Top 10 Things We Wish We Knew Before Moving Off-Grid
Moving off-grid was the most life-changing (and yet most challenging) decision we ever made. While we wouldn’t trade it for anything, there were so many surprises — things we weren’t quite prepared for. If you’re dreaming of starting your own off-grid life, here are the 10 things to consider…
1. It takes a LOT of physical work
Digging trenches, building, strimming, pruning, harvesting, carrying litres and litres of water across our land, and everything in between - it all requires a lot of physical activity and a lot of strength. It’s definitely helping to keep us in good shape.
2. Community is vital!
One of the reasons we chose the village that we live in is because we knew there was a good sense of community, and like-minded souls surround us. If you ever find yourself in a pickle, like the time when we needed a friend with a tractor to help us get our tiny home onto the land. Or need an extra hand lifting, some gardening advice, or even a fruit and veggies swaps - without community around you, this way of living would be incredibly hard.
3. Nature Is the Boss
Weather dictates everything: power, water, what you can grow when, what you can build and when. Each season comes with a whole new set of challenges - we’ve managed through weeks of torrential rain, storms, flooding, minus temperatures, and soon will be navigating the red-hot Portuguese summer for our first time, and all the challenges that come with that too.
You learn to move with nature’s rhythms, and never try to fight them.
4. Systems Take Time to Build
Following on from number 3 - after weeks of rain, progress has been slow on our Quinta. Creating a solar set-up, plumbing in water, creating waste facilities, building composting toilets and composting heaps all take time. All the while, you are having to constantly maintain the land, tend to trees, nurture the veggie garden…
Expect trial, error, and DIY YouTube marathons. Also, accept that you just have to “go with the flow”. Bringing a fast-paced city mentality to this way of living is not going to work for you!
5. You’ll Redefine “Comfort”
We’ve learnt to appreciate a very minimal way of living. There is only so much storage that our tiny home on wheels allows for.
We’ve spent the last seven months with our little caravan wet-room as our main bathroom, which gives us around a 4 minute window of hot water (on a good day)!
We’ve created off-grid heating central heating using candles under terracotta pots. We are now used to having to take a short walk across the land every morning to collect the water for the caravan for the day.
Plus, living as a family of five with three boisterous boys in a confined space can certainly be intense at times - especially when you have weeks of rain!
It forces you to slow down your pace of life and makes simple comforts feel way more rewarding.
6. Budget More Than You Think
Hidden costs always pop up: batteries, tools, emergency repairs, extra fuel for your generator when your solar isn’t getting enough sun… and we’ve not even started work on our buildings yet. Always have a buffer fund!
7. Emotional Resilience Is Key
Some days are hard — especially when the weather isn’t on your side. You really have to adapt to not having the little conveniences and creature comforts that you were used to. There will be times when your electricity goes, or you gas goes half way through cooking, and you have to head out late in the evening with hangry kids in tow, to get more gas to cook on.
Just breath through it and go with the flow.
8. Self-Sufficiency Is a Journey, Not a Destination
You’ll always be learning and adjusting. It’s all part of the process. Although we would love to eventually be in a position where we never have to step foot in a supermarket ever again, we know we will never be “100% self-sufficient” — and that’s okay. This is where your local community sooo important.
9. You’ll Appreciate the Small Things More Than Ever
Waking up each morning to the sound of birds singing (not the hum of traffic). Spending your days immersed in nature with mountain views, sunshine and full powerbank feels like a huge win for the day! There’s something so satisfying about watching your veggies grow and fruit ripen in the trees -food tastes soooo much better when it’s homegrown.
This lifestyle makes you realise the many things you really do have to be grateful for in life.
10. It’s Totally Worth It!
The sense of freedom that comes with this way of living makes it so worth it. The sense of ownership over your life, knowing you are taking radical responsibility for yourself and your future — it’s priceless. No utility bills and no mortgage repayments to worry about definitely feels like a huge weight off your shoulders.
So far, no regrets — just lessons learned.