Emergencies, by their very definition, are stressful. I, like many homesteaders, find myself concerned about the possibility of an emergency event such as a natural disaster, a disease outbreak, or an act of terrorism. Do you too, wonder if you have done all you can to help prepare for a catastrophic survival situation? Panic and
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Frugal Living: Everything You Need To Know
Itโs no secret that modern living is a bit of a morass of consumerism, waste, and debt. In a world where the latest smartphone debuts less than a year after its previous iteration, where the Joneses are always one step ahead of you, and where mountains of plastic are clogging up waterways and oceans, the
25 Pipe Shelves To Add Rustic Flair To Your Home
Nothing brings rustic vibes to home decor quite like pipe shelves. The antique and vintage feel of exposed pipes contrasts well with farmhouse-inspired wood shelves. That being said, if rustic isn’t your style, these shelves can still be for you! There are plenty of more modern, industrial pipe shelf options that would fit with your
12 Ingenious Everyday Borax Uses
Inexpensive and readily available, powdered borax, also known as sodium tetraborate, is a naturally occurring common boron mineral salt. Borax is a component in a diverse array of laundry soaps, bath salts, hand soaps, cleaning products, and cosmetics. It’s a product homesteaders have used for more than 100 years. First discovered in dry lakebeds of
A Guide To Organizing A Log Cabin
After moving to our mountain cabin, it took us over a year to find the best ways to organize it. We had to learn how to get creative with our space and think about storage in new ways. How you organize the space is key. If you do it well, you can maximize small corners,
26 Affordable Shoe Rack Ideas To De-Clutter Your Space
The current shoe rack situation in my home is not ideal. Weโve struggled to find a way to store shoes in our tiny, awkward entryway. When my husband came home with plastic racks from the hardware store last year, I admitted defeat. The stackable plastic shelves are practical, but theyโre so utilitarian that Iโm itching
DIY House Winterizing
There’s useful knowledge that disappeared somewhere between these last couple generations. Maybe itโs just me, but there seems to be a lot of younger folks out there trying to figure out how to live in a harsh cruel world with bills to pay and things to do. Regardless of where or how you live, staying
10 Gifts To Give That Will Change The World
Every time the holidays come around, do you find yourself wondering what in the heck you’re going to get for all those special people on your list? Chances are you have at least one relative or friend who literally never wants anything. And if you love the tradition of spoiling your loved ones during the
Living Off-Grid: What Itโs Actually Like
In our modern day, with cable TV shows banking off of the “weirdness” of living off the grid, the very phrase “Off-Grid” images of end-of-the-world preppers stocking up MREs and ammo, wild-haired hermits digging in the dirt for acorns and mushrooms, or maybe criminals attempting to elude capture. But if you visited our off-grid homestead,
Flame Retardants
Flame Retardants are everywhere
Rodent Control Without Poison
As the weather starts to cool, rodents such as mice, rats, chipmunks, and squirrels attempt to find a warm place to stay well fed during the cold winter months. While these rodent pests are small, they can cause huge problems for homesteaders. Rodents contaminate food and indoor surfaces with salmonella and a diverse array of
Mushroom Hunting: A Helpful Guide For Beginners
Hunting or foraging for wild mushrooms can be a very rewarding experience, but knowing which mushrooms are edible is a key skill to have before heading out into the woods. In this guide, we’ll share the best tips and tricks for edible mushroom hunting, discuss the best mushrooms available for foraging in different regions of
๐ก Homestead Living
Homesteading is the foundation on which Insteading was built. The core values of homesteading are ones that we at Insteading like to promote to our readers and ones that we like to establish in our own lives Self-sufficiency, living off the land, and choosing eco-friendly alternatives are all things we encourage. Our Homestead Living content
Quonset Huts
The Quonset hut, designed for military use, is finding its way into contemporary livingโ with some important upgrades. The original huts, developed on Quonset Island, Rhode Island, were cheap, temporary housing for troops on the move. They were easy to put up, easy to take down and pack, and made of inexpensive materialsโcorrugated steel and
Bamboo Buildings
Bamboo Buildings
Modern Underground Homes
Modern Underground Homes
๐จ Green Building
It seems like nowadays every time you look around thereโs another large suburb or apartment complex being built. Often times they replace large forests, greenbelts, and other natural ecosystems. Aside from that, the large construction machines emit carbon emissions for months at a time and all nearby residents have no other choice but to deal
๐งฑ Natural Building
Modern day building utilizes man-made materials that can be harmful to the environment. Even natural materials, like wood, utilize fossil fuels in order to be milled into the final product. Everything from steel to plastic is used in modern building, and the resources needed to create those materials are not renewable. Alternatively, traditional building methods
Masonry Heaters: Benefits, How They Work, And Photos
When you think of heating with fire, the first image that might leap to your mind is a crackling wood stove, the mainstay of cozy homesteading living rooms everywhere. But despite itโs current ubiquity in back-to-the-land imagery, the wood stove is a relatively recent invention, having been invented by Benjamin Franklin in 1742. If you
Fairy Houses
