50 Things Everyone Should Know How To Do
50 things everyone should know how to do. You could call these vintage skills, pioneer skills or just plain skills. It all comes down to learning skills to teach the next generation. Some of these are practical skills, many are must learn skills, and others are fun skills. I would love to make this list 100 skills with your comments, so let’s get started.
Some of the ideas I have listed we all do and some are a little harder to master for some people, including me and my husband. I really believe we will need all of these skills and much more, but this is a great start. I bet some of you took sewing classes in Home Economics and woodworking in a shop class, and so on.
Keep in mind, we won’t learn these skills overnight, we will have to take the time to learn them. Some we’ll be eager to learn and others we may never be interested in at all. I get it.
50 Things Everyone Should Know
1. Gardening Skills
Based on your location and your climate.
2. How To Save Seeds
Remember, GMO seeds can’t be used the next year after they are harvested, they will not reproduce. Buy only Heirloom, Organic Non-GMO seeds, you’ll be glad you did.
3. Organic Pest Control
Learn how to get rid of insects in your garden without pesticides.
4. Canning Food
I’m a Master Canner, Preserver and the only book I recommend you use is this one when canning and preserving food: USDA Canning Book
5. Dehydrate Your Food
6. How To Compost
7. Make Play Dough
Easy Play Dough by Linda
8. Learn How to Tie Knots
9. Train Your Dog(s)
10. Change a Tire and Change the Oil
11. How to Hunt Wild Game and Dress it Out
12. Learn how to Fish
13. Learn how to Clean and Cook Fish
14. Learn how to Sew and Quilt
15. How to Wash Clothes Without Electricity
Here are a few suggestions I have: Washing Clothes by Linda
16. How to use a Clothesline
17. Make your own Laundry Detergent
Laundry Detergent/Soap by Food Storage Moms
18. How to Bake/Cook Without Power
19. How to Knit or Crochet
20. Grind your Own Wheat
21. Make your own Natural Healing Salves
22. Prepare your Homestead for Blizzards
23. Prepare your Home for Tornadoes
24. Stock Your Pantry
25. Grow Herbs and Preserve Them
26. Cook With Cast Iron
27. Plant Fruit Trees for Your Climate
28. Learn how to Prune Your Fruit Trees
29. Learn how to Purify Water
30. Learn basic Carpentry Skills
Buy a few non-electric tools in case the power goes out for weeks or months.
31. Learn how to use Alternative Power Sources
32. Live Below Your Means-Pay off all Debt
33. Prepare an Emergency Binder
34. Make Bags To Survive for 72 hours
35. Learn about Emergency Fuel
Emergency Fuel To Store by Linda
36. How to make Pancakes and Other Meals from Scratch
How To Cook From Scratch by Linda
37. Learn basic first aid skills, CPR, EMT, or Paramedic classes
38. Have a First Aid Book in your Home-Car
39. Gather your First Aid Products
40. Know how to use Honey for Health Benefits
41. Learn how to Start a Fire
42. Grow Potatoes
Learn how to grow potatoes in pots or in the ground, buy organic and you will always have some potatoes to eat. I love digging for potatoes. They are one of the easiest vegetables to grow. Growing Potatoes by Linda
43. Learn Natural Remedies-Essential Oils
44. Eat Dinner Together as a Family-Teach Manners
45. Play Board Games with all Electronics Turned Off
46. Learn to Cook using Solar Power
Cook with a Sun Oven by Food Storage Moms
47. Buy old Cookbooks from Thrift Stores
48. Learn How to Store Water for Emergencies
Storing Water by Food Storage Moms
49. Learn How to Store Food for Emergencies
50. Save your Rainwater, if your State Allows It
Final Word
Here’s the deal, whether you have a farm, home, apartment or a homestead these are 50 things at the very minimum we need to teach our families. Thanks again for being prepared for the unexpected. May God bless this world, Linda
Thanks Linda for a great list of these skills The one that I want to work on is #46 Learn to Cook with Solar Power. We live in the Arizona Desert and now I need to purchase a Solar oven. I also think that another important skill is knowing how to mend clothing. This means that one has to have a basic supply of buttons, thread, snaps, elastic, and other essentials to mend. I always have an old fashioned light bulb in my sewing kit to mend our socks. When it comes to SHTF situation, one is not going to be able to run to the store and buy more underwear, socks, a sweater. I also think having an adequate supply of some essential clothing items is wise as this can be a life and death situation, especially in cold weather Another thing to add is how to keep cool without electricity – no air conditioning or fans. When you live in temperatures that are consistently over 100 during the summer months, keeping cool is important.
Hi Carol, great comment. It’s funny, I’ve been sewing since I was 7 or 8 years old. I assume everyone has sewing supplies, I know better than that! I remember seeing my mother-in-law using a lightbulb to mend socks and nylons. It really makes you think about storing extra underwear. I worry about staying cool as well. Linda
Wal mart has wash cloths in bundeled packs that are not expensive. I have stocked up around several hundred so far. Toiletries paper takes up so much room and it is money down the drain. With your laundry soap and a diaper pail. You can wash the wash cloths / or dish towels and keep washing them and re using them for years& years.
Hi the momma, great comment. I need to go check out those! I stock a lot of “cloth un-paper towels”. Good idea, Linda
I read this and then I read your article on storing pine cones and it occurred to me that a good article would be a list of sources and stuff you have purchased and recommend.
It could be just a list of all your links so anybody new or experienced can go to it and start getting what they need or find a source for gamma lids or where to buy some long lasting, shelf stable butter. I know you are generous and consistent with the links and I am sure others would like to find them easily.
Getting it all right the first time mean not wasting time or money or being unprepared.
Hi Frank, you are always so kind with your words, thank you so much, my friend. I have only had one person complain about my links in 7 years. I quickly mentioned to him that if I don’t put the links I get 100 emails or comments asking me where to buy things I’m talking about. I will be more generous with links now. Thank you Frank! You are so awesome, Linda