11 Ways To Become More Self Sufficient
Photo of thread, scissors and measuring tape by Pixabay
Updated 2024.09.04
Growing worldwide populations have created an increase in the demand for resources. At the same time, extractions from the earth for those resources have tripled since 1970.
We live in a world with a higher demand for resources and fewer of them, as the extraction of raw materials has contributed to over 90% of biodiversity loss and water stress.
Becoming self-sufficient is a journey towards managing your own resources wisely and it’s a survival skill these days.
Self-sufficiency is about becoming a producer through making what you need with what resources you already have available.
Self-sufficiency means you are able to provide for yourself without the dependance on outside aid. You can provide for your own basic needs with minimal demand on external resources.
Self-Sufficiency VS Self-Reliance VS Sustainability
These terms all intersect. The journey to self-sufficiency is usually also a self-reliance and sustainability journey.
Though, self-sufficiency is slightly different from self reliance in that self reliance is more about making decisions on your own and self-sufficiency is more about managing your resources.
Self-sufficiency also intersects with sustainability, as sustainability is a resource management style; aiming towards managing resources with conservation, reduction and reuse in mind.
In sustainability, you conserve resources to reduce resource usage, in an effort to minimize consumption’s impact on the environment. The goal is to do a lot with the least amount of resources, while leveraging the resources you do have to their maximum potential.
Before we get into the tips of how to become more self-sufficient, keep in mind that you’ll never be fully self-sufficient. It’s not a desirable goal. Humans do need each other.
That said, you can get closer to becoming more able to independently provide for yourself, which is very desirable.
It increases your resilience during times of crisis. During times of peace, it’s just nice to make what you need with materials you have on hand and do it in your pajamas because you don't have to go to town to get it.
You’ll also save time and money. When you can provide for yourself by making what you need using your materials, you don’t pay retail markup for a finished product, or use fuel and time to go get it.
It is necessary for all of us to use resources; however, there are ways to do it where the pressure you put on yourself, the environment and the grid is lessened, and this is the path to self-sufficiency.
Below are 11 tips to become more self-sufficient -
Photo of baked bread loaves by Pixabay with text overlay 11 Ways To Become More Self Sufficient
1 - Make your own cleaners
You can use diluted vinegar sprays for counter tops, baking soda scrubs for toilet bowls and sinks, and diluted bleach sprays for sanitizing meat preparation areas.
All you need for most cleaning projects are these three products, diluted and portioned out as needed: vinegar, baking soda and bleach.
2 - Save what you can
Scraps can be useful. You can reuse bits and bobs in all types of ways.
Recycle spare shoelaces for a future pair of shoes. Recycle newspapers to protect your floors in crafting projects. Recycle water saved in a rain barrel for plants. Recycle old clothing as cleaning rags or nail polish remover pads.
Recycle vegetable scraps to make soup bases or new recipes. For example, carrot shreds can be used to make carrot patties, which are delicious with dip.
Look at everything you throw away with the eyes of recycling it or reusing it somehow. It won’t be possible to salvage everything, but a lot of things can have a new life elsewhere.
3 - Mend and repair clothing
When you learn to sew, you can easily repair pants with pockets that have unraveled and seams that have come undone. You can often remove the most stubborn, treatment-resisting stains with a dish washing soap and baking soda.
4 - Always be cutting external costs
It keeps you out of stores. The goal of self-sufficiency is to be more independent from the grid. When you’re self-sufficient, you aren’t running to the store to buy everything you need. You are minimizing what has to be purchased externally in favor of making it yourself.
Getting what you need from the store means you’re dependent on the store.
Look at everything you purchase and see if you could make it yourself, let go of it, downsize it, or combine it with another item - ie. eyeliners can be brow pencils too!
5 - Handcraft your own candles
It’s not as intimidating as it sounds!
You can harvest old jars for the task and make your candles at a fraction of the cost they are sold at. You can even sell your candles to create income.
You can also make your own soap using melt and pour soap kits to create soap from any base - even goat milk.
6 - Learn the medicinal uses of various herbs
You’ll then be able to make your own herbal salves, tinctures, and remedies that’ll promote your household’s health and wellness.
7 - Cut your own hair
You can cut your own hair or your family’s hair. If you have longer hair, trimming it yourself is especially easy. Men’s short hair can also be easy. You can use various settings on an electric razor to get your desired effect.
8 - Develop emotional self-reliance
When you have emotional self-reliance, your perceived need for external resources changes.
Accept that you are your own best friend. When you’re sad, angry, upset or jealous, comfort yourself. When you need reassurance, reassure yourself.
If you’re in a complaining mood, find one thing to be grateful for.
Make decisions yourself when at all possible.
Another way to become more emotionally self reliant is to find a source for your happiness. Something you enjoy that requires no one else. It could be creating things or a hobby of some kind, like learning new stuff.
9 - Use what you are given
If you are given a resource, maximize it. Learn how to incorporate it into your cooking, crafting or home business.
10 - Learn to bake bread
Flour, yeast, baking powder, baking soda, and spices, can help you create or add bulk to a meal from basically thin air - bread.
This bread recipe is easy to make and delicious.
Learning how to bake bread from scratch can stretch your paycheck. It’s filling and it’ll go with everything.
11 - Make your own hand soap
Use equal parts castile soap and warm water, stir in a few drops of essential oil - and ta da! You have your own foaming hand soap base. Pour it into a foaming hand soap pump bottle.
This allows you to use bulk soap, bulk essential oils and reuse the pump bottle many times before buying again.
Photo of person grinding up herbals in mortar by Yan Krukau
In addition to these 11 tips, look around your house for inspiration and easy ways to leverage the resources you have to create something new.
Becoming self-sufficient can save you time and money.
When you practice reusing what you have, making from scratch and DIYing everything, you no longer need to pay store prices or spend all your time studying sales and shopping - which opens up your schedule to spend more time with loved ones and find other sources of happiness.
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