User 7569
Guest
Hello everyone, wanted to write this out, for the entertainment and possible education of the members here..
This is just a short guide on how to live without a home, field tested and distilled by myself..
Without further ado:
Gear i would suggest:
.. i once got told by a homeless man that the only gear you really need is a gallon jug of water, a pair of gloves and some dirty clothes.
But you would do better with
• Backpack
• Sleeping bag.. or blanket, or sheet dependent on season/weather
• Tarp or plastic drop cloth
• P-38 can opener
• Multitool (i use a victorinox tinker, some people like the plier-multitools)
• Knife / Box cutter or both
• Gloves
• Gallon jug of water
• Lots of socks and underwear (3+ pairs each)
• Napkins / tissues
• dr. Bronners soap
• Toothbrush & toothpaste
• 1 or 2 pairs of pants
• Water resistant shell jacket
• Other jacket (i use denim)
• 3-4 thinner shirts (flannel, a white dress shirt, 2-3 t shirts for instance)
• First aid kit with lots of 4x4 gauze and neosporin, alcohol
• Triangle bandage
• Hemp string
• Paracord
• Beanie (skullcap)
• Bandana
• Headlamp
• Compass
• Map of your current area
• Markers, i like king size sharpies
• Gorilla tape
• Charger cords and wall brick
• Cell phone / tablet / laptop (something you can use wifi on)
• Burner phone (Flip phone, super durable, battery lasts forever)
• Headphones
• Quality boots / shoes
• Deodorant
• Dental floss and sewing needles for repairs
• Small pouch of some sort
• Spoon/fork/spork (i find a new plastic one and reuse it)
• Brightly colored lighters (easy to find in your pack)
• Hot hands hand warmers
• Padlock.. i keep a lock tied to a piece of paracord as a defense tool
• Baby powder in a travel size
Hobby gear
I like to carry a light suspension trainer to do rows and chin ups. Mine is a cheap one from Gaiam
Harmonica / any other instrument thats not huge, even guitars are ok to travel with, use the case to store some of your gear. Some guitars are smaller than others. Some people carry trumpets, saxaphones, or other horns with them.
Hand gripper, gotta stay strong
Art supplies of your choice.. i like the fat sharpies in a few different colors.. useful for hitchhiking signs too
Books
Notes (gear).
When choosing a backpack try to avoid new "midrange" price products, my current pack is a desert storm era army pack from the surplus, its tough as nails. About 30L. A simple jansport style school bag is good too. Any pack from a thrift store should do. I once made the mistake of buying a $100 Ogio pack from Target and it was a terrible purchase, once again avoid midrange.. amazon has some good bags for about $20 each.
Ive had the best luck with coleman sleeping bags, mine is a mildew resistant polyester filled bag. I bought it from a thrift store when i got to Utah for 10 dollars. If you move to a new area and your current bag isnt warm enough try to get a bag liner from a surplus or a new bag from a thrift store in your area. I wouldnt skimp on the warmth of your bag..
Sometimes i will carry a small blanket in my back instead of lugging the coleman bag around. Ive had good nights sleep with nothing but an unfitted bed sheet before, but that was in the desert (vegas). It is very area dependent.
I use a $4 headlamp from harbor freight and it works well enough for me.
Try to get some tough gloves. You can find some at most dollar stores. The cotton kind with blue dots are especially useful. Right now my gloves are nitrile coated on the palm side, $1 price tag.
Dr. Bronners is used for laundry, showering, handwashing, as toothpaste. I think you can get away with using a generic brand shampoo for all your washing needs, just dont try brushing your teeth with that stuff
The travel toothbrushes and travel sized toothpaste are really useful and can be found together in a pack in most dollar stores or at target in the travel toilettries section for cheap. I like the kind where the toothbrush breaks down into 2 pieces. You can also buy a regular toothbrush and cut it down to size.
