It didn’t take me long to figure out I was a fish out of water in our new rural living adventure.
More like an octopus, really – flailing around trying to make my new life look like it was working. I so did NOT want to admit there were things I didn’t know how to do. But after 22 years in the city, one thing was painfully clear: two decades of lounging around cafes, mountain biking, working in an office and attending cultural events had prepared me not one iota for my new rural lifestyle. Not in the least.
I couldn’t light a fire, or figure out how the well pump worked, and chopping wood? That’s a topic for another post… Suffice it to say that without my mentor team, I’d have likely packed it in and moved back to my lovely condo.
Except I’d sold it.
And then the housing market tanked.
I had to admit that all the reading and studying and pretending in the world wasn’t going to save me from the fact that I had become a ‘city girl’.
Then of course, the doubt kicked in. Big time. Could I really do this? Would I have to go back to the city and admit to everyone that my dream was just that – a dream? Who was I to think I could actually do this on my own? I spent a lot of hours in this place, wondering if I’d done the right thing.
But the thought of going back made me nauseous, so that was out. I needed to figure out how to learn what I needed to learn, and fast.
So after a lot of soul searching (and more than a few broken nails), I realized I had a few tricks up my proverbial sleeve that would prove to serve me really well in my new life. These are the same traits, preferences and preparations that will serve YOU too.
Check out the list. Go deep and see what comes up for you as you read.
Some of these things we think we’d be OK with, but the reality can be something else entirely. Let’s face it – when you’re confronted with an incessant squirrel trying to chew her way into your house and more mouse poop in your favourite boots, the romantic country living ideal can go out the window pretty quickly.
Are You Ready for Country Living?
Here are some character traits and preparations that should make your transition to country life more comfortable and enjoyable:
1. You don’t mind getting dirty.
This sort of goes without saying, but it’s amazing how averse to dirt we get when we live in the city. Probably because city dirt is usually pretty disgusting (yes, all those people who let their dogs do their thing in parks, I’m talking to you). But country dirt is something different altogether. Usually, anyway… unless it’s mouse poop. Bottom line is that it’s pretty difficult to do the work that needs to be done on a homestead or rural property without getting dirt on you in one form or another. If you’re OK with that, you’re halfway there. Sort of…
2. You can survive without a blow dryer.
I love my blow dryer and flat iron. I don’t go out of the house without using one or the other unless, of course, the power goes out in the middle of the night (happens a lot around here). So if you need to look great for work or have an important meeting planned the day after a big storm, you’ll want to be able to improvise: either have one of those rechargeable or gas-powered hair appliances handy, or get a haircut that doesn’t require powered styling. This might sound goofy, but I’ve been on backcountry rafting trips with women who packed blow dryers in their dry bags. What they thought they’d plug them into is beyond me. But I understand the desire to look fabulous, even when you’re up to your knees in garden muck… or vacuuming mouse poop from your sweater shelf. Just because we’re living off the land doesn’t mean we can’t look great, but if you can look good without the blow dryer, you’ll have a much more comfortable time living in the country.
3. You don’t need to transfer huge files over the Internet for work.
Ugh. This one almost did me in. My soon-to-be-former job requires me to connect to a VPN (virtual private network) to access our corporate file and mail servers. Unfortunately, VPNs are notoriously slow and eat up a lot of bandwidth. Even more unfortunately, the only Internet connection I can access in our part of the world is via satellite, which is also slow. Slower than ADSL or cable, anyway, and some days not much faster than dial-up. Double ugh… So my advice here is to be very thorough in checking all your Internet access options before you decide to move. It was an afterthought for me, which is something I wholeheartedly advise against. Do your homework before you move and you just might save yourself a great big headache later.
4. You’ve got some money put aside, just in case the whole thing goes sideways.
I guess the same could be said for any new venture, but the way everything is these days, you just can’t be too careful in the ‘fall-back’ department. Maybe you’ll be staying at your job after your move, in which case this won’t apply to you as much. But what if you decide you love the rural lifestyle so much you want to stop commuting and live in the country full time? What then? It always pays to have a longer term plan and a few bucks put aside for any lean months that may transpire. I’m transitioning out of ’employment’ in a couple of weeks, and am very happy I’ve positioned myself such that we’ll be OK financially for a while. If I had to worry right away about where the next paycheque was coming from, I wouldn’t be able to enjoy all the blessings of this lifestyle anywhere near as much.
5. You are flexible.
For all of the reasons listed above, and many more (including snowy roads that aren’t plowed for weeks, if ever, power outages that last for days, and persistent squirrels that wake you up every morning at 3:00 with their incessant chewing), rural living requires a sense of flexibility that city living doesn’t usually require. Not for most, anyway. What would you do if you had a big project due and the power went out for three days? What kind of back-up systems will you have in place? Are you in a position to get out to another locations that does have power and Internet connection? Is your drinking water well pump electric so you have no water if the power goes out? Are you OK with finding mouse poop on your counter in the morning? These are just a handful of the things you need to be able to deal with if you live in the country. But if you’re prepared, and willing to ‘go with the flow’, you and the rural life will get along just fine.
