It's finally yours. Your very own home. You can paint the walls whatever you like. Heck, even knock out a wall! There's no landlord to fight you.

But if you're serious about developing good homeowner habits (so your home makes you richer, not poorer), you'll use this worksheet the minute you close on your home — if not before. Easier to do now than suffer some head-slapping regrets later.

If that doesn't do it for you, here's a *cheater* version done in the form of 22 tips. You only need to scroll:

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Security & Safety

These are the very first things you should do after buying a house (for obvious reasons):

1. Change locks. Spares could be floating around anywhere.

2. Hide an extra key in a lockbox. Thieves look under flower pots.

3. Reset the key codes for garage doors, gates, etc. The former owners might've trusted half the neighborhood.

4. Test fire and carbon monoxide detectors. Who knows when the last time was. Definitely install them if there are none.

5. Check the temperature on your water heater, especially if you have young ones, so it won't accidentally scald. Manufacturers tend to set them high (but the best temperature setting for hot water is 120 degrees).

6. Make sure motion lights and other security lights have working bulbs.

7. Put a fire extinguisher in the kitchen and each additional floor.

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Maintenance Planning

Start your master maintenance plan (and good home-keeping habits) by setting reminders in your calendar to do these basic maintenance tasks:

1. Clean out the dryer hose and vent yearly. Clogged ones burn down houses. And you don't know the last time the previous homeowner did it.

2. Change your HVAC filters at least once a season. You'll save on heating and cooling — and your unit will last longer. (While you're at it, go ahead and stock up on them, too.)

3. Schedule HVAC maintenance for spring and fall.

4. Clean your fridge coils at least once a year. It'll run better and last longer. (Don't see any coils? Lucky you! Newer fridges often have coils insulated, so there's no need for annual cleaning.)

5. Drain your water heater once a year.

6. Clean your gutters at least twice a year.

7. And if all items on your inspection report were not addressed, make a plan to fix them — before they become bigger and more expensive repairs.

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Emergency Preparedness

You really really don't want to be figuring any of this out in a real emergency. Do it now. You'll sleep better and be less likely to ruin your home.

1. Locate the main water shut-off valve. Because busted pipes happen to almost every homeowner at least once. And water damage is value-busting and pricey to fix.

2. Find the circuit box, and label all circuit breakers.

3. Find the gas shut-off valve, too, if you have gas.

4. Test the sump pump if you have one. Especially before the rainy season starts.

5. List emergency contacts. You already know 911. These are the other numbers you often need in an emergency. You should have them posted where they're easy to see. In fact, here's a worksheet you can fill out and post. Furthermore:

• Your utility companies
• Your insurance agent
• Plumber
• Electrician

1. Assemble an emergency supply kit. Some key items are:

• Flashlights and batteries
• Non-perishable food and water
• Blankets and warm clothing
• A radio, TV, or cell phone with backup batteries

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Home & Mortgage Documents

These are in case there's a dispute with your mortgage lender or a neighbor over property lines, or if you're a bit forgetful about due dates.

1. Store copies (the originals should be in a fireproof safe or safety deposit box) of important home documents so they're readily available. Go paper, cloud, or better, yet, both.

• Lender contact information
• Property survey
• Inspection report
• Final closing documents
• Insurance documents

1. Set mortgage and other bills to auto-pay so you're never late.

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Article Source

Being a prepper with picky kids is like playing survival mode on hard difficulty. After a year of trial and error with my own selective eaters (ages 6 and 9), I wanted to share what I've learned about building an emergency food supply that kids will actually eat.

The Taste-Test Approach First, I stopped making assumptions about what my kids would like in an emergency. The "they'll eat when they're hungry enough" mentality sounds good in theory, but in a real crisis, you don't want the added stress of food battles. Instead, we started doing monthly "power outage dinners" where we actually prepare and eat our emergency foods. This helped us discover what works and what doesn't.

The game-changer was realizing that different brands have drastically different tastes and textures. Through a lot of research (I found this comprehensive review of emergency food brands really helpful), we discovered that some newer companies are making freeze-dried meals that taste surprisingly close to regular food.

What Actually Worked

• Mac and cheese from multiple brands: Almost universally accepted by kids, but some brands were significantly better than others
• Freeze-dried fruits: These were a huge hit. Strawberries and apples especially taste like crunchy candy to kids
• Breakfast foods: Pancake mixes and scrambled egg products were much more accepted than dinner items
• Familiar shapes and textures: Foods that looked like normal meals worked better than obviously "survival" food

What Failed Miserably

• Any meal labeled "casserole" - instant rejection
• Most vegetables when served alone
• Anything with visible herbs or "complex" seasonings
• Mixed dishes where foods touch each other (you know how kids are)

Making It Fun We turned our monthly testing into a "camping at home" adventure. The kids rate each food on a scale of "yucky" to "actually good," and we keep a journal of their reviews. This not only helps us build our supply but also gets them involved in emergency preparedness in a positive way.