I use baby powder in my shoes and sometimes on my person after showering/bathing to stay fresh and dry when the weather is not good. Dont skip this one
Using dental floss for sewing is a great trick to repair your pack, clothes, sleeping bag and other gear. That stuff is tougher than any string you will buy
I will make things out of gorilla tape, like palm guards, small pouches. You can also apply direct pressure to bleeding wounds by tightly taping napkins or 4x4 gauze pads. If this doesnt stop bleeding (in the case of a major bleed) try a tourniquet made from your triangle bandage and a ballpoint pen. Or you can splurge on a real tourniquet and easily save a life including your own. Google the skill of "bleeding control and shock management" before heading out.
You can use the hemp string to hang up a tarp shelter, make trip wire, get creative with possibke uses.
Knives are awesome. I use a swiss army knife every day. I carry another small single blade pocket knife and sometimes a box cutter too.
I carry a plastic spoon in my bag. Will get a metal spork one day though.
Picking an area. Finding work / money, (looking for love) socialization
If you are travelling try to pick relatively safe areas, environment is everything when sleeping rough. I hated sleeping outside in (dangerous, scummy) El Cajon, Ca for instance but most areas in utah and vegas have been alright. Trust your instinct, if you feel in your gut that you should leave an area, pack up, get out..
My favorite places to sleep rough are behind bushes, power boxes, in parks, baseball dugouts, and wooded areas near town. Sometimes ill hop a fence onto state owned "no trespassing" land. Try to stay at least slightly hidden. Be nice to cops if they rouse you. I'd rather be roused by the police any night than by some lunatic. Keep that in mind when looking for a spot.
If you dont like your current area you can hitchhike or jump on a greyhound bus for very little money. If you have no money try to find a temp job in a good area for a few days / weeks to stack up. Some temp agencies pay you same day. I just got a job at Dennys and worked for 16 hours before quitting and moving towns again, just dont include that on your resume. Its pretty easy to get a low paying job in food service or similar, go through a weeks worth or training, and then respectfully quit after making a few hundred dollars. I dont suggest being a lousy employee during your stay, however the personal satisfaction i get from quitting a job after a few days of work is pretty cool stuff honestly. Just say "i quit, when do i get paid?" in a respectful manner. Most of the crappier jobs in the US have a high turnover rate anyway.
You can find lots of super temporary jobs in the "gig" section of craigslist, just email around.
If youre really lucky you'll find a job that puts you up in a place for your stay there. This is actually a good way to establish yourself in a town if you want to quit travelling and rest for a bit. I actually have a job lined up with a group home taking care of disabled individuals that will provide me lodging, I'll probabky stay there for at least a few months time and use that job on my resume before making my next move. A lot of employers value employees who are willing to relocate and live in during their employment, take a look at "work camping" some time.
Talking to people is going to be your best survival tactic while living out. You get a lot better at the art of conversation as a vagabond. This is a skill that can be improved on. "How to win friends and influence people" is a great resource for getting good at finding friends/work/lovers (as temporary as they may be). Ive honestly had more luck with the opposite sex while living as a dirty traveller person than i ever did before while housed up. just be honest about your situation and dont make promises you cant keep. Dont screw people over, practice basic human decency as best you can. Having a good talk game (aka being respectful and talking properly) will take peoples guard down very quickly if you are genuine about it. Be honest.
I keep a flip phone for getting in contact with people i meet. I also have a tablet with facebook which is good too, you can message new contacts and stay in touch over years this way. A 10 minute phone call or uplifting text / facebook message goes a long way in keeping someone as your friend and possible resource for years. Youd be surprised at how many people will want to feed you, give you stuff and let you sleep in their home for a night just because youre a nice and interesting personm that reaches out.
Dont get lonely out there, theres people literally chomping at the bit to have someone to talk to and especiallynbe listened to. Have a genuine interest in other people and watch the world. Approach anxiety goes out the window when youre cold and desperate for human interaction. The guy sitting at the bus stop is probably cool and friendly. He might even know about a job or cheap housing that is available. Ive noticed a lot of people really open up when you are wearing a dirty shirt and carrying a sleeping bag slung around your shoulder. I dont know why.
