I, oddly, live as a Nomad.
First, I gather a lot of wood, even though I could get more, it's easier to collect as much as I can beforehand.
Then, I begin my search for sand, coal, and gravel. Normally I find them in that order.
At night, I make a dugout in the side of a mountain, and create a small mine, hoping to find some iron or something.
I never travel at night, and I barely use a sword. It's pretty challenging.