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Collecting for Reuse

Since I have started prepping I have discovered that I don’t want to throw anything out and it seems I even provide a welcoming home for anything that everyone else is throwing out. Luckily I have a large home and despite the rooms slowly filling up I am a long way from being full.

I find that almost everything I am offered has some additional use in my prepping. From empty jars to fuel drums and even the odd bit of wood always looks like it would be useful to myself. I think in a previous life I was Steptoe although he looked sophisticated compared to me. 🙂

Because of this I also find that I’m not putting much out for the bin men to collect, just the scrap plastic containers and the scrap paper bills and the like, although I can even see a use for them but even I draw the line there at the moment. I wonder if I can get a refund? Mmmmm.

Almost every time I find some more information it also gives alternative uses for common items. It makes me want to collect other things that are going because it may be of use and I’m always looking out for containers, odd pieces of wood and metal and obsolete items that I can utilise for something else.

Not that long ago I was talked by my better half into throwing out some items because she wanted some space in the shed. I was eventually talked (read nagged) into doing this and the day after it was unrecoverable, the very next day after, I needed an items from it so I’ve never been able to do it since. I’m immune to the nagging now.

I’ve read that it you can keep a family on five acres of land if you manage it correctly. I think I would need another acre for all my stores if I had my way.

Anyone else picked up this habit since they started prepping? Alternatively, anyone got anything useful they are throwing out? Oh! Perhaps not. 🙂

I am interested though in what uses other people put for common scrap items. So let us here them.

5 comments to Collecting for Reuse

  • Ellen

    Man your coming in loud and clear.
    I collected a lot of those V8 Fushion bottles because they are serviceable for drinking water and have screw on lids. I can see the kitchen from where I sit in the living room. Well the pile glistened in the sunlight one day and dang near blinded me. I didn’t throw them away though, there was enough other stuff sitting around that wasn’t as good so I pitched that I only felt better for a few seconds.
    I buy cheap toilet paper, one it is cheap, two it comes rolled on the sturdiest tube I have ever seen. Well I have collected a pile of them. I hope to stuff them one day with that bio-fuel made from paper.
    I think that is all I will admit to right now. Besides the list would take till next Christmas to jot down.

  • Skean Dhude

    Ellen,

    I have a nice collection of toilet roll middles. Use them mainly fot planting seeds in to make baby plants indoors. I’ve also got other uses for them such as holders of ingredients for starting fires, wood, sawdust etc.

    I tend to refill my bottles with bulk ingredients and I don’t buy as many smaller items.

  • Kenneth Eames

    A very good book for living on five acres is ‘Five Acres and Independence’ by M. Kaines. I think I’ve spelt his name correctly. Kenneth Eames.

  • Kenneth Eames

    We purchase 1 kilo jars of Peach slices in juice and when the jars are empty I use them for screws and nails. There are many other uses, salt, sugar etc. I also use the cardboard rolls from toilet paper and from kitchen rolls in the same way that you do. Cardboard boxes (preferably unprinted) are good fibre for making compost or in a wormery and also newspaper used in the same way, combine with other vegeatation. Kenneth Eames.

  • Skean Dhude

    They are very handy containers. I like those myself. If I ever get anywhere that has loose nails or screws or the like I’ll be filling them up.