This is just a short guide on how to live without a home, field tested and distilled by myself..
Without further ado:
Gear i would suggest:
.. i once got told by a homeless man that the only gear you really need is a gallon jug of water, a pair of gloves and some dirty clothes.
But you would do better with
• Backpack
• Sleeping bag.. or blanket, or sheet dependent on season/weather
• Tarp or plastic drop cloth
• P-38 can opener
• Multitool (i use a victorinox tinker, some people like the plier-multitools)
• Knife / Box cutter or both
• Gloves
• Gallon jug of water
• Lots of socks and underwear (3+ pairs each)
• Napkins / tissues
• dr. Bronners soap
• Toothbrush & toothpaste
• 1 or 2 pairs of pants
• Water resistant shell jacket
• Other jacket (i use denim)
• 3-4 thinner shirts (flannel, a white dress shirt, 2-3 t shirts for instance)
• First aid kit with lots of 4x4 gauze and neosporin, alcohol
• Triangle bandage
• Hemp string
• Paracord
• Beanie (skullcap)
• Bandana
• Headlamp
• Compass
• Map of your current area
• Markers, i like king size sharpies
• Gorilla tape
• Charger cords and wall brick
• Cell phone / tablet / laptop (something you can use wifi on)
• Burner phone (Flip phone, super durable, battery lasts forever)
• Headphones
• Quality boots / shoes
• Deodorant
• Dental floss and sewing needles for repairs
• Small pouch of some sort
• Spoon/fork/spork (i find a new plastic one and reuse it)
• Brightly colored lighters (easy to find in your pack)
• Hot hands hand warmers
• Padlock.. i keep a lock tied to a piece of paracord as a defense tool
• Baby powder in a travel size
Hobby gear
I like to carry a light suspension trainer to do rows and chin ups. Mine is a cheap one from Gaiam
Harmonica / any other instrument thats not huge, even guitars are ok to travel with, use the case to store some of your gear. Some guitars are smaller than others. Some people carry trumpets, saxaphones, or other horns with them.
Hand gripper, gotta stay strong
Art supplies of your choice.. i like the fat sharpies in a few different colors.. useful for hitchhiking signs too
Books
Notes (gear).
When choosing a backpack try to avoid new "midrange" price products, my current pack is a desert storm era army pack from the surplus, its tough as nails. About 30L. A simple jansport style school bag is good too. Any pack from a thrift store should do. I once made the mistake of buying a $100 Ogio pack from Target and it was a terrible purchase, once again avoid midrange.. amazon has some good bags for about $20 each.
Ive had the best luck with coleman sleeping bags, mine is a mildew resistant polyester filled bag. I bought it from a thrift store when i got to Utah for 10 dollars. If you move to a new area and your current bag isnt warm enough try to get a bag liner from a surplus or a new bag from a thrift store in your area. I wouldnt skimp on the warmth of your bag..
Sometimes i will carry a small blanket in my back instead of lugging the coleman bag around. Ive had good nights sleep with nothing but an unfitted bed sheet before, but that was in the desert (vegas). It is very area dependent.
I use a $4 headlamp from harbor freight and it works well enough for me.
Try to get some tough gloves. You can find some at most dollar stores. The cotton kind with blue dots are especially useful. Right now my gloves are nitrile coated on the palm side, $1 price tag.
Dr. Bronners is used for laundry, showering, handwashing, as toothpaste. I think you can get away with using a generic brand shampoo for all your washing needs, just dont try brushing your teeth with that stuff
The travel toothbrushes and travel sized toothpaste are really useful and can be found together in a pack in most dollar stores or at target in the travel toilettries section for cheap. I like the kind where the toothbrush breaks down into 2 pieces. You can also buy a regular toothbrush and cut it down to size.
