You’ve probably heard of the concept of a forever home, the house you build or buy with the intention of living there in your old age. It’s designed to be comfortable and practical for the long haul, with features like wider hallways in case you end up in a wheelchair, single-story layouts to avoid taking a tumble down the stairs, ramps instead of steps, and even lowered countertops that you can use from a seated position. People spend a lot of time and money planning these homes because they know one simple truth, their needs will change over time. But here’s the million-dollar question, why don’t we apply that same forward-thinking logic to survival?
Most people accept that aging is inevitable. They anticipate mobility issues and build their homes accordingly. Yet, when it comes to planning for the other challenges life might throw at us like power outages, economic instability, extreme weather, or supply chain disruptions, few take the same approach.
We live in an era where blackouts happen regularly, energy costs keep rising, and natural disasters seem to be more intense than ever. The nation’s current focus on energy production isn’t just about lowering gas prices or reviving coal, it’s about securing the U.S. position in the rapidly evolving digital economy. The growth of AI, blockchain, and cryptocurrency is driving up energy demands, and if the U.S. wants to remain a global leader, it must modernize its energy infrastructure. As the country anticipates its future needs and works to overhaul its power grid and, you should be doing the same, anticipating your future needs in this changing world to bolster your resilience and survivability before circumstances force your hand.
So why aren’t people designing their homes to handle these situations just as seamlessly as we plan for retirement living? I think it’s time to introduce a new concept, the survival home. A survival home is not a doomsday bunker. It’s not about paranoia, fear, or expecting the world to end next week. It’s about practicality, self-sufficiency, and making life easier when things don’t go as planned. It’s about designing a home that works for you, even when the grid goes down, the gas lines stop flowing, or the grocery store shelves go empty. The forever home is designed to accommodate aging, a survival home is built to handle the unpredictable.
So, what does that look like? Chances are, your home wasn’t designed to operate as a safe house during economic turmoil, supply chain disruptions, or energy instability. For true resilience and security, we can’t rely on what seemed like a good idea yesterday. Take an honest look at where you live and ask yourself, is this location safe and sustainable in the face of future challenges? If it is, you should take steps to make it even more durable because position improvement should be a constant. If your location isn’t safe or sustainable, you’ve got some serious decisions to make. You either move somewhere better suited for survival or harden yourself for the inevitable challenges of staying put. We all need land and a home that works for us, not against us, when things get tough. This is the case for the survival home.
In a crisis, your home is almost always the safest place to be. It’s where you know the terrain, the neighbors, the escape routes, and the risks better than anywhere else. It’s also where you’ve stored the supplies, tools, essentials, and random junk you’ve accumulated over the years. These are things you won’t have easy access to if you’re caught unprepared somewhere else.
But just having a home base isn’t enough. We should always strive to make the place where we stash our stuff and lay our head the best-located and best-equipped base camp it can be. You may love where you are, maybe it’s where you grew up, built memories, or simply where your favorite pizza place delivers the fastest. But sentimentality won’t save you when things go sideways.
If the time and opportunity present themselves, relocating to a more secure, strategically positioned, or better-equipped home could be the smartest move you ever make. After all, survival isn’t about attachment, it’s about adaptation. And sometimes, the best way to protect what matters most is to go where the odds are in your favor.
Homes built throughout America in the early 1900s looked very different from the McMansions we see today, and for good reason. Back then, home design wasn’t about fancy, it was about practicality and survival. There were no massive, open floor plans with cathedral ceilings that hemorrhaged heat in the winter. Instead, homes were compact, with smaller, compartmentalized rooms that retained warmth more efficiently.
These homes were built for self-sufficiency. Fireplaces weren’t just decorative, they were essential for both heating and cooking. Many houses had multiple fireplaces or wood stoves throughout the home. Water access wasn’t dependent on municipal supply lines, wells were standard, and most had hand pumps, so homeowners had a reliable water source even if infrastructure failed.
Contrast that with today’s modern homes that prioritize aesthetics and square footage over practicality. Open concept layouts, oversized windows, and complete reliance on central air and electric cooking have made them entirely dependent on external power sources. If the grid goes down, these homes quickly become unlivable.
