it is certainly a time saver). Other basic tools that are vital include pots and pans, decent stirring spoons, mixing bowls and small items like can openers and cheese graters; many such items can be sourced cheaply from secondhand markets, online auctions and estate sales.
- If you can't cook for yourself, teach yourself how, as it is not hard. For example, read cookbooks, watch cooking instruction shows, make use of free online cooking schools (such as Delia Smith's) or attend classes.
- If you don't have a pantry or larder, utilise other existing furniture to store food such as long-life milk, tinned foods etc.
- Invest in a first aid kit. A first aid kit is important for treating minor home ailments, such as headaches and colds, insect bites, treating small cuts and scratches. First aid kits can also be used to store healthcare needs, such as a digital blood pressure monitor, sun-screen creams, vitamin pills and so on. And always keep a copy of the numbers of your local ambulance service, doctor and hospital in case of major injuries or health problems.
- A basic survival kit is also recommended. This can be a basic box to store your first aid kit, candles and matches or a battery powered torch or lamp for a power cut, blankets and other things relevant to your needs. Many councils maintain lists of emergency supplies that a home should keep, especially if you live in an area vulnerable to such events as earthquakes, floods or wildfire.
- Get to know your local area well. The simple option is to get a map and study it and learn what businesses and services are in your area. But if you walk, ride a bike or catch a local bus, train or tram service instead of driving, you can explore a lot more without having to pay attention to driving your own vehicle. Being able to walk around and know your area gives you confidence and bolsters your independence; this is helpful when you need to find your way around your local area and ensures that you can give directions to other people too.
- Exploring your area may reveal interesting gems of places to see and spend time in. Walking around your neighborhood and learning more about it is a fascinating way to occupy yourself if you're ever feeling bored, and is something healthier to do than watch TV or play computer games.
- Keep a roster or household "to do" list. This might be on your computer, in a diary or on a board. This way you won't miss appointments or allow yourself to be double-booked. Of course, routines should be flexible, to allow you to take advantage of opportunities as they arise. Moreover, always look for ways to get more out of each trip you make from home, such as when going to the store to buy groceries, what other things can you do while there? Keep a list of things needing to be done in specific locations so that when you plan to go to that location, you can check off each to-do while there.
- Quite often it is wise to group together with family or friends to do a combined trip to save time and money. Doing this can make the experience far more enjoyable, as it also serves as a way to spend time with family and friends.
- Maintain a regime to protect your mental and physical health. There are numerous easy ways to keep your mental and physical health in top shape. Physically, stay as active as possible and eat healthily most of the time. Instead of slouching the evening away, get up and walk around the neighborhood or throw ball with your kids. Use cleaning as a form of physical exercise; this can make the work seem less a chore and more like self-care! Your mental health includes teaching yourself to dispel negative attitudes towards your life and the world around you; remind yourself of what is good and what matters in life whenever the bad thoughts seem to be looming too much. And keep your brain challenged––do word and number puzzles, play complex games, talk a lot with other people and read widely. The portions of the brain used for problem solving are a "Use them or lose them" thing so its best to exercise the mind often in order for it to stay healthy and dynamic.
- Relax more often. Let your body and mind recuperate through relaxation and concentration exercises such as meditation.
- Exercise makes it easy for the mind to stay flexible and alert.
- Socialising often with friends or talking to people helps you to remain independent. This is as important for people in married or long-term relationships as it is for people living alone––we all need a wide group of friends and acquaintances to be able to bounce our thoughts and ideas off.
- As we age or become sedentary, the muscle groups become weaker and the bones become less dense; this can lead to osteoporosis and mobility problems later in life, as well as potentially reducing the metabolism and undermining the immune system. See your doctor or health care provider whenever you have a need, but also to find ways to be more self-sufficient in improving your health.
- Consider your motivations for self sufficiency and how you interact with others. Often, people want to be self sufficient due to self-perceived problems related to interacting with others, or when they simply cannot rely on others and/or look for a way to avoid people. There is a wide range of reasons people choose to be self sufficient aside from reducing waste and being more responsible as a human being. And sometimes less-altruistic or inward looking motivations can create other problems which may ultimately prevent a person being truly self sufficient. You can generally gauge your own willingness to reach out and stay connected with your community by how often or willing you are to ask for help when you need it. If you stay inside a cocoon, this can cut you off from other people and create a difficult life; try your best to find a way through any such alienating motivation, such as talking to others, reaching out to community services or even seeking therapy.
- Always consider new ways that you can be self sufficient within your means and space. Self sufficiency ultimately comes from within and how you live with what you have. That's part of the fun and some of the best ideas come from simple needs. By looking at your local area you and seeing gaps in self sufficiency, you can improve your own self sufficiency, which in turn helps to improve your city's sufficiency in reducing waste. And by being less dependent on other services, your reduced dependency can go towards those services better serving people in greater need.
