diy Archives - Page 5 of 6 - Homesteader DepotHomesteader Depot

How to Make a Holiday Wreath (Video)

A holiday wreath is a really easy way to dress up your house for the holidays without spending hours hanging lights that you’ll just take down in a few weeks anyway. And for homesteaders, why not make some wreaths out of found seasonal foliage on your property? Even if you don’t homestead, this easy, homemade wreath is a great alternative to artificial or expensive seasonal wreaths at Walmart. I think my favorite thing about this homemade wreath is that you can customize it to use whatever foliage and decorations you have, you could integrate Christmas tree ornaments, tinsel, even lights […]

Make Your Own Powdered Laundry Detergent

Are you tired of buying overpriced laundry detergent that has too much scent? As a homesteader, you should be making your own laundry detergent. You will find that with a few simple ingredients, you can create laundry detergent that works just as well as what you buy, and it will save you quite a bit of money in the end. Choose a bar soap that you like, and look for the powdered form. You should be able to find it in the grocery store or online. Then, take four cups of the shaved or powdered soap and combine it with […]

Making Candles in a Pringles Tube! (Video)

This is entire too cool not to share! I’ve always loved those big, tall, chunky pillar candles, but I’ve always figured they needed fancy candle making molds that I couldn’t afford, and I really prefer to do everything as simple as possible. However, I have seen floating around social media a simple trick: using a Pringles can! It works as a perfect mold for tall pillar candles, and is so simple and easy you could make a bunch for easy and meaningful holiday gifts, or to stock up on survival candles for the homestead. Check it out! If you liked […]

Clove and Orange Christmas Decorations

As a kid I used to make clove and orange Christmas decorations but I hadn’t thought about them in years. I saw this video the other day and it reminded me of how sweet-smelling these decorations can be, and what a fun and simple craft for kids they are. In the winter time, indoor air can become stale really easily, especially since colder temperatures make it uninviting to open windows, but these cute and festive decorations also double as natural air fresheners. Chemical candles or Glade plug-in style air fresheners can pollute your home with toxic fumes and overwhelming, artificial […]

Building a Natural First Aid Kit

On the homestead, one is subject to bumps, bruises, rashes, and other maladies and injuries. It’s very important to have a well-stocked first aid kit. But what about the homesteader who wants more natural, holistic options for home remedies, rather than simply OTC medicine that might be expensive and hard to stock up on for people who live in the country? Here is a simple list on how to get started restocking your first aid kit. There are so many wonderful DIY natural remedies available these days (thank you, Pinterest!) it can be almost overwhelming to know which natural remedies […]

DIY Starter Containers

Whether or not you grow in containers, it’s nice to start some crops on tables, or even indoors. But for every plant that you end up transplanting into the ground, you could have started 10 or more that never made the cut. That means that if you are going to start crops in containers, you are going to need a lot of starter pots, and can add up quickly. Here are some ways that you can make starter pots from material that you already have and might even be throwing away. Egg Cartons An egg carton can provide a […]

Don’t Be Without These Homemade Cough Drops

I never tire of homemade cold remedies. I got a pretty bad cold this week and really wished I had made some of these delicious homemade cough drops. A nasty cold is particularly awful to have during cold winter months. I will definitely be making more of these to have on hand the next time a cold hits. It’s simple, easy, and way better than your average chemical-filled cough drops. Regular store-bought cough drops often have artificial colorings and flavorings in them. They might be able to soothe your cough but they sure won’t help prevent cancer! Try this simple […]

How to Make Moonshine (Humorous Infographic)

I saw this infographic on Pinterest recently and couldn’t resist sharing here! Moonshine is such a humorous cultural icon of the South and of “country living”. I wouldn’t actually recommend making moonshine, and you’ll see the infographic has a warning, since it’s most likely illegal to do so where you live and can be quite dangerous. *But purely for entertainment purposes*, as a DIY, fermenting, make-everything-at-home enthusiast, I still think it’s super cool and fascinating to see a breakdown of how moonshine is made. I feel like it’s a big part of our cultural history as a nation in a way. […]

Simple Homemade Paleo Mayonnaise (Video)

Mayonnaise is a condiment staple that most houses stay well-stocked in. However, most store-bought mayonnaise, even the “natural” kind, is made from either unhealthy, caloric, “bad fat” oils, GMO soy ingredients, or both. Mayonnaise used to be something most homes made from scratch, and it is really quite simple to make your own, and requires ingredients you most likely already have! If the “paleo” part of this recipe sounds gross to you, don’t worry! “Paleo” mayonnaise is really no different than regular homemade mayonnaise. There are sometimes variations on this classic recipe, but it will taste no different than the […]

Benefits of Simple Raised Bed Gardens

Raised bed gardens are an ideal concept for today’s lifestyle trends. Raised bed gardening transcends generations and is a viable option for various size budgets. You can enjoy this method of gardening whether you have an expansive outdoor area or a space-challenged lawn. If you’re the DIY type, you can easily find detailed instructions for building raised beds. However, if constructing beds yourself isn’t a project you have the tools or time for, a quick Internet search will reveal many raised bed garden kits and design ideas that do not require construction skills. Eco-friendly living and an awareness of […]

