Why Buckets Should be a TOP Priority Purchase

bucketsIf there’s one supply that I feel people tend to overlook in their preps for long term survival, it’s buckets. Yup, buckets. Buckets of all sizes and shapes, from larger five and six gallon buckets to simple pails. Heck, why not throw in large drums while I’m at it, but that’s not what this post is about. In fact, I consider buckets a top priority purchase.

Ok, maybe buckets shouldn’t be THE top priority purchase but definitely one of the top 10. Why? Because they’re so incredibly versatile and certainly add to your ability to care for yourself in any long-term emergency situation.

Here’s the way I see it…

Buckets can be used for things like:

  • protecting food storage in mylar bags
  • containing any number of supplies for emergency preparedness for ease of movement (such as in a bug out situation)
  • as a temporary toilet (with appropriate toilet lid and other supplies, of course)
  • to haul and/or store water or any other liquid you like
  • to contain and grow food (such as a grow bucket or to plant tomatoes upside down)
  • as a makeshift wash system (to be used with a laundry plunger)
  • to wring out clothes (using two buckets and drilling a few holes in one is all you need)
  • to create a Big Berkey clone (just insert the filters and be done with it)
  • as a biosand water filter (gravel, charcoal, and sand… and voila… filter)
  • to cache equipment (sealed and buried or just at a relative’s house)
  • to hide supplies inside the house (a five gallon paint bucket should be overlooked by all but the most zealous thief)
  • as a makeshift stove (ok, I’m stretching this a lot but I’m sure a steel bucket could be fashioned into one)

I’m sure there are plenty of other uses but the above are off the top of my head. Just to be thorough, here are several ideas from FiveGallonIdeas.com that I didn’t mention:

  • as a makeshift sink (such as for camping but great for emergency situations too)
  • as a greywater catchment
  • as a seed vault
  • as a mouse trap
  • to irrigate crops
  • as makeshift heating units
  • workout equipment (try moving five gallons of water any distance!)
  • as building material
  • worm farm
  • grain thresher
  • swamp cooler
  • chest freezer organizer
  • refrigerator (similar to the zeer pot)
  • wine or cider press
  • a simple seat (who would have guessed?)
  • bathtub (for very small children) – [editor’s note: not so sure this is a great idea due to drowning concerns]
  • brewing beer or wine
  • soil sifter
  • toolbox

Really, buckets are so incredibly versatile you can’t go wrong with stockpiling dozens in an assortment of sizes but my favorite is the ubiquitous five (or six) gallon bucket. While I hear you can often get these for free from restaurants I’ve never tried. Instead, I buy mine from hardware stores and make quick use of them. I suggest that you begin to stockpile your own buckets… they don’t “go bad” and I guarantee you’ll find a use for them.

Oh, and remember the lids. 🙂

What else might they be useful for? I’d love to hear your thoughts!


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My latest book, The Survival Blueprint: How to Prepare Your Family for Disaster, can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CJ49Y5X4

Comments

5 responses to “Why Buckets Should be a TOP Priority Purchase”

  1. Pamela Mathis

    I hate to be ignorant but what’s “grey water” and what’s “laundry plunger”, evidently I’ve been out of something to long. Can you help me by answering my questions?

    1. Grey water is any water not fit for human consumption (e.g., water after taking a bath, doing the laundry) but also not black water which contains human excrement. The laundry plunger must be the MobileWasher which is intended to make doing laundry in a bucket easier. Here’s a link to it on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/MobileWasher-Operating-Washing-Machine-Emergencies/dp/B003SQ7I5S/

  2. I love buckets and pails, all shapes, sizes and construction material. Water animals out of them, milk goats into them, collect kitchen scraps for the chickens in one then rinse it out and gather eggs into it.
    I have a couple of 5 gal. plastic buckets with 1/2 inch holes drilled every 3 inches that I use when harvesting root crops. Because they serve as a large sieve, I can rinse all the dirt off outside – quickly – and no dirt going in the septic tank. These buckets are also perfect for picking mushrooms because they are light and allow air to circulate.
    Nobody ever got out of work at my house. When the kids were young, we made buckets their size by drilling two holes in #10 cans and running baling wire through them to make a handle. I wrapped the thin sheet packing styrofoam around part of the wire and taped it with electrical wire to make it easier on little hands. They moved dirt, rocks, water, kindling, fruit, vegetables and crayons in those ‘buckets’.

  3. Susie

    I picked up 30 of them today. Some were free and others were $1.50 to $.50. All totaled $22.50 for all. I have to clean them all but that’s ok. I got 15 of those small 1 gallon size.
    Thanks for all the tips on how to use them after we empty out the food. 🙂
    Susie

  4. RoyG

    I try to keep 5gal buckets around as much as possable but always seem to be putting them to use in the container garden or elseware…. iv tried to no avail getting the buckets for free but seems everybody sells them altho cheap but non the less not free.. tried local bakerys, sams, walmart and various grocery stores.. after tyring to get the smell out of the buckets like the pickle ones iv decide its just better to buy them from HD or Lowes..

    I use some of the buckets for bug out storage items.. Bio Hazard kits, freeze dries food and mre’s their easy to grab, seals air tight you can put/store alot in them plus they can be used for alot of different things… multipurpose… .. they are easy to identifie if in a hurry to get out of the house and each person can grab 1 or 2 along with their BOB and head for the car… I have one in the car to supplement the GHB with stuff in it too….

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