Supply a home to our ethereal friends in your backyard, in a park, or in your city apartment. Great fun with kids, as the activity is usually outside in nature, and sparks imagination and creative play. Fairy Houses Fairy House on Monhegan Island, Maine.ย fairyhouses.com Fairy House. saras-toy-box.blogspot.com Fairy House by Aviary. pinterest.com Fairy House at
Live Edge Slab Furniture
Although it may seem like the modernized live edge wood slab furniture is a relatively new trend, it began and was popularized back in the 1940โs by furniture designer George Nakashima. The widespread appeal is easy to understand. Each piece is unique, telling its own story, and standing out as the focal point of the
Outdoor Planters
Choosing the right planters will infuse your personality and taste into your outdoor living space. Just treat it like you would the rest of your home! Choose outdoor furniture and accessories with the same care you’d take for indoor spaces. Select pillows and colors and lighting that you love and that reflect your personality. Look for
Best Garden Hose
Every homeowner should have at least one garden hose stored in the shed. You’re going to use it for so many thingsโwatering the lawn, washing the car, spraying the neighborhood kidsโit’s worth investing in a good garden hose. Before we discuss the best options available online, let’s go through our top picks, followed by some basic
Polycarbonate Greenhouses
“Plastic” and “durability” aren’t usually words that should go together, but in the case of greenhouses they can. Long-lasting polycarbonate is worth considering as the covering material for your greenhouse, especially when compared to the traditional use of glass. In the case of modern tempered glass, rocks and hail shatter the panes with little effort.
Best Heat Gun
Heat guns are handy for paint chip removal, pipe bending and shrinking, fusing plastics, and removing adhesive tile, to name a few. Theyโre also useful for drying construction products. Whether itโs on a job site or in your home, there are many kinds of caulking, insulation and sealant projects that take an excessive amount of
Storage Benches
Storage benches may be one of the most versatile pieces of furniture we can own. For anyone needing to maximize space, theyโre the answer to solving storage and seating problems. They can also serve as a beautiful piece of home dรฉcor. The options for storage benches are endless. Weโre using them in our living rooms,
Best Wheelbarrows
Wheelbarrows are a big investment. They should be rugged and reliable, because any homesteader, builder or gardener will need to use them constantly. Weโve picked wheelbarrows that are worthy, long-term investments. Maneuverability Thereโs no point in buying a wheelbarrow thatโs hard to move. Moving dirt, concrete and old drywall is hard enough. Your wheelbarrow shouldnโt
Small Wood-Burning Stoves For Small Homes: A Review
Wood stoves are a highly economical way to provide heat for your home if you have access to a woodlot or live in a remote or rural area. To get the most bang for your buck, you should invest in a clean(er)-burning, efficient model. Last year, I spent a fair amount of time researching small,
10 Smart Small Kitchen Ideas
Small kitchens can be challenging. Especially when you love to cook and entertain. It’s easy to feel the walls caving in when you have a few cabinets open and the pot is about to boil over and your kids are asking when dinner will be ready. Before you do something rash โ like throw a
25 Front Porch Ideas To Spruce Up Your Entryway
Whether youโve been blessed with a grand wrap-around porch or youโre looking to glam up a tiny front stoop, there are countless front porch ideas to add some style to your space. From seasonal decorations to simple enhancements that boost curb appeal, adding decor to the front of your home doesnโt have to break the
๐ฎ Arts & Crafts
20 Free Backyard Playhouse Plans
Treating your kids with a backyard playhouse is a fantastic way of providing them a safe outdoor sanctuary where imagination can run free. Unfortunately, a ready-to-use playhouse can be a costly investment. Fortunately, there are plenty of free plans — which is what we’ll help you find today. We’ve found 20 of the best free
DIY Wine Cellar Plans + 10 Ideas to Inspire You
When you first moved into your house or apartment, there were probably a few things on your wish list. Maybe it was a fireplace. Or perhaps, a big open kitchen. And of course, you probably had a beautiful yard to grow a garden on your list. If you consider yourself a wine connoisseur, maybe it
11 Fun DIY Dremel Projects to Try This Weekend
While the term “Dremel” has become a catchall for just about any rotary tool, Dremel is actually a brand. They were the first company to produce the popular rotary tools we know and love today. A Dremel is a handheld rotary multitool with various attachments and accessories. It can be used for wood, glass, metal,
20 Unique Gift Basket Ideas for Your Loved Ones
Creating gifts from scratch is rewarding. Gifting something you have worked on with your own two hands makes it worth so much more. One of the best ways to give loved ones homemade gifts is by making a gift basket. DIY gift baskets are completely customizable and crafted to be perfect for the receiver. There
Environment
12 Beneficial Plants That Attract Dragonflies To The Garden
Swat! My right hand slapped my arm. โOne down, zillions more to go.โ I wasnโt one for using bug spray, and these pesky mosquitoes were leaving their itchy mark — though Iโd tried herbal alternatives to the chemically-based bug sprays. Even the mentholated smell of Vicks VapoRub had a minimal effect on these pests. Besides,
21 Comforting and Irresistible Summer Squash Recipes
Summer is here and with it has come an abundance of summer squash varieties. It is pretty common to see yellow squash and the common zucchini squash in produce stands throughout the colder months. But patty pan, tromboncino, and some members of the zucchini family fade out as the colder months hit and we donโt
Can I Compost Cheese?
