Benable — create shareable lists of things you recommend!
E.g., products you love, local businesses, travel recs - you can add anything to a Benable list!
MODERN HOMESTEADING MUST-HAVES FOR SUBURBAN BEGINNERS
18
items Modern homesteading isn’t about moving off-grid or suddenly turning into a pioneer — it’s about feeling a little more capable, a little more secure, and a whole lot more connected to your home and community. This list is your gentle on-ramp into food...
Sections
6
SECTION 1 — Food Preservation & Storage
SECTION 2 — Small-Space & Indoor Growing
💧 SECTION 3 — Water Purification & Storage
🔋 SECTION 4 — Emergency Power & Lighting
🏡 SECTION 5 — Home Preparedness & Safety
🌞 SECTION 8 — Beginner Greenhouses & Year-Round Growing Tools
SECTION 1 — Food Preservation & Storage
For beginners who want to feel capable storing food, reducing waste, and building a sense of home resilience.
A beginner-friendly freeze dryer that lets you preserve fruits, veggies, leftovers, and full meals for months or years — without needing a full homestead setup. Great for suburban families wanting long-term food security through simple, low-effort ba...
Home Freeze Dryer Small - Harvest Right
A high-quality, reusable, eco-friendly canning kit with jars, lids, and guides that help beginners safely preserve produce without feeling overwhelmed. Perfect for small-batch jam makers, gardeners, or anyone wanting to learn preservation step by com...
Le Parfait Super Starter Kit - Premium Glass Storage Jars & Accessories
A simple, foolproof fermentation kit that turns mason jars into sauerkraut, kimchi, pickle, and probiotic-power factories. Perfect for beginners dipping their toes into food preservation without extra equipment or stress.
Price: $39.99
Mason Tops Complete Mason Jar Fermentation Kit
SECTION 2 — Small-Space & Indoor Growing
A sleek, high-capacity indoor garden that lets beginners grow herbs, greens, tomatoes, peppers, and more — no soil, no mess, no previous gardening knowledge required. Perfect for suburban homes where outdoor space is limited but the desire for fresh ...
AeroGarden Farm 12XL: Smart Indoor Garden System for Fresh Herbs & Greens
A brilliant vertical planter designed for balconies, patios, and small yards. Grow strawberries, lettuce, herbs, flowers, or even potatoes — all in one compact column. Perfect for beginners who want to start gardening without digging, bending, or man...
GreenStalk Vertical Planter | Grow Up to 5 Levels of Fresh, Local Produce
A compact LED grow light that keeps herbs and small plants thriving through winter, low-light homes, or kitchen corners. Ideal for anyone who wants to try indoor gardening but doesn’t have perfect sunlight — or the confidence yet to keep plants alive...
Aspect Mini Grow Light – Soltech Products
💧 SECTION 3 — Water Purification & Storage
A long-trusted, power-free water filtration system that removes bacteria, chemicals, and heavy metals — all without electricity. Perfect for families who want a reliable, all-weather water solution that works during outages, boil advisories, or unexp...
Big Berkey Water Filter System — 2.25 Gallons Capacity | Berkey Filters
A lightweight, beginner-friendly gravity filter that’s perfect for emergencies, camping, road trips, or keeping in your “peace of mind” preparedness kit. Designed to filter viruses, bacteria, and microplastics with zero fuss.
Price: $80
Peak Series Gravity Purifier - Lifestraw
A durable, space-saving water storage bag that folds down flat until you need it — ideal for storing clean water during storms, outages, or seasonal disruptions. Great for suburban homes with limited storage space.
Price: $40
Seeker 8L Hydration Pack | Hydrapak
🔋 SECTION 4 — Emergency Power & Lighting
A beginner-friendly, fast-charging power station that keeps phones, medical devices, Wi-Fi routers, lamps, and small appliances running during an outage. Quiet, compact, and suburban-home appropriate — no gas, no fumes, no noise, just reliable backup...
River 2 Max Portable Power Station – EcoFlow River Series
Lightweight, solar-powered lanterns that collapse flat for easy storage. Perfect for power outages, evening backyard tasks, or keeping kids calm when the lights flicker. Charges via USB or sunlight — extremely beginner-friendly and reliable.
Price: $...
Crush Light Chroma
A no-battery, no-stress flashlight that charges by hand or sunlight. Perfect for every drawer, glovebox, or emergency kit — because when the power goes out, having instant light builds confidence fast.
Price: $22
Hand Crank Solar Flashlight - Thorfire Products
🏡 SECTION 5 — Home Preparedness & Safety
For beginners who want to feel capable fixing things, tightening things, cutting things, or “I saw this on TikTok and now I wanna try it” things — without needing a full workshop or a personality shift.
A beginner-friendly, customizable home security system that provides 24/7 monitoring without contracts, pressure, or complicated installation. Perfect for suburban homes wanting to feel a little safer, a little calmer, and a whole lot more prepared —...
SimpliSafe Home Security Systems | Wireless Home Security Alarms
A titanium multitool that basically says, “I’m small, I’m shiny, and I can fix your life.” Perfect for suburban beginners who want one high-quality tool that handles minor repairs, outdoor tasks, and small emergencies without turning the garage into ...
Leatherman Charge TTi: Multi-Tool with Glass- Reinforced Stainless Steel Handle and Titanium Nitride Coating
A sleek, space-saving aluminum tube stuffed with essential tools like fire starters, a compass, bandages, and multitask gear. It’s the suburban self-sufficiency starter pack — tiny, tidy, and confidence-boosting. Great for gloveboxes, backpacks, or t...
VSSL Gear First Aid Mini - Compact Emergency Medical Kit
🌞 SECTION 8 — Beginner Greenhouses & Year-Round Growing Tools
A beautifully built, storm-ready greenhouse designed exactly for suburban backyards. Lets beginners grow greens, herbs, and veggies nearly year-round — even in unpredictable weather. This is the “I’m serious about this but still new” greenhouse that ...
Urban Series Greenhouses – Plant A Greenhouses Products Page
A sturdy, compact pop-up greenhouse that turns patios, decks, or sunny patches of lawn into instant growing zones. Perfect for beginners who want to overwinter plants, start seeds early, or keep herbs thriving long past frost — without committing to ...
Pop-Up Garden Greenhouse — Easy, Portable Seedling Shelter | Gardener’s Supply Company
A lightweight, affordable greenhouse ideal for suburban beginners with limited space. Great for seedlings, herbs, tomatoes, or anyone who wants to experiment with protected growing without spending big. A perfect confidence builder.
Price: ~$45
Greenhouse Essentials: Grow Fresh in Any Season | Ohuhu.com