15 Survival Items You Have Around Your House!

Prepping doesn’t mean dropping hundreds of bucks on tactical gear. Truth is, you’re probably already sitting on a goldmine of survival tools, you just don’t see them that way yet. Here are 15 everyday items you likely already have at home that could help you survive in a grid-down, bug-out, or oh-sh*t situation.

1. Dryer Lint - Forget fancy fire starters — dryer lint is flammable as hell. Stuff it in an old pill bottle and you’ve got free tinder.

2. Crayons - They burn like a candle in a pinch. One crayon = ~30 minutes of light. Also good for marking trails or signaling.

3. Toilet Paper Rolls - Besides the obvious, stuff them with dryer lint and wax to make fire starters. Also useful as seed starters or even makeshift insulation.

4. Bleach - A few drops per quart of water can disinfect it (unscented, plain bleach only). A survival water filter in a bottle.

5. Trash Bags - Ponchos, water collection, insulation, ground cloths, or even emergency shelters. Black contractor bags are the MVPs.

6. Gorilla Tape - Fix gear, seal wounds, splint a limb, patch a tarp, or gag a loudmouth in an apocalypse barter town. Limitless.

7. Aluminum Foil - Cook in it, reflect heat, make a solar oven, signal for help, or shape it into containers.

8. Bar Soap - Basic hygiene = no infections. Also can help lubricate stuck zippers or tools.

9. Salt - Preserves meat, rehydrates you, helps wounds, and seasons bland-ass survival rations. Stockpile it.

10. Canned Food (and the Can) - Obvious food source. But also use the can to boil water, cook over flame, or make a hobo stove.

11. Sponges and Rags - Great for cleaning, first aid, or makeshift water filters (prefiltering debris before purifying).

12. Old T-Shirts - Cut into bandages, charcloth, or cordage. Use for water filtration, head wraps, or toilet paper backups.

13. Batteries and Flashlights - If you’ve got random flashlights in drawers, collect and test them. Light is survival.

14. Rubber Gloves - Essential for medical, cleanup, or nasty tasks. A solid pair can protect your hands from infection or chemicals.

15. Plastic Bottles - Store water, make solar stills, improvised funnels, or flotation devices. Even cut them into scoops or funnels.

Final Thoughts: You don’t need to wait for the perfect kit to be prepared, you just need to open your eyes. A true prepper sees potential in everything. So before you hit the gear store, check your junk drawer.