It may not even go fully or partially off grid. Instead, it prioritizes regeneration over consumption and connection over extraction. These homes produce more of what they need, optimize efficiency, and strengthen relationships with the local community and the world at large.
More people quietly return to a way of life that takes things slow and finds ways to be more self-sufficient. As the world at large hurtles toward maximum convenience at the expense of the environment, human rights, and other serious issues, the self-made home offers more than sustainability. That’s where things may start, but true regeneration involves putting back and giving more.
There are plenty of choices you can make to ease toward this way of life. You can learn how to live well within limits and find ways to support the regrowth of the essential and beautiful parts of the world and its people.
It’s easier to improve quality systems than it is to overhaul struggling ones. Before adding anything new, consciously audit what already works in your home. Pay attention to what creates the most and least waste, what routines already align with your intentions, and things you do that contribute to a regenerative lifestyle. At the same time, evaluate your personal values and learn more about a slow and intentional existence.
All these things touch on every aspect of life and home ownership: food, energy, use of space, purchasing patterns, and more. Perhaps you cook using ingredients from your garden or a local farmer’s market already. Lean into that. Maybe you buy only long-lasting, organic material clothing instead of fast fashion. Whatever you already do well, see if you can improve it through small changes.
Learn and then do. Convenience fills the gaps when you don’t know how to do something or don’t have the time or energy for it. This pertains to everything from cooking a simple meal to growing some herbs to repairing your clothes. Tackle one learning experience at a time or slowly improve everything across the board as situations arise. You don’t need to become a master mechanic or an expert seamstress in order to live better.
Remember that both capability and confidence grow through repeated attempts and successes. If you happen to burn a meal once when learning to cook with basic ingredients, it doesn’t mean your only other option is to get take-out every night. Take a deep breath, learn more, and try again.
The more you can make or grow yourself, the less reliant you’ll be on inefficient and non-regenerative sources. Not only can you become self-sufficient, but you can also give back to the community and world at the same time. A lot of this depends on how much time and space you have. A person in a high-rise apartment can’t plant a half-acre organic garden, of course, but you can reduce your reliance on processed seasonings with a few herb pots on a windowsill.
Food is the easiest thing to produce in your home and yard. However, you can produce other things too. Consider rain water collectors. Heat or cooling help with clever use of insulation or open window schedules. Recycling and reusing things offers benefits here, too.
You may still have a pack of paper plates languishing in the cabinet from a party last year but simply throwing them out won’t help your home or life improve. Perhaps you have a few fast fashion pieces hanging in your closet. Sending them to a thrift store gets them out of sight and out of mind, but it doesn’t solve the underlying issue. Instead of a purge, focus on a slow and thoughtful transition. The less you have to replace, the less wasteful you are, too.
Phasing things out takes two paths. First, stop using single-use items that you buy regularly like those aforementioned paper plates. Invest in long-term solutions like glass food storage containers and metal water bottles. Second, take a longer path to phasing out things you already own like cheap clothing pieces or furniture made from unsustainable materials. Reuse the materials as much as possible and plan for better choices in the future.
No one is an island. We all live interconnected lives that rely on society and single people nearby for survival and comfort. Self-sufficiency doesn’t mean that you have to do everything yourself. In fact, it’s better for a regenerative world if you don’t. All your efforts get amplified when they’re a part of a network of skills, resources, and shared effort. A truly regenerative world, after all, cannot happen if just one or two people or families take part.
Explore what exists already in your community. Join a like-minded group at the local library. Frequent an organic farmer’s market for produce. Participate in tool sharing co-ops or sign up for a skill or task swap platform. Share your knowledge. All these things can support your self-made home and help others achieve their goals at the same time.
The return to a self-made home isn’t about stepping backward into an idealized past. It doesn’t involve opting out of modern life or throwing away all conveniences completely. Instead, it’s about making conscious and intentional decisions that lead to actions. The more you understand about how your home functions now, the more you can lean into improvements.
Living slowly doesn’t mean doing less or cutting down to a bare bones, minimalistic lifestyle. You can find plenty of comfort and enjoyment in the process. In fact, as your confidence and capabilities grow, you’ll find more joy in self-sufficiency than you ever have in over-consumption. A self-made home and everything that comes with it lets you and your family life in a way that sustains not only your needs, but also your values.