Early 20th century homes were designed for a world where power outages, supply shortages, and extreme weather were everyday challenges. Today, with rising energy costs and an increasingly unstable infrastructure, we’d do well to revisit some of those old school design principles. Because when modern conveniences fail, a home designed for self-reliance isn’t just a nod to the past, it’s the key to survival. And by this, I mean a well-planned, compartmentalized layout for energy-efficient heating and cooling, some old school design features like hand-pump wells, wood stoves, fireplaces, a strategic location away from high-risk areas, superior insulation to minimize energy waste, a generator transfer switch, septic system, and solar power capability, all of these are critical features that will keep you operational when others are not.
Your home is your strongest asset in a crisis, but only if it’s built to handle one. That doesn’t mean you need to live like a mountain man, you can still have a nice place. Picture an off-grid-ready cabinin the woods, but thoughtfully equipped with modern amenities, providing you both comfort and security. This happy medium is what will keep you operational when first world nations start facing third world problems.
Think back to the pandemic, home renovations surged as people spent more time at home than ever before. Remote work, online schooling, and lockdowns made homeowners hyper-aware of their living spaces, leading a wave of upgrades. Supply chain disruptions and material shortages drove up reno costs, but that didn’t stop people from wanting comfort, efficiency, and functionality in their home that had suddenly become an office, school, and chill spot all in one. Now imagine a worse crisis with a sprinkle of kinetic conflict. If chaos hits, your home is your hill to live, or die on. Those paying attention already know the solution, you need to be living somewhere designed to survive difficult times. The days of assuming that any four walls and a roof will keep you safe and secure are over. You need land, efficiency, and sustainability. Not just for a hypothetical “doomsday” but for the very real challenges ahead.
I know what you’re thinking, “But that’s hard to do.” Exactly. But being caught unprepared is just as hard. I get it, renovating, buying land, designing a survival home, and becoming more self-sufficient isn’t easy. It takes time, money, and effort. But what’s harder is scrambling to figure it out when it’s too late. You don’t want to be dealing with a major power crisis, economic crisis, civil unrest, food shortages, or fuel price spikes stuck in a drafty house, watching your utility bills skyrocket, fighting off bad actors, and struggling as grocery store shelves go empty. You want to be secure, warm, and in control of your own resources. The warning signs are already here. The best time to reinforce, optimize, or relocate was yesterday. The next best time is now.
If you’ve been thinking about making a move, stop hesitating. No matter your situation, there’s a place where you can build a better, more secure future, you just have to be willing to find it. Open your mind. Explore all possibilities. Don’t let familiarity or a misplaced sense of obligation keep you stuck in an unsustainable situation. You’re not bound to where you were born, where you grew up, or where you work. Too many people stay in one place for a variety of reasons, or because of a job, forgetting that jobs change, industries evolve, and new opportunities exist elsewhere, especially in a world where remote work and self-employment are more viable than ever.
A survival home isn’t just about prepping for worst-case scenarios. It’s about being prepared, period. It’s about knowing that your home will continue to serve you no matter what’s happening in the world. It’s about independence, resilience, and self-sufficiency, values that should be just as important in home design as picking the perfect countertops or paint colors. When you think about it, a survival home isn’t that different from a forever home. The only difference? Instead of only planning for the realities of getting old, you’re planning for the realities of life.
Life is unpredictable, and the best way to be ready for the future is to build for it today. Don’t be afraid to start fresh somewhere new. And don’t worry if family is an hour or two away because once they see the wisdom in your move, they’ll be the ones making the drive to visit you. Start planning and executing now while you still have time and options. Share your thoughts on this topic below. And, before you go, I want to let you know, big things are coming. Soon, I’ll be launching a paid newsletter, just $5 a month, for those who want more than surface-level survival talk. It’s going to be actionable, raw, and unfiltered, packed with real-world insight because I’ve assessed my own situation and identified the changes I need to make too. You won’t be alone with your mile-long to-do list, we’re in this together. If you’re serious about breaking free, securing your future, and building real independence, stay tuned. More details coming soon!