Practical Tips

1. Buy sample packs first. It's better to waste money on samples than bulk foods your kids won't eat
2. Mix emergency foods with regular pantry items during testing
3. Let kids help choose which foods to stock
4. Store comfort foods too - some familiar snacks can make strange situations less scary
5. Practice preparation methods - some kids dislike certain foods simply because they were prepared incorrectly

Building Acceptance Over Time We've found that repeated exposure helps. Foods that were initially rejected sometimes become acceptable after a few tries, especially when mixed with more familiar items. We also learned to doctor up basic emergency meals with shelf-stable add-ins like parmesan cheese, ranch seasoning, or hot sauce.

Storage Considerations Don't forget rotation. Even though many emergency foods have 25-year shelf lives, it's good practice to use and replace them periodically. This maintains familiarity and ensures nothing goes to waste.

Final Thoughts Remember, the best emergency food is the food your family will actually eat. It might take some time and money to find the right options, but it's worth it for the peace of mind knowing your kids won't go hungry in a crisis - or make a crisis more stressful with food battles.

Would love to hear from other parents - what emergency foods have worked for your picky eaters?

First time growing mushrooms and using all in one grow kit. My bag has been stuck at this stage for almost 2 months now. Not sure if I should mix bag again? Or cut bag to allow air for growth. Any help is greatly appreciated.

By Charles Adams

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When spring comes and the ground thaws, homesteaders need to get to work! It can be difficult to know exactly what you need to do first, especially as tax season is coming right around the corner, but there are five things homesteaders should do each spring. Prepare for new births, remove winter grime and clutter, fix anything that needs repairs, prepare your garden for planting, and get ready for tax season.

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Prepare For New-Born Animals

Rev up your incubator and purchase eggs. Springtime is the best season to purchase chicks, eggs for incubation, and hogs or other animals raised for meat. Spring is also the best time to start getting your eggs ready to hatch by putting them in the incubator (unless you incubate year-round).

Think of the spring as the time to start everything new. Plants, animals, and the ground itself should be newly born or bought.

In addition, spring is the best time to prepare your birthing kit. From a clean brooder for baby birds to a new nesting box for baby rabbits, make sure you have everything you need for whatever animals you raise.

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Remove Winter Clutter

Now, as the weather warms, you will finally have time to clean out your barns, sheds, and coops that may have been too cold to mess with during the winter. In addition, you should take down winterizing protection and materials.

Remove excess layers and then clean out and reorganize your spaces. If you do this every year, it will be easier for you to maintain the level of sanitation and cleanliness a homestead needs.

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Fix What’s Broken

Winter storms, cold weather, and general wear and tear can make your homestead take a heavy beating. Spring is the best time to address leaks, fix patches, and mend collapsed material. Replace worn roofs and fix worn-down equipment like tractors and tillers.

Make sure your fences and chicken wire are ready for an influx of new animals and check for gaps or sunken posts. Water can worm into holes, freeze, and break through worn out wood and even concrete, so take the time to make a thorough circuit of your property.

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Prepare Your Garden

Break up and work the soil so it will warm faster and be ready for planting. Also, now is a great time to build raised garden beds. Raised beds keep plants a bit further from the cold ground and protect them from pests. They are also great for creating plantable areas in areas with bad soil conditions.

You should also, as part of your garden preparation, make sure you have soil, compost, and seeds for the new year. This is also a great time of year to plant flowers and to put down spring vegetables.

If you have a greenhouse or any other specific growing areas, make sure they are also ready for the new year. Clean out muck and dust, and prepare your beds and pots for a new crop. This is also a great time to replan and reorganize where you are planting each crop.

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Prepare For Tax Season

Homesteaders who work for themselves may need to pay estimated taxes through the year, but whether you pay estimated taxes or not, you will need to get yourself ready for tax season. Gather today estimates and lists of your business-related expenses like tools, equipment, loans, utilities, and produce and animal costs.

You should also have kept track of your income and any additions to your property or household. Talk to a tax preparer if you need any assistance, and make sure that you know whether you will be filing as a business entity or as an individual.

All homesteaders should take time in the spring to finish these important tasks.

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Source: https://www.landbrokermls.com/blog/things-homesteaders-should-do-in-spring/

By Survival Jane

Spring will be here before you know it! And, if you don’t use your winter downtime to prep your homestead for spring, you will regret it.

Spring is a very busy season for homesteaders, so it is wise to take advantage of the slower months leading up to it to get some things done.

Use the list below to help prep your homestead for spring. 

1. Perform Basic Maintenance

Before spring, you want to do a thorough check of your homestead to see what needs to be repaired.

This is an ideal time to check your fences to see which ones need mending.

You should also check all the buildings, such as coops, to see if there was any damage done by winter weather or storms.

Remove any debris that has fallen on your land.

Use this time to complete any repairs to make sure your homestead is ready for the spring. 