Traditionally excluded from piles, cheese can only be transformed into a healthy compost under proper methods. Explore the complex process of composting cheese, including potential issues and the optimal composting conditions needed for its safe transformation.
Ten (More) Ways to Change the World Through Social Media
Blogging, social news, peer-to-peer philanthropy, microblogging, social networking, wikis, video sharing, and more. These are the new agents of change. Back in May, we penned the original 10 Ways to Change the World Through Social Media. Though most of those first 10 are still relevant, the pace of innovation and advancement on the social web
Unique Jewelry Made From Upcycled Materials
Reuse Jewelry Inspiration
Winter Squash Harvest And Storage Tips
Why do homesteaders grow pumpkins or winter squash? While the process may be challenging, the reward could be enormous. There are dozens of varieties of pumpkins and winter squash, weighing from 2 lbs. to 500! Whatโs in your garden? Read on to discover harvest, curing, and storage tips for the seasonal vegetable that is the
How To Store Apples
It sounds like the title of a Hulu-only horror movie but it’s a fact: Picked apples are alive! “Fruit does not die when harvested,” cautions agricultural experts at Iowa State University. “It remains a living organism that continues to take in oxygen and give off carbon dioxide.” After an apple is picked, it eats itself
28 Stunning Outdoor Rugs: In Every Shape, Size, and Style
Todayโs trends are offering up so many cozy, comfy and beautiful options to bring the indoors out. From throw pillows to furniture, weโre seeing our patios and decks become โroomsโ of their own. Accessorizing our homes is one of the best ways we can show off our own signature style. Itโs especially nice to find
How to Make a Bruise Poultice
On the homestead, getting dinged-up by daily activities is just a part of life. Youโd be hard-pressed to ever find me without some sort of cut or bruise somewhere! Sometimes, those minor wounds can be surprisingly incapacitating. Just ask someone with a paper cut or hangnail thatโs in the exact wrong spot! And even though
Grinding Your Own Flour
One of my favorite college coffeehouses was across the street from a milling company. I spent many hours sketching and sipping their various brews, the mood-lit ambiance of the cafe constantly underscored by the low hum of unseen machines turning grain into flour. Anyone who parked more than an hour on the that street would
Harvesting Garlic: How To Gather, Store, And Enjoy Your Garlic Harvest
There are few garden plants I know that require as little upkeep as garlic, yet require as much time as garlic. If youโve grown this wonderfully spicy, flavorful bulb in your garden, you are well acquainted with the near-year wait time till you’re finally at the point of harvesting garlic. You also know that the
What Is Fruit Tree Grafting?
Do you have an orchard or a beautiful fruit tree you would like to see produce more fruit? Are you interested in growing more fruit varieties but not necessarily planting more trees? And would you like to produce fruit quicker on younger trees? If the answer was yes to any of the above, you might
Introduction to Worm Farming
If you’re interested in cultivating dynamic, healthy, nutrient-rich soil, and are keen to incorporate nature’s natural composters, worm farming may be a perfect option for you. While rather less common than most soil invigorators, worm farming may be the most beneficial option (and in the long run, the least amount of work). Interested? Read on
8 Gardening Mistakes That Are Easy to Make and Easy to Fix
We all make gardening mistakes, especially when weโre attempting something new like going back to the land and growing our own food. But when you take to social media for a bit of solace, it won’t be long until the motivational, cliched, inspirational quotes appear — emblazoned over stock images of garden landscapes seeking to