6. You’re willing to cultivate a ‘beginner’s mind’.
As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, I’m not really a ‘beginner’s mind’ kind of person. I’ve been lucky in my life in that I’ve been competent at pretty much everything I’ve ever tried. Maybe I’m competent at this rural living gig too, but it sure doesn’t feel like it sometimes. And it sure didn’t feel like it in that first year. In short, I don’t like to look like I don’t know what I’m doing. But I’m working on it. I have to out here, because if I’m not willing to ask for help and advice, I’m going to waste a lot of time and possibly money figuring it out. Don’t get me wrong – failure is a great way to learn, but in most cases on the homestead, it isn’t really necessary. If you’re a busy person, working or running a business, and running your homestead, you don’t want to be wasting a lot of time. There’s a lot to be said for old-fashioned community. Ask questions, locate mentors, and be willing to look like you don’t know what you’re doing. If you’re anything like I was (and still am in so many ways), you probably don’t.
7. You’re comfortable asking for help.
This goes with the beginner’s mind, but is beyond asking questions and hanging out with mentors. It’s about swallowing your pride and knowing when you need to ask your neighbour to help you get the wood in for winter, or the local organic gardener how to prepare your raised beds for planting, or the pest control guy how to stop the crazy squirrel from driving you nuts with her incessant chewing on some corner of the house you can’t locate! Of all the traits and preps on this list, this one is the one that will give you the most mileage, and the most reward. There are so many people out there who would be happy to help a newbie homesteader. All you need to do is ask.
So, Are You Ready for Your Move to the Country?
These seven traits and preparations are pretty much critical for anyone looking for the rural living lifestyle. Well, maybe not critical, but they sure make the life out here a lot more pleasant. Let’s face it – without them, the squirrel chewing and the mouse poop will be sure to send you packing. They just about did me in.
- 11 Lessons Learned from 11 Years of Rural Living - March 23, 2020
- What is ‘Modern Homesteading’, Anyway? - July 17, 2016
- Summer Rural Living Celebration! - July 1, 2014
I’m not too sure I can do the blowdryer part, but otherwise, I’m in! I love getting dirty and not having to put together decent looking outfits. 🙂
Yes, getting up for an important meeting to find the power went out in the middle of the night is always a challenge!
This brought back so many memories of my 2o years living in the hills of Vermont…good and not so good! Your questions are perfect!
Thanks, Denny. I keep thinking about the East Coast and how lovely it must be. Something keeps calling me there – I’ll have to go visit one of these days.
squirrel chewing and the mouse poop! hahaha!
It’s really not that bad – but it sure was for awhile! It doesn’t help that we live in an 80 year old house. On task for the spring – all new chinking to seal up any little holes to the outside. Thanks for visiting!
I can certainly identify with getting used to dirt, rodent droppings, etc… I’m not homesteading but I currently live in the middle of a desert and have lived for several years in the wilderness. It’s definitely not for everyone and absolutely requires a change in mindset from city living! I’m looking forward to hearing more of your adventures! I love your writing… Thanks for this great article 🙂
Hi there, Susan – it’s great to meet another rural dweller! ;o) I look forward to hopefully hearing your stories, too. It’s a new experience every day, and there’s always something, ummm… shall I say, ‘curious’, going on. Thanks so much for stopping by.
Victoria, I was laughing with the visual pictures you created with this post. I’m ready for a cabin!
Thanks, Beau. It’s definitely been an adventure! And will continue to be!
Thanks, Beau. It’s definitely always an adventure!
I am still laughing Victoria … squirrels and mice … got to love them … in NYC those critters are so bold and conditioned to humans they actually come UP to you … LOL
Why do I think that this post is really preparing us for living in the “Brave New World” I expect to see happening in the not to distant future 🙂
You have such a wonderful way with words .. Thank you so much !!
Blessings ~ Rose
Thanks so much, Rose. I’ve wanted to talk about our adventures for so long, and feel very blessed that I now have that opportunity (thanks to Sandi kicking my butt!). As for the brave new world, I agree – that ‘feeling’ was a big part of the impetus to make the move. I’ve felt it for a very long time (since the early 1990s), and feel in a much better position now to thrive should the worst go down, so to speak. Here’s to a big shift in consciousness (already underway) that will help us sail us into sunnier waters. Have a great day!
