Preppers share creative uses for commonly discarded household item: 'Great ideas'

With the prevalence of natural disasters, communities of preppers are preparing for emergency scenarios. 

This practice has been around for decades as a way to ease fears about disasters. The methods offer great insight into not only how to be ready in case of emergency but also how to store and extend the life of vital, life-saving resources.

In the r/preppers subreddit, the OP informed the chat that they "have extra airtight medicine bottles" they are "trying to repurpose for prepping." They explained that they started "storing dryer lint in them with a Bic lighter in each to use as a fire starter." 

Interested in other ideas, they extended the question to the community, who was quick to give some helpful tips.

"With your initial use in mind, add a glob of Vaseline to each container with dryer lint," wrote one user. "It's flammable and will extend your burn time."

Another explained that they are "perfect for small first aid kits," advising, "put a white label that covers the majority of the bottle and draw a prominent red cross on the label to help yourself or anyone you might have to send to your pack/glove compartment [to] easily identify the first aid kit."

An article from 2024 explained that the traditional approach to prepping focuses on short-term survival, and self-sufficiency is being "re-evaluated in the face of long-term environmental changes."

It stated that "modern prepping in the UK now includes adapting homes for energy efficiency, creating sustainable food sources like home gardens, and learning water conservation techniques."

Prepping methods are now focused on adapting to changes in the environment rather than immediate crises. It's not just in-home repairs that preppers are adapting to the environmental crisis; they are innately on the hunt for products that will help with survival, often meaning reusability is key. This is reducing waste that would otherwise ultimately end up in polluting landfills.

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One prepper wrote in a blog, "It suddenly occurred to me that here we have a community of folks who are more aware than the average person of the dangers we are facing." 

They cite living in California and facing displacement from wildfires as a large factor that created their interest in prepping.

Commenters on the Reddit thread expressed appreciation for the shared information.

"Great ideas," wrote one Redditor. 

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