3 Common Household Items And Their Alternative Uses In A Survival Situation

In a survival situation, having the right equipment is key to making it out alive.  If you do not have the equipment or tools that you need to perform the basic tasks of survival then your chances of making it out alive are very slim.

Experienced preppers know that the equation to survival has three components: knowledge, equipment, and fortitude.  If you have the right knowledge, the right equipment, and the proper fortitude then you can survive any situation.  In this article, we are going to examine the second part of the survival equation and that is equipment.

Having the proper equipment for any type of survival situation is what sets an experienced prepper apart from a rookie prepper.  The thing is that survival situations have far too many variables to be able to make an accurate prediction of what kind of equipment you will need when the time comes.

What is your plan if your entire gear stash is washed away in a flood?

Or maybe you can’t make it back to your home in time to obtain the gear that you need to survive, what are you going to do then?  Many preppers will find themselves in these types of situations.  They key is to have the knowledge needed to use common household items as substitutes for certain parts of your gear.  Here are three common household items and their alternative uses in a survival situation.

#1 Magnifying glass

If you call yourself a survivalist then you know that a magnifying glass can be a lifesaver when things get bad.  To a trained survivalist a magnifying glass is equivalent to having a lighter.  Now, you’ve probably seen those so called “survival instructors” on TV starting a fire with a magnifying glass in less than two minutes, but the truth is that it takes some skill.

You are going to have to practice starting a fire using the sun and a magnifying glass if you want to be able to do it consistently.  Don’t trick yourself into thinking you can do it just by watching a video on the internet about it.  If you can do it in a safe controlled setting consistently then you are going to have a better chance when it truly matters.  A magnifying glass is just one of the many household items that have alternative uses in a survival setting.

#2 Feminine products

Okay, guys this may be an uncomfortable subject, but obeying subtleties in a survival situation can get you killed.  Feminine products can have numerous applications in a survival scenario; specifically in the event of a medical emergency.

Tampons and other absorbent materials make great pressure dressings when you don’t have options.  Rip open the applicator of a tampon and you will find a large amount of absorbent material that can be used to apply pressure to a wound.

This can be the difference between life and death so when the shtf don’t be shy to ask a woman if she has any feminine products.  They become very useful in the event of an open wound medical situation.

#3 Bag of Charcoal

Many people have a bag of charcoal lying around leftover from the last barbeque, but most people don’t know that charcoal can play a lifesaving role in a survival scenario.  The obvious uses include its ability to hold flame and aid in cooking, but there is another property of charcoal that makes it even more valuable: its role in purifying water.

Charcoal plays a vital role in most water filters.  It is one of the key components if you plan on building your own filter when things go south, so don’t forget about that extra bag of charcoal in the corner; it could save your life.

Those are just three of the many household items that have alternative uses in a survival situation.  Your ability to improvise under pressure can be the difference between life and death, so be smart, and continue to educate yourself on alternative uses of everyday objects.  Being prepared mentally will put you ahead of the masses when the shit hits the fan, and that could save your life.