OffGridSkills

The nine skills

Nine skills. One capable life.

Every off-grid skill worth having, organised into tracks that build on each other. Each track answers the same four questions — what to know, what to learn, what you need, and what to do next — so you can go from curious to capable.

Hands wiring a solar charge controller with cables and a battery 01 Electricity

Power

Generate and store your own electricity

Power is the skill most people think of first — and the one where sizing mistakes cost the most money. The good news: off-grid power is a so…

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Rainwater flowing through a filter into a storage tank 02 Water

Water

Collect, store and purify a reliable supply

Water is the resource you cannot live without — and the one most people underestimate. A person needs more than they think, and every source…

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Hands harvesting vegetables from a raised garden bed 03 Growing & Storage

Food

Grow, preserve and store your own food

Food self-reliance is a compounding skill: every season of soil you build, every jar you preserve, every seed you save makes next year easie…

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A small timber cabin under construction in the forest 04 Shelter & Building

Shelter

Build a warm, dry, durable home

Shelter keeps you warm, dry and safe — and it's where off-grid mistakes get expensive and dangerous. Whether you build a tiny home, retrofit…

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A cast-iron wood stove with a kettle, fire burning inside 05 Heat & Cooking

Heating & Cooking

Stay warm and fed without the grid

Heat and cooking are where off-grid living gets cosy — and where it gets dangerous. A well-chosen wood stove can heat, cook and dry clothes;…

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A clean composting toilet setup in a timber outbuilding 06 Waste

Waste & Sanitation

Handle human and household waste safely

What you do with waste determines whether you're off-grid or just camping badly. Human waste, greywater and rubbish all need safe, legal han…

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A rugged two-way radio on a wooden table beside a map 07 Comms

Communications

Stay connected when there's no cell tower

Off-grid doesn't mean off-contact. The question is how you'll reach help in an emergency and stay connected for work, weather and family. La…

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A well-organised workshop wall of hand tools 08 Tools

Tools & Maintenance

Fix, build and maintain everything you own

Everything off-grid breaks eventually, and the nearest hardware store or tradesperson is far away. The most valuable off-grid skill isn't an…

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A packed emergency kit with first aid supplies and a headlamp 09 Preparedness

Emergency Preparedness

Plan for the things that can actually go wrong

Preparedness isn't about the apocalypse — it's about the boring, likely scenarios: a storm that cuts power for a week, a bushfire warning, a…

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Not sure where to begin?

The roadmap sequences these skills in the order they pay off — start there if you're new.

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