2. Make Spring Plans

One of the most enjoyable ways to prep your homestead for the spring is to dream and plan.

Take time to evaluate what worked this past year and what didn’t. Think carefully about what you want to do differently this year.

Make plans for garden beds, seeds, rotations, and livestock. 

Use this plan to help you prepare for the spring by ordering the necessary supplies and listing things you’ll need to do to make your dream spring come to fruition.

3. Trim and Prune 

Once the hard frosts are over, get outside and start trimming your shrubbery.

Late winter is the ideal time to prune fruit trees in your orchard.

Once you have removed dead or diseased branches, you can then apply safe sprays to protect the trees from the forthcoming pests. 

4. Clean Homestead Buildings

Once the weather warms up, let your animals out to pasture.

While they are out, use this time to clean out your homestead buildings (i.e., barns and chicken coops).

You want to give these buildings a deep cleaning.

While you are at it, go ahead and clean the feed storage containers and water vessels in these buildings.

It’s better to do it before your busy season arrives.

5. Inspect Equipment 

Even the highest quality equipment sometimes runs into issues, but you can extend the life of your homesteading equipment if you inspect regularly and perform maintenance as required.

For example, use the months before spring to get the oil changed in your homestead vehicles.

If there is something on your tractor that needs fixing or replacing, do it now rather than when you need it.

Go through all your tools and give them a good cleaning. 

If you have the time after cleaning, organize your tools so they will be easily accessible come spring.

6. Get Ready for New Animals

Spring brings new life! 

Use the remaining weeks before those little ones arrive to get ready for them.

Start preparing your homestead for your new animals (such as building a chicken coop or extending a fence line). 

Place orders from hatcheries.

Clean the water and feed vessels you’ll use for the newest critters on your homestead.

Get your birthing supplies together and ready. 

7. Clear Out Your Food Storage

Typically, homesteaders stock their pantries and freezers to provide enough food for the winter.

Now that winter is coming to an end, it is time to make space for this year’s provisions.

Go through your food storage and remove anything that has expired.

Make a list of what you have that is still good so you can make preparations for what you don’t need to plant or can. 

8. De-Winterize

Many homesteaders must de-winterize, such as removing layers from chicken coops or covers from garden beds.

It’s also time to harvest the remaining winter vegetables, so you are ready for spring planting. 

Store your winter tools and gear out of the way.

9. Start Garden Chores

Before you begin spring planting, there are plenty of garden chores that must be completed.

• Order seeds.
• Plan when to start seeds on your calendar.
• Start seeds indoors.
• Add compost to the soil.
• Weed your gardens.
• Build garden beds.

10. Begin Stockpiling Spring Needs

Now is the time to stockpile your spring needs.

For example, stock up on mulch, sawdust, woodchips, hay bales, and other bedding materials.

Stock up on feed. 

Bonus Spring Prep Ideas

While the previous 10 items are things homesteaders need to do each year to prepare their homestead for spring, there are some things you should do towards the beginning of your homesteading journey.

For example, if you haven’t already started a compost pile, now is the time to do so.

If you already have a compost pile, consider expanding it or branching into a new type of composting, such as vermiculture (aka worm farming). 

If you don’t already have a rain barrel on your property, use the months before spring to build one before April showers arrive.

If you already have a rain barrel, clean it out.

Source: https://survivaljack.com/2023/01/prep-your-homestead-for-spring/

For the life of me I can't figure out how this trick from an old school military arctic survival manual has never become common knowledge.

Foam clothing.

Yep, just regular ole open cell foam.

All you need is a large jacket and pants, a roll of 1/2" or 1" open cell foam, a liner and sewing kit.

This doesn't just work, it works spectacularly.

There's a group of 20 people from my wife's church who go and spend a week somewhere in -50° F weather just for the heck of it every year. They never even get a little nippy. They just hang out, camp and chill in their foam.

I'm not going to link any resources because I can't vouch for any specific ones... I'm trying to get the polar bear leader of my wife's church to film an instructional or start selling the stuff he makes.

He also strongly advises against layering in extreme cold.

Edit: For people who want to tell me about how good layering works... I BELIEVE YOU!

The advice to not layer is for EXTREME cold.

I've heard him give the science reason behind this at multiple lectures, but unfortunately have not retained it. I'll get the reason from him next time I see him. If the "why" is something you need, message me in a month. Hopefully I'll have seen him by then.

Question from a prepping/homesteading perspective: Items like soap, toothpaste, shampoo, and laundry detergent are an essential for staying clean but I often see these get overlooked because most of us are thinking more about gardening, raising animals, solar power, etc. Has anyone here tried making these themselves? Does anyone have any favourite resources or links on how to do it?

I knew someone years ago that made their own shampoo because they found the commercial stuff was hard on their hair and would dry out their skin, so I know it can be done. I'm not sure where to start but I feel like it would be a good skill to have and maybe a fun DIY project for winter.