How to Homestead Without Land: 10 Things You Can Do Indoors

You don’t need acres of pasture or a backyard full of chickens to start homesteading. A lot of the most useful skills can be learned right in your kitchen or on a windowsill. If you’re stuck in an apartment or just don’t have land yet, that doesn’t mean you have to wait to get started.

Homesteading is more about mindset and self-reliance than property lines. Here are ten things you can do indoors that’ll build your skills, save you money, and get you one step closer to living more sustainably.

Grow Herbs in a Sunny Window

You don’t need a backyard to grow something useful. A few pots in a sunny window can keep you stocked with fresh herbs like basil, parsley, or thyme. They grow fast, don’t take much space, and taste way better than the dried stuff from the store.

Use mason jars, repurposed containers, or cheap plastic pots—whatever works. Just make sure you’ve got drainage and enough sunlight. Water when the soil’s dry, and you’ll have a steady supply right in arm’s reach.

Make Sourdough Bread from Scratch

Sourdough is a skill that teaches patience, resourcefulness, and how to feed yourself with simple ingredients. Once you’ve got a starter going, you don’t need store-bought yeast ever again. Just flour, water, salt, and time.

It’s not as complicated as it sounds. You feed your starter once a day, mix up dough when you’re ready, and bake. You can use cast iron or a Dutch oven—no fancy gear required. Plus, it’ll make your place smell like a bakery.

Learn to Can and Preserve Food

Canning isn’t just for folks with big gardens. You can buy produce in bulk when it’s cheap—then preserve it yourself. Water bath canning works great for pickles, jams, and tomatoes, and it doesn’t take much space or gear to get started.

It’s a solid way to stock your pantry and avoid waste. Once you get the hang of it, you can keep your shelves full of home-packed goods, even if everything came from the farmers market or store.

Grow Microgreens on a Shelf

Microgreens grow fast, don’t need much light, and are packed with nutrients. All you need is a tray, some soil or growing mats, and seeds like radish, broccoli, or sunflower. Most varieties are ready to eat in about 10 days.

Stick them on a windowsill or shelf with a grow light. Keep the soil moist, not soggy. Once they’re ready, snip and eat. They’re good on sandwiches, eggs, or tossed into a stir-fry—small space, big payoff.

Make Homemade Cleaning Products

Store-bought cleaners are full of stuff you can’t pronounce, and the good ones cost way too much. You can make your own using vinegar, baking soda, castile soap, and essential oils—stuff you might already have.

You’ll save money and cut down on waste. Glass spray bottles last longer, and you can mix up a bunch of different cleaners with just a few ingredients. It’s one of those little swaps that adds up fast.

Practice Seed Saving

You don’t need a big garden to start learning how to save seeds. Even if you’re only growing a few things indoors, you can practice collecting, drying, and storing seeds for next season. It’s a skill every homesteader should know.

Start with easy stuff—tomatoes, peppers, or herbs. Label what you save, keep them in a dry spot, and track how they do when you plant them again. Over time, you’ll get better results and spend less on seeds every year.

Dehydrate Your Own Food

A small dehydrator can run right on your kitchen counter and pays for itself quick. Dry fruit, veggies, herbs, or even jerky with very little prep. It’s a great way to store food long-term without needing a freezer.

You don’t need anything fancy—just slice things evenly and keep an eye on moisture levels. Store dried goods in airtight jars or vacuum-sealed bags. It’s one of the easiest ways to stockpile food indoors.

Make Homemade Soap or Salves

Soapmaking is a handy skill that turns basic ingredients into something useful. You can go cold-process or melt-and-pour depending on how deep you want to get. Either way, you’ll know exactly what’s in what you’re using.

Same goes for salves—mix up beeswax, oils, and herbs for a natural remedy cabinet. Once you’ve got the basics down, you can start customizing for skin care, bug bites, or even first aid use.

Sprout Seeds for Food

Sprouting seeds like alfalfa, lentils, or mung beans gives you fresh greens in less than a week. All you need is a jar, some cheesecloth, and a rinse routine. No soil, no light—just water and time.

Sprouts are packed with nutrition and grow year-round indoors. They’re good in wraps, salads, or stir-fry. It’s a cheap way to add variety to your meals without relying on the store’s produce section.

Brew Your Own Vinegar

You can turn leftover fruit scraps into homemade vinegar with just sugar, water, and patience. Apple peels, cores, or even berry mash all work. Fermentation takes a few weeks, but once it’s done, you’ve got vinegar for cleaning, cooking, or pickling.

It doesn’t smell great at first, but once it finishes fermenting, it levels out. Keep it in a jar with a breathable lid and store it somewhere dark. It’s a great way to cut down on waste and stretch your pantry.

*This article was developed with AI-powered tools and has been carefully reviewed by our editors.