Your Life Could Depend On These Everyday Items

With so much doom and gloom in the news these days, it’s never a bad idea to start preparing for the worst. The world’s economy depends on so many interconnected factors that one supply chain disturbance could set off a domino effect and return us to the 19th century. If you want to be prepared without spending a ton of money on emergency supplies, check out our guide on how to stay alive with everyday items found in the home.

Plastic Bottle Filtration System

Securing access to clean drinking water is one of the first things you should take care of in the event of a catastrophe. Unless you have your own well or a vast store of water barrels, you’ll need to improvise. Luckily, any plastic bottle can be used as an evaporation water purification system. Simply cut the bottom in half and fold the edges inward to make a rim. Next, set it over a plant or a dirty water source where it can receive sunlight. As the water evaporates, it will condense on the rim, minus any contaminants.

Tampon Firestarter

Aside from food and water, staying warm is a major concern if you have to rough it in the event of a disaster. While movies and television might make starting a fire look easy, it can actually be quite difficult if you don’t have access to dry tinder and wood. If you happen to have tampons on hand, you’re already halfway to a roaring fire. Open a tampon and pull out the fibers inside. The fibers will remain dry while in the package and are highly flammable.

Bra Cup Face Mask

Air pollution is not only a concern for developing countries, but also for any area where wildfires or industrial accidents might be an issue. Poor air quality can lead to a host of health problems, all of which will severely decrease your survivability in the event of a catastrophe. To make an improvised air filtration mask, just cut out one of the cups and place it over your mouth and nose. The size and shape should be just right, and all that material should filter out any dangerous particulates.

Soda Can Fishing Line

If society melts down due to a global disaster or nuclear war, finding food will quickly become your primary concern. If you live near a source of water, fish can easily be caught with many different improvised fishing lines made from household items. One of the easiest methods is to use a regular aluminum soda can. Tear off the tab and open the smaller end to make a hook shape. Tie this to the can using string or dental floss, then simply rotate the can to reel the line in and out.

AA Battery Firestarter

When matches and lighters run out, starting a fire gets exponentially more challenging. Yes, a fire bow can theoretically start a fire, but these are far more difficult to create and use than movies and Boy Scout manuals make them out to be. To start a fire quickly and easily, find an AA battery and a foil gum wrapper. Hold the two ends of the wrapper on each of the batteries terminals, and the current will create enough heat to light the wrapper.

Lip Balm Candle

You might not realize it, but everyday lip balm is made from petroleum. That means that lip balm can be used as a long-burning fuel source in the event of an emergency. To make candles out of tubes of lip balm, first find a match, bit of string, or even a shoelace. Coat this in the lip balm, then stick one end through the tube of balm to serve as a wick. A new tube of balm will burn for over two hours.

Tuna Can Lamp

If you don’t have extra unused tubes of lip balm lying around, there are other options for creating improvised candles. Any canned foods that are preserved in oil such as tuna can be used as a long-burning lamp and best of all, it doesn’t ruin the food inside. Simply poke a hole through the top of the can and insert a wick. The wick can be made from a shoelace, rolled up newspaper, or match. The wick will soak up the oil from inside the can and burn for hours.

Corn Chip Smoke Signal

If you ever find yourself stranded in the wilderness for any reason, you’ll find yourself searching for ways to get the attention of planes or helicopters overhead. While making a huge fire could work, these take hours and can be hindered by weather. As a last-ditch means of creating signal fires, an everyday bag of chips makes a great option. The foil from the bag will insulate the fire and act as a reflector, and the chips should generate plenty of smoke.

Household Bleach Water Purifier

If the world goes to hell, the water from your tap will either stop coming or could quickly turn foul. Luckily, household bleach has dozens of emergency uses, the foremost being as a water purifier. Most household bleaches are between five and eight percent chlorine; use this as a baseline. Use one teaspoon of bleach for every five gallons of water, or five drops of bleach for every liter. Mix thoroughly and let it rest for at least an hour before drinking.