Ideas For DIY
What a clever use of space to create an organizational system for your cans!
Got too many cans? Then create this functional rotating, dispenser for them in your pantry. Requires a little DIY, but it doesn’t look so difficult and even the most novice of handyman or woman can make it.
Get all the details for this nifty space saver here at lacquerandlace-vintage: DIY Canned Food Dispenser.
If you’re dreaming of creating a self-sufficient homestead but feel limited by your suburban setting, you’re not alone. Many homeowners believe that homesteading is only for those with acres of land, but the truth is, it’s entirely possible to transform your suburban home into a profitable and sustainable homestead. Whether you’re aiming to cut grocery bills, reduce your carbon footprint, or even earn some extra income, here are five must-know secrets that will help you turn your suburban space into a thriving, sustainable homestead!
In a suburban backyard, space can be limited, but that doesn’t mean you can’t grow a bountiful garden. Vertical gardening is the key to utilizing your space more efficiently and maximizing your yield.
You can grow a variety of fruits, vegetables, and herbs vertically by using trellises, hanging planters, and vertical garden towers. Plants like tomatoes, cucumbers, peas, and beans do especially well when grown vertically, as they can be trained to grow upwards instead of sprawling out.
Secret Tip: Consider using vertical gardening methods for food that you and your family consume regularly—like herbs, lettuces, and even strawberries—so you’ll have a fresh supply right at your fingertips. Not only does this save money, but it can also reduce your grocery bill over time.
Raising small livestock like chickens, rabbits, or even bees can greatly contribute to your homestead’s sustainability and profitability. Chickens, for example, provide fresh eggs and natural pest control, and they can even be kept in smaller, urban-friendly spaces.
Secret Tip: Chickens are relatively low-maintenance, and with a well-designed coop, they can thrive even in a suburban backyard. If you’re interested in expanding your livestock options, rabbits can also be a great choice. They reproduce quickly and offer meat that is lean and nutritious. Plus, their manure can be composted and used to fertilize your garden!
Profit Tip: By selling eggs, surplus poultry, or even honey from your bees, you can generate some extra income. A small side hustle like this can help pay for your homesteading supplies or even turn into a full-time business over time.
Water is essential to every homestead, and one of the easiest ways to become more self-sufficient is by harvesting rainwater. A rainwater collection system can help reduce your water bills and ensure you always have water available for your garden, livestock, and even for household use (if treated properly).
Secret Tip: Set up rain barrels or a larger rainwater collection system with gutters to capture rainfall from your roof. The collected water can be used for irrigation, washing your car, or even cleaning outdoor spaces. Just make sure to use a proper filtration system if you plan to use it for drinking or cooking.
Profit Tip: Rainwater harvesting also reduces your dependence on the local water supply, which could be especially beneficial during dry spells or in areas with water restrictions. You’ll save money while helping conserve natural resources!
If you’re serious about sustainability, investing in solar power is a must. Solar panels are a great way to reduce your energy costs, and depending on where you live, you may even be eligible for tax credits or rebates to offset the installation cost.
Secret Tip: Start small by adding a few solar panels to power outdoor lights, a small garden pump, or a shed. If your energy needs grow, you can gradually add more panels to your home. Some homeowners even sell excess energy back to the grid, which can help offset the cost of installation and lead to potential income!
Profit Tip: In addition to cutting your electric bill, generating your own solar power means less reliance on external sources of energy, making your homestead more resilient and eco-friendly.
One of the best things about turning your suburban home into a homestead is the ability to generate extra income from the hard work you put in. Whether it’s selling homemade preserves, eggs, flowers, or even hand-crafted items, there are plenty of opportunities to profit from your homesteading efforts.
Secret Tip: Start by making small, high-demand products like jams, pickles, or soaps and selling them at local farmers’ markets or online platforms like Etsy. If you’re raising livestock, selling fresh eggs or meat can also be a great way to earn some cash.
Profit Tip: The key to monetizing your homestead is to identify products or services that you can consistently produce and that have a steady demand in your area. Your local community may be looking for fresh, local produce or sustainable, handcrafted goods—and you can meet that demand while earning a profit!
Turning your suburban home into a profitable, sustainable homestead doesn’t have to be overwhelming or expensive. By using smart space-saving techniques, raising small livestock, harvesting rainwater, and implementing energy-saving solutions like solar power, you can reduce your reliance on external resources and create a thriving homestead right in your own backyard.
And don’t forget the potential to monetize your homestead! Whether you sell homemade products, eggs, or garden surplus, there’s money to be made in homesteading.
Start small, take it one step at a time, and before you know it, your suburban home will not only be more sustainable, but it will also be a profitable, self-sufficient homestead!
The link says the blog has been removed. Disappointed this is something we could really use! Help! Any idea what it is made from??
If you had done 8 horizontal shelves of the same depth as those shown in that space rather than the vertical dispenser racks, you would have saved lumber, had room to store approximately 50 additional cans of the size shown, and maintained the option of placing cans of different sizes in that area in the future. I’m not a prepper, so maybe you have reasons I haven’t thought of for setting the storage up that way. Overall you look super organized and ready for whatever!
It automatically rotates the canned goods for you this way. As you use a can from the bottom, the rest of the cans rotate down, the oldest can on the bottom is used first, the new stuff goes in the top. So you don’t have to worry about keeping super close track of the expiration dates. The system does it for you. It forces you to use the oldest canned goods first. Automatic turning of the cans also helps to keep food from settling into bottom of cans over long periods.
I found the link to make it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLouoGGI6ok
Here is the actual link: http://www.lacquerandlace.com/2012/12/rotating-canned-food-system-diy.html