You are always searching for ways to expand your stockpile of supplies and equipment if you are anything like me. I periodically look at various locations and stop at outdoor shops to see what new gadgets have recently been launched.
Some of the most important things that you can have for survival, however are free. Oh yes, I said free! We throw all sorts of useful things away every day that can be repurposed for survival. All you need to do is know which products to keep and how to use them. We will cover all the junk you throw away in this article that you should be keeping for your survival stash.
Let’s get you in the right mindset first. Note that food, water, fire, and shelter are the four pillars of survival. These are the tools for any substantial amount of time that you need to live.
These areas should be your primary target when determining what garbage to hold for survival. Here are the things for these purposes and other survival needs that you can save:
The Most Common Thing
It is sad to say, but in the wilderness, you will almost always find plastic bottles. You are more likely to throw away plastic bottles and jugs or recycle them every day. There are simple ways of repurposing them for survival, such as holding gallon jugs to carry drinking water or storing grains. There are plenty of purposes, however, that you may not have noticed.
You can make a lantern if you tape a torch or headlamp to a big bottle or jug filled with water so that the light shines into it.
The transparent 2 liter bottles can be turned into fish traps. To make safety glasses, you can use them as a float for fishing or cut out the plastic.
For water filters, they work well. The list is endless.
Related: How to Fish In An Emergency Situation
Another Useful Item
Cans offer a unique opportunity because you have reflective metal that can be cut or ripped quickly.
The can can be cut to be used as a cooking vessel for water or food. You can use a can to make a small hot stove. You can use the bottom of the can as a reflective surface to start a fire.
It is possible to fashion the tab into a fish hook. For a perimeter warning device, you can also drop a few stones at the bottom and add it to a trip line. Keep your cans!
Dryer Lint
Most people throw this in the trash at least once a week. Dryer lint makes a great fire starter. Just stuff a toilet paper roll with lint and throw it in your pack.
Egg Cartons
These are perfect because they send you a dozen cups of uniform, but they’re made of paper or styrofoam items. For things like seed starters, this makes them perfect. Simply add some soil, plant your seeds, and water.
To make a bobber for fishing, you can cut apart the cups and seal two of them together. By stuffing every cup with tinder coated in wax, turn them into fire starters. You can also use it as a mold for candles. They work great as ice cube trays, or you can just use them to sort nuts and bolts.
Related: The Only 6 Seeds You Need to Stockpile for a Crisis
Keep This For Your Survival Stockpile
Cotton does not act as a fire starter on its own but add a little petroleum jelly and you are in business. In petroleum jelly, dip all of your used cotton balls and place them in a tub. They will take a spark and remain lit, even in the rain or wind, for a minute or two.
Save Every Piece Of That
As with aluminum cans, foil provides you with reflective metal that can easily be torn or formed. With a battery and some tinder, you can use foil to start a fire.
It is possible to fashion foil into a stove or to mold foil into shapes that act as a bowl, cup, or plate. It can be used to signal for assistance due to its reflective qualities, or you can create a solar oven in direct sunlight.
My mother-in-law grew up saving all the bits of foil they were using. It saved them money and provided them with a valuable commodity.
Pantyhose
Have you got a run on your pantyhose? You can use them to hang up food for it to dry or smoke. To keep animals away, you can place human or dog hair within them and hang them around your yard. They work well while hiking to prevent blisters. When they’re twisted and pulled close, a tourniquet will work well. They’re a perfect addition to your homemade filter for water and you can also use them as a dust mask.
Related: 17 Forgotten Preservation Hacks that Will Save You Money
The Best Item To Keep
As long as I can recall, we’ve been storing bacon grease in a jar by the sink. Instead of using butter or oil, it can be reused for cooking and in my opinion, has better taste. You may also use it to lubricate metal parts or preserve other foods. Simply put a layer on whatever you want to preserve, and it will lock the air out of it.
You can use it to season the cast-iron pan, make soap, or condition your leather boots and waterproof them. It can be filtered and used as biodiesel to power a car or generator. You can make a candle or a fire starter using it. Never throw bacon grease away.
Altoids Tins
The best thing about these tins is that they match and are waterproof in your pocket. They work well for keeping a first aid kit or fishing kit. You can throw it into the fire and make char cloth when you punch a small hole in the lid and fill it with tiny pieces of cotton cloth. I also use mine for a Char cloth fire starter kit, a ferro rod, a magnifying glass, and some waterproof tinder. You may use them to make candles or make a stove with alcohol.
Soot
You will typically dispose of a decent amount of soot if you have a barbecue grill, a smoker, or a fireplace. This is an annoyance, you might say, but it can be used again. In one pinch, soot makes a perfect toothpaste. To calm your stomach, it can be swallowed with some water and also works when you mistakenly eat something poisonous.
It makes for good camouflage, especially at night, on your face and hands. In order to better absorb smells, you should rub it on yourself or place it in your boots.
Related: Camouflage for Preppers
It is vulnerable to infection if you have an open wound in the wild. To remove moisture and relieve the infection, pack some soot over the wound and wrap it. You should add soot to remove the toxin if you get a poisonous ivy rash or get stung by some poisonous insect.
To draw impurities out of the water, you can also use the larger chunks in a water filter. Just be sure that nothing harmful like plastic has been burned in the flames.
There are plenty of uses for the garbage we throw away every day, as you can see. To help remind you of things that you should save, post this list by your garbage can or recycling bin. Over time, you can build up a stockpile in a survival situation that will give you a huge advantage.