I use baby powder in my shoes and sometimes on my person after showering/bathing to stay fresh and dry when the weather is not good. Dont skip this one
Using dental floss for sewing is a great trick to repair your pack, clothes, sleeping bag and other gear. That stuff is tougher than any string you will buy
I will make things out of gorilla tape, like palm guards, small pouches. You can also apply direct pressure to bleeding wounds by tightly taping napkins or 4x4 gauze pads. If this doesnt stop bleeding (in the case of a major bleed) try a tourniquet made from your triangle bandage and a ballpoint pen. Or you can splurge on a real tourniquet and easily save a life including your own. Google the skill of "bleeding control and shock management" before heading out.
You can use the hemp string to hang up a tarp shelter, make trip wire, get creative with possibke uses.
Knives are awesome. I use a swiss army knife every day. I carry another small single blade pocket knife and sometimes a box cutter too.
I carry a plastic spoon in my bag. Will get a metal spork one day though.
Picking an area. Finding work / money, (looking for love) socialization
If you are travelling try to pick relatively safe areas, environment is everything when sleeping rough. I hated sleeping outside in (dangerous, scummy) El Cajon, Ca for instance but most areas in utah and vegas have been alright. Trust your instinct, if you feel in your gut that you should leave an area, pack up, get out..
My favorite places to sleep rough are behind bushes, power boxes, in parks, baseball dugouts, and wooded areas near town. Sometimes ill hop a fence onto state owned "no trespassing" land. Try to stay at least slightly hidden. Be nice to cops if they rouse you. I'd rather be roused by the police any night than by some lunatic. Keep that in mind when looking for a spot.
If you dont like your current area you can hitchhike or jump on a greyhound bus for very little money. If you have no money try to find a temp job in a good area for a few days / weeks to stack up. Some temp agencies pay you same day. I just got a job at Dennys and worked for 16 hours before quitting and moving towns again, just dont include that on your resume. Its pretty easy to get a low paying job in food service or similar, go through a weeks worth or training, and then respectfully quit after making a few hundred dollars. I dont suggest being a lousy employee during your stay, however the personal satisfaction i get from quitting a job after a few days of work is pretty cool stuff honestly. Just say "i quit, when do i get paid?" in a respectful manner. Most of the crappier jobs in the US have a high turnover rate anyway.
You can find lots of super temporary jobs in the "gig" section of craigslist, just email around.
If youre really lucky you'll find a job that puts you up in a place for your stay there. This is actually a good way to establish yourself in a town if you want to quit travelling and rest for a bit. I actually have a job lined up with a group home taking care of disabled individuals that will provide me lodging, I'll probabky stay there for at least a few months time and use that job on my resume before making my next move. A lot of employers value employees who are willing to relocate and live in during their employment, take a look at "work camping" some time.
Talking to people is going to be your best survival tactic while living out. You get a lot better at the art of conversation as a vagabond. This is a skill that can be improved on. "How to win friends and influence people" is a great resource for getting good at finding friends/work/lovers (as temporary as they may be). Ive honestly had more luck with the opposite sex while living as a dirty traveller person than i ever did before while housed up. just be honest about your situation and dont make promises you cant keep. Dont screw people over, practice basic human decency as best you can. Having a good talk game (aka being respectful and talking properly) will take peoples guard down very quickly if you are genuine about it. Be honest.
I keep a flip phone for getting in contact with people i meet. I also have a tablet with facebook which is good too, you can message new contacts and stay in touch over years this way. A 10 minute phone call or uplifting text / facebook message goes a long way in keeping someone as your friend and possible resource for years. Youd be surprised at how many people will want to feed you, give you stuff and let you sleep in their home for a night just because youre a nice and interesting personm that reaches out.
Dont get lonely out there, theres people literally chomping at the bit to have someone to talk to and especiallynbe listened to. Have a genuine interest in other people and watch the world. Approach anxiety goes out the window when youre cold and desperate for human interaction. The guy sitting at the bus stop is probably cool and friendly. He might even know about a job or cheap housing that is available. Ive noticed a lot of people really open up when you are wearing a dirty shirt and carrying a sleeping bag slung around your shoulder. I dont know why.