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As preppers, making the most of every item is essential to staying resourceful and prepared for any situation. Instead of tossing things out, repurposing common household items can help you cut down on waste and build up your supplies for everyday use or emergencies. From turning old mason jars into storage containers to converting kitchen scraps into compost, reusing items means fewer store trips and more self-reliance.
Here are 14 things you can repurpose as part of your prepping strategy:
Glass Jars
Glass jars, like those from pasta sauce or pickles, are incredibly useful. Whether for storing dry goods, organizing supplies, or even making candles, these jars are a prepper’s friend. Their durability makes them perfect for long-term storage solutions.
Books
Instead of discarding old books, consider their value in a grid-down situation. Books on survival, gardening, or practical skills can be a resource, while novels can provide mental escape.
Newspaper
Old newspapers can be used in countless ways, from starting fires to insulating windows. Plus, they’re handy for wrapping delicate items in your storage preps.
Shoe Boxes
Don’t throw away those shoe boxes! They’re great for organizing small items, from first-aid supplies to survival tools. You can even cut them up to use as drawer dividers or convert them into lightweight storage bins.
Plastic Bags
Plastic bags have various uses in prepping. They can be used to line trash bins and waterproof gear. Having a stash of plastic bags is an excellent way to stay resourceful.
Toothbrushes
Old toothbrushes can be used to clean hard-to-reach places in survival gear or equipment. They’re also great for maintaining tools, keeping them clean and functional for when you need them.
Used Teabags
After brewing, teabags can serve a second life as compost for your garden, a natural pest repellent, or a soothing remedy for sore eyes. Keeping used teabags in rotation can add to your self-sufficiency.
15 Clever Uses for the Humble Teabag You’ll Want to Know
Wine Bottles
Wine bottles can be transformed into water storage or candle holders. Their sturdiness means they’re not just waste; they’re potential tools.
Used Clothings
Old clothes can be upcycled into rags, quilts, or even bandages. Don’t underestimate the power of fabric—it can be repurposed for warmth, shelter, or insulation.
Coffee Grounds
Instead of throwing out used coffee grounds, use them to repel pests in your garden, deodorize areas, or as a scrubbing agent for tough cleaning jobs. Plus, they can be a great addition to your compost.
10 Ways to Use Coffee Grounds in the Garden
Bottle Caps
Every day, we throw away plastic and metal caps from bottles of milk, water, fruit juice, and even beer. Bottle caps can be repurposed for craft projects. Most of these bottle caps end up as waste, blocking waterways. You can reduce your contribution to this waste by repurposing your bottle caps into DIY bottle cap checkers, jewelry, artwork, small weights, game pieces, or emergency fire starters when coated in wax.
Styrofoam Containers
Repurpose Styrofoam from take-out containers as insulation for homemade coolers or for gardening uses like seed trays.
Mesh Bags
Those mesh bags from onions or
Soap Silvers
Don’t throw away those soap scraps! Instead of throwing them in the bin, you can repurpose your almost-finished bar soap into a new soap by melting scraps of old soaps. Another way to repurpose your soap silvers is by mixing borax and your dried soap scraps to form a DIY detergent for your laundry needs. Every bit counts when resources are limited.
15 Essential Things Preppers Should Stockpile Besides Food And Water
Here’s a list of 15 things you should start stocking up on now, beyond just food and water, to stay prepared and ready for anything.
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How to Upcycle a Flannel Shirt: Six Simple Sewing Projects
In this guide, we’ll show you how to deconstruct an old flannel shirt to create various new items. You’ll be surprised at how many things you can make from that old shirt.
How to Upcycle a Flannel Shirt: Six Simple Sewing Projects
18 Survival Skills Our Great-Grandparents Knew That Most Of Us Today Don’t
Many activities were once essential survival skills, but today, they’ve been forgotten by many. While technology has certainly made life easier, previous generations didn’t have these systems, making them far more self-sufficient. Here are 18 basic skills they mastered that many people today have no idea how to do.
18 Survival Skills Our Great-Grandparents Knew That Most Of Us Today Don’t