Thanks, Rose. I’m not sure I’d want to meet an NYC rat! ;o) I don’t know if you ever saw the movie ‘Enchanted’ with Amy Adams (it’s a favourite in our house), but there’s a scene where she calls all the wildlife to come help her clean and what shows up is, well… you can imagine. Pretty funny. As for ‘the brave new world’, I’ve had that feeling since probably the mid 1990s – it was part of the reason we moved back here, so we could be a little more self-sufficient. I could chat about that for days…
Every year I go “HOME” to my cabin in May and stay untill late October. It’s quiet and peaceful. There is no electricity, no well or water and no bathroom. Not much of a kitchen either because there is no plumbing. So it’s make your way to the outhouse! I do have a generator I’ll run at night sometimes but it’s rarely used. The woodstove is for heat,cooking and drying clothes. I haul water in. Run oil lamps at night. No internet so I get to read! Laundry is done in 2 totes and hung on the clothes line if it isn’t raining. Of course there is wood to cut,split and stack for the next year. There is always something to do between wood,cooking,cleaning and canning. Plus all the outdoor things like brushhoggin and keeping up with all those acres of meadows and woods.
I use a solar shower outside to keep clean.
The grocery store is about 13 miles away if I need to buy food. But I mostly use powered milk and simular things so I only need to go shopping every 6 weeks or so. The rest comes off the land.
It’s not as easy as living in the little rented house during the winter [with electric and heat, internet,and running water,kitchen and bathroom] but it is so peaceful with no stress. I wouldn’t give up living in the cabin for anything. If I could get in and out during the winter I’ld never leave!
Sitting in traffic for an hour+ to drive 14kms or long queues or rude inconsiderate people in your face everyday…..and so the list could go on…..FAR out weighs getting dirty or not having a blow dryer 🙂
Hello
That was really helpful
Im always moving from city to another city i always been close to nature but now i just move to the country
And i have no problems getting dirty, never use blow dryer, you can still look pretty in the country lol
But the only thing im really having some troubles is on my mind state Somehow i find peace around here but there is something im missing Not sure what it is maybe the way we sociallize in the cities? maybe it just take time get use to the way activities and socializing work when you live in the middle of nowhere and finding a human around is something exceptional Is that good or bad?
Maybe you can help me with some tips for your mind and spirit on this transition
Thank you
🙂
Ahh this is actually such a useful article – so thank you for writing this! Honestly I’ve wanted to live in the country since I was a tiny little girl, but I did grow up reading Enid Blyton books, so it’s no surprise really! I’m beyond myself with excitement now moving day is approaching, and the kids are super excited – especially as dad has promised them a tree house (let alone the fact that dad has absolutely no idea how to build one – bless him). Still even though i’m super excited to be going, I am starting to panic slightly about all the things I need. Living in the city we don’t have a garden or anything so lack of wellies and picnic blankets and warm jackets are lacking to say the least. Does anyone know of anywhere I can go to buy some country ‘accessories’ so to speak. I only want to buy a few things – Il buy most of it over time but I think the kids might kill me if they can’t go out in the garden or we don’t take the dog out for a walk in the fields (more or less immediately)! My friend sent me a link to this site that she came across on facebook, and they look good: https://www.webury.com/country-clothing-sale . Has anyone used them before? Are they quality products? Like I said I don’t really know the best sort of country attire so any recommendations would be great! As well as that if anyone can give me any ‘countryside must haves’ I need to buy then that would also be fantastic! Thank you everyone – sorry for all the rambling x
So excited for you! It IS overwhelming at first – I’ll admit I spent a wee bit more money than I needed to on supplies when we first moved, but now I have them should I need them. Some things I haven’t used much (the scythe… ahem… 😉 and some we use ALL the time (the apron style firewood carrier). If I had any advice, it’s that you’ll probably need less than you think – much can be improvised when needed. Hope the move went/goes well!
Really enjoyed your article. Especially the mentor part. My husband and I first got into “country life” in our 50’s. Although I had grown up in a family where we had a huge garden, canned everything, sewed our own clothes and built what ever we needed, it still was all done in the city. Hubby and I finally reached our “city people/city life limit” when I turned 55 and bought a small place in the country. We knew NOTHING!
Our saving grace was that we met a young couple (25 years younger) who had been country kids before they got stuck in the city. They became our mentors and taught us everything they knew from pasture management, to how a well worked, how to fix it, how to put up electric fencing, how the septic worked and what NOT to put down the drain,how to take care of livestock and even got us started on chickens and selling eggs. They hung out at our place so much because we had a lot to learn! Also, because they wanted out of the city too and we’re just saving up as fast as they could to get out!
Without those kids we would have been a complete failure! You’ve got to find someone who can be your go to person during your steep learning curve.
Now I’m happy to say the tables have turned and we mentor others when they ask for help or info. It’s the community that makes homesteading successful!
Wonderful! The mentor piece is really SO critical. As someone who really loves being independent and figuring things out on my own, if I’ve learned anything in this journey it’s that that makes it REALLY much harder than it needs to be. Thank you so much for stopping by!
Great article, my wife and I are considering moving to a rural location off the grid. The pictures look very quaint but both of us being city kids. It made me laugh about the hair dryer (but not my wife).