Do's and Dont's for Those Thinking of Going off Grid

Living off the land sustainably may not be as simple as you first think. There could be many obstacles in your way. I am writing this article to save you a bit of that heartache before you jump in headfirst.

Things you need to think about

How are you intending to live? Would you buy a piece of land and eventually build a home?

That is your first problem. Before buying a block of land you need to contact the local shire and get all their rules and regulations in writing. Never take it for granted that what they tell you is ok. For instance they may say to put a sea container on your block is okay. But when you try to put it there you find you can't.

You need confirmation in writing of all the rules on town planning etc, before wasting your hard earned money on land that you cannot put a shed or caravan on and live off grid until your home is built.

How will you live off grid

Water- Where will you get your water from?

Will you install a tank? If you are living in a caravan you may be able to fill the tanks from the town.

Toilets - What type of toilet facilities will you be using? Have you considered a composting toilet, or a normal cassette type as installed in caravans.

Electricity - How will you get your power? Will you use solar, wind or buy a big enough generator.

These are all very important things to think about before you even buy your block of land.

Now, if and when you have the Shires approval then you can start planning how you will live on your land.

Everything depends on their rules.

Are you allowed to place a sea container on you block to store your possessions in and live in a caravan.

Or can you live on the land in a caravan and then build a shed with a shower etc.

Or can you start building a shed with a shower and toilet in so you can live in that until you can afford to build you home.

These are all big decisions you need to consider.

Water is one of the most important things you will need. You will be surprised just how much you will need in just one day.

So planning this is important. You cannot do much with out it. Washing your hands takes more than you realise. We tend to take it for granted at home. But if you have to cart water that's when you realise how much you will need.

Catching and saving water will be very important if living off grid.

If you are living in a caravan you can still catch water in buckets from the water running off your annexe.

Be water wise and learn how to use your water twice. By that I mean if you have a shower, find a way of saving the water to wash your clothes or even wash the car. Learn to reuse it where you can.

There are so many different ideas for obtaining enough power for living off grid.

One and the most popular is of course Solar power

Then there is wind Power

Or another source for more reliable power is of course the generator

Contrary to many beliefs you can still receive power from solar panels when laid on the roof of your home, van, or any building that you want it on.

The main thing is to make sure that you have enough. For instance if you just want it to run the tv and charge up your phones and lighting then you won't need as much as if you are running a business and need continual internet for instance.

You can buy the plastic ones although I would not recommend those. Although it is of course your choice. Solid panels are the best. You can buy portable ones that you have to keep shifting to get the best result. Again, I still think they will work just as good on any roof.

Make sure that you buy the size that will suit your particular situation

These are a great way of obtaining power. Although like the name says you will need some wind for it to operate. That is the only downside.

These can be mounted on whatever building you have. There are many different types and models so again do your research before spending that hard earned money on something that is not suitable.

Having said that, you will still have to do your research, think ahead, not just what you need at the moment, think of your future needs.

Could you use a portable generator. Or would buying a larger one be better if there is a power outage for several days it will run the whole household for you.

Whenever using a generator always think, is the noise going to affect your neighbours. If you are parked for instance in a free camp site then please do not run it at night after 9pm as some people may need their sleep after a long day driving.

Always be considerate to others living around you.

There are virtually hundreds of different types of composting toilets that you can use off grid. It all depends on whether you have an excess of water. If not some are waterless. So do your homework.

You can also buy a normal cassette one which is used in caravans these days. These use water and need to be emptied in a caravan dump point. They come in a variety of sizes so the biggest would save you more trips to empty them.

i hope this will give you an idea of what you will need to do before going out and buying a block and thinking you can just set up a caravan or shed on it.

Every shire has different rules. So remember before buying your block check with the shire and get it ALL DOWN IN WRITING. That way you cannot go wrong.