DIY Liquid Hand Soap

I am all about ways to make value-added products like liquid hand soap yourself to save money and reduce exposure to harmful perfumes and toxins. Liquid hand soap is a really great DIY because you can re-use old hand soap pumps, or if you put them in a pretty container they make great and meaningful holiday gifts. The ingredients are simple and easy to adjust for scents that you prefer. Using essential oils of choice, you can mimic your favorite soap scents or create ones! Let’s get started: Ingredients: Two 5oz bars of castile soap Essential oils of choice One gallon […]

Drip System Installation (Video)

Recently I wrote about how to conserve water, time, and energy by watering wisely, but that is under the assumption that you, like myself, don’t have a drip system. If you have the money to invest in a drip system there is no better way to conserve water, time, and energy in watering your garden. With a timer added to your system you can pretty much forget about your garden and it will still grow. This video features a system that retails for about $30, in the video it irrigates a 8’x10’ bed with material to spare (the timer is […]

Horizontal Pumpkin Trellis

Pumpkins are not the first crop most people think of when they think of trellising, and horizontal is not the orientation most think of when they think of trellising. But having a successful garden on the cheap requires thinking outside the box. Using a trellis to grow crops like pumpkins that would sprawl and crawl all over if left to themselves will save tons of space. Likewise, orientating your trellis horizontally can also save space. That might seem counterintuitive, but if your trellis is vertical it will shade out the area behind it. Depending on your space and garden design […]

DIY Beeswax Candles (Video)

Beeswax candles are a really fun indoor activity for wintertime, and a great skill for homesteading. Beeswax is one principal motivation for keeping bees, and you can use the wax to make crafts like homemade candles that will do very well at farmer’s markets or perhaps an Etsy shop. You can add essential oils or even herbs for a lovely, all-natural aroma that is far better than a toxic parafin candle with perfumes and dyes. But even if you don’t keep bees, you can find organic beeswax at your local health food store or online and make lovely homemade candles to […]

Raised Beds from Pallets

If you have purchased lumber to build raised beds then you know how quickly it can get expensive. And not only the lumber, but the hardware like screws or nails to put it together. It all adds up and it adds up fast. But there is no need to spend your money on materials that are available for free. Follow these tips if you want to make raised beds for next to nothing. Find Pallets This step isn’t hard, businesses like Longs, Walgreen’s, Dollar General, and more, all receive the items that they sell on pallets. Some of these […]

How to Make Elderberry Syrup

Elderberries are a favorite for natural health enthusiasts, for their healing and soothing properties for colds and flus. Elderberry syrup is a popular way to consume it, and is far healthier that over-the-counter cough syrup full of chemicals, sugar, and drugs. They contain a high amount of vitamins A, B and C, which support the immune system and help fight off sickness. If taken before getting sick, they can help prevent an infection from spreading throughout the body, and if taken after getting sick they can help prevent the infection from spreading into the respiratory tract, making the sickness much […]

DIY PVC Hoop House (Video Instructions)

It’s getting cold, and your crops are certainly feeling it when they are left exposed. A greenhouse is a great thing to have, but they are also expensive. A cheaper alternative is a hoop house. There are lots of videos that people have put online of their hoop houses and how they built them, but they all seem to still involve framing out the back and front with lumber and putting a swinging door on. These luxuries can double the cost and difficulty of constructing it for those that aren’t carpenters or don’t have the tools necessary. Here is […]

Fire Cider Recipe

Fire cider is a great recipe for health through the winter and warding off colds and flus. You can take regularly or whenever you are sick, as a remedy. It’s an old folk recipe that has many variations, this is just one of course. If you know anyone who makes it, ask them how they do it! It takes a month to properly ferment, but once it is complete you can take it by the spoonful as needed or add to juice or even as a flavoring to chicken or rice dishes. It lasts a long time so make a […]

Making Non-Toxic Paint

Buckets of paint don’t come with severe warnings about the dangers of the near inevitable contact with skin or inhalation of the vapors coming off the paint for no reason. Many people think that there is just no alternative to using these toxic substances in their homes. But what did people use prior to toxic commercially produced modern paints? One old time paint recipe that some still use today, especially in baby rooms, is made from milk and a few other ingredients. So before you coat your baby’s crib or the walls of his room with carcinogenic substances consider this […]

DIY Vapor Rub Recipe

Cold and flu season are no fun, especially if you are experiencing bad congestion that makes it difficult to sleep, breathe and go about your daily business. Vick’s is the classic remedy for terrible congestion, but it’s actually petrolium-based, which is pretty much as bad as it sounds. Who wants to add carcongens to an over-the-counter cold remedy? This natrual and homemade alternative is not only much safer and healtier, it also smells even better and is more effecive. Also, if you make the initial purchase of these basic ingredients, the essential oils will probably last for years of many […]