The Ultimate Guide to Starting a New Life in the Wild

It can be quite exhausting to keep up with the fast-paced life in the city, such that living in the wilderness is a welcome adventure. Just keep in mind that if you want to embrace a new life away from the hustle and the bustle of the city, you need to be prepared for it. In line with this, below are everything you need to know about starting a new life in the wild.

Prepare to go off the grid

• Research

One of the primary things that you need to do if you want to start a new life in the wild is to prepare for it. This means that you need to exert the extra effort to research the appropriate course of action for the environment that you want to live in. For instance, the living conditions differ if you intend to live in the cold temperatures in Alaska, in the woods in Europe, or the extremely hot deserts of Sahara. Take classes on how to live in the wild if you have to for you to gain a good insight regarding the basic survival skills that you need.

• Make a supply list

Another thing that you need to do in preparation for living a new life in the wild is to make a supply list. At the very least, you need to have utility items such as rope, knives, and netting, as well as lanterns and flashlights with oil and batteries. Make sure that you also have tools to start a fire to keep you warm in the first few days that you are still settling in your new home.

• Change of lifestyle

You also need to prepare your mind, heart, and body for the big change of lifestyle that you are about to embark on. Living in the wild may prove to be just as challenging as living in the jungles of the city which is why you should be committed to doing it before you make the bold move. In this case, condition your mind to let go of the conveniences you enjoy in the city, believing that living in the wild is more fulfilling. You also need to physically prepare for the transition too so make sure that your body is ready by doing regular exercises.

Set up your haven

As soon as you are equipped with the proper knowledge of how you will be able to survive in the wild, the next thing that you need to do is to set up your haven, where you will stay long-term. In this case, you can go for a mobile home, set up a permanent camp, or even build a log cabin. If you are going for the latter and planning to build your own log cabin, then better get a prefabricated one to save time and focus your efforts on personalizing it to meet your basic needs instead. Even mobile homes can come prefabricated, wherein all you need is a little personal touch to make the space your own.

Meet your basic needs

When you have decided on your living space and started to set up your haven, the next step is for you to ensure that your basic needs are met. This means that you should think about your food, water, and energy sources to make it possible for you to live in the wild for a long time.

• Food Sources

Once you decide to live in the wild, you must learn how to grow your food because there is a great chance that you are far from the district where you can easily purchase the ingredients that you need for your dishes. If you have ample space around your house, make sure to plant perennials that will be able to provide you with nutritious food for the years that you intend to live in the wild. This means that you need to learn how to sustain fruit-bearing trees and grow a vegetable garden. Make sure that you have some space for herbs and spices as well to ensure that you still get delectable dishes even on your own.

• Water Sources

In the wilderness, you need to harvest and harness potable water in many ways. One of these is by installing rain barrels and filtering the rainwater that you collect. Otherwise, you can also incorporate the collection of water through the design of your living space such as having a stepped roof or a bowl-shaped roof. There is also the option for you to leverage contemporary methods that implement innovative technological solutions such as using a hydroponic system. Regardless of the method of water collection that you eventually go with, the important thing is that you have something to use to hydrate yourself, as well as to keep yourself and your home clean.

• Alternative Energy

Living in the wild is somehow closely related to living off the grid wherein you no longer rely on the commercial sources of electricity to power up your living space. However, this entails the need for you to find out alternative energy sources to ensure that your home is comfortable regardless of the weather outside. In this case, you can install solar panels on your roof to harness the sun’s energy and convert it to electricity that you can use to keep your haven cool in hot summers and warm in cold winters. Otherwise, think about how you will be able to harness energy from the wind, or if you are living near a body of water, how you will be able to use water to generate your electricity.

The Bottomline

There is no stopping you from starting a new life in the wild, especially when you are tired of living in the city. However, you need to carefully plan your move by preparing to go off the grid and setting up your new haven which you will call home. Make sure that you can meet your basic needs too. All these are geared towards ensuring that you will be able to live the new life you deserve in the wild.