Have some extra time and looking for some cool projects? Need a preparedness project you can do this weekend, or even several? Hoping to learn a new skill in the process?
Look no further. I've spent a lot of time lately researching cool projects, and I want to share with you these 36 great weekend preparedness projects I found. It was hard to decide, though. I found a ton of good ones. I may have to do a series like this.
Some are projects on the diyprojects.com site, some on other sites I like. Preppers, survivalists, and anyone who wants to be a little more prepared at the end of the day can get a lot from making these. All of these projects are low budget, many practically free. Most will not take more than a couple of hours, and some are faster than that.
Try them out and let me know what you think. I certainly know I learned a lot from trying them, and am happy to feel so much better prepared.
Here are my top 36 DIY Weekend Projects for Preparedness and Survival:
1. Make a how to make a rocket heater
You can use paint cans for this, or you can use soup cans. Rocket heaters get super hot. Check it out.
2. Make your own homemade survival bars
Perfect for stocking your emergency kits as well as taking on camping trips. These have a long shelf life- 20+years, but I have to admit, I have been eating mine as snacks.
3. Add some “earthquake proofing” to your food storage shelving.
Learn how just a few changes can help you store you food more safely. I was surprised to learn some of these.
4. Make a DIY Pallet Smoker: How to Build A Smokehouse
For less than $100, you can build your own DIY Smoker. This is awesome, big enough to smoke an entire animal! We are about to smoke meat in it and make another cool DIY and video. Follow us on Facebook to get latest updates.
5. Learn how to make fire starters
This is a fun little project, really fast, with impressive “fire” power.
6. Learn how to make a paracord belt
This is a rescue belt. Learn how to make one, and you will have the fastest quick deploy belt I could find- it uses Slatt's rescue weave and gives you instant access to 1o0 feet of paracord.
7. Start composting. Build a DIY Pallet Compost Bin
A great big bin for your composting needs. Assemble in minutes.
8. Learn how to make a monkey fist with a steel center
Great weapon on a keychain, one you can keep at all times. This one lets you use a steel ball bearing center. Clear instructions and lots of photos.
9. Build a solar cooker- basic version and more advanced version
I looked at a couple of different designs. One uses a car window shade, the other one, recycled CDs.
10. Make a solar USB charger
11. Learn how to make an oil lamp
Perfect thing to know how to make for emergencies, as it uses olive oil and things you should have on hand. Pretty, too. Make one now and use it for home decor, keep it around in case of emergency.
12. Protect your electronics with a homemade faraday cage
Watch the video in the link above and click here for some instructions on how to make one
13. Learn how to make hardtack
Easy to make with only flour, water and salt, this is what sailors used to eat.
14. Make an awesome gardening tool for planting seeds
This is one of the coolest things I have seen lately. What a time saver. Easy to make, worth the effort.
15. Make a torch
Need I say more?
16. Build a PVC bow
PVC and nylon string. Cheap. Powerful.
17. Make a DIY Knife Sharpening Kit
I don't know why knife sharpening kits are so hard to find. This one is easy to make at home, inexpensive, gives amazing results.
18. Build a space saving Can Rotator Rack
I like this one, because it does not require serious wood working skills. Great way to store cans.
19. Plant a container garden
Learn how to grow vegetables indoors all year long.
20. Learn how to build a pallet workbench
21. Learn to grow food from scraps and make food from scraps
You can grow plants from celery, carrots and many more food items you are probably throwing away.
22. If it's not time to plant, make newspaper pots to start your seeds.
Origami for gardening. Get your kids or grandkids helping with this one. Easy, fun, and useful.
23. Learn about composting
This guy has a wealth of knowledge about composting and vermiculture.
24. Build a shooting bench
You can download plans here to build a neat shooting bench
25. Learn how To make paracord bracelets
Blaze Bar Paracord Bracelet is the fastest to deploy, but also try the Cobra Paracord Bracelet, Tire Tread Paracord Bracelet and the Oat Spike Paracord Bracelet
26. Learn to pick a padlock with a soda can
Not nearly as difficult as I thought. A nifty skill, I say.
27. Put together an important documents binder.
This site has a great list of starter documents that you want to get together and keep safe.
28. Make a survival kit in a pill bottle
It is amazing how much stuff we managed to fit in the little pill bottle.
29. Be prepared for an evacuation
This is a great piece that tells you what to be prepared for, what to bring, lots of smart tips. Clearly written.
30. Learn how to make lotion
Learn the basics of making basic lotion. A good primer for all those who want to make lotion
31. Learn how to build a geodesic dome
This one can be a greenhouse, a storage space, a garage, and even a living space. Quick assembly
32. Learn how to build an outhouse
More steps than you would think. Probably a good thing to learn how to do.
33. Learn how to bake bread from scratch
A great skill to have an enjoy now, and use later, regardless of what you are doing.
34. Learn how to make a poultice
This one uses plantains, and is good for bug bites, blisters and boils
35. Learn how to make green cleaners
DIY Cleaners are much less expensive and good for the environment.
36. Learn to knit chicken sweaters
Figure you are pretty prepared if you got this far. Why not protect your chickens? They should be prepared, too!
Like I said, these are only a few of my favorite weekend prepper projects. Maybe you have something you’ve done or would like to do? Share them with us in the comments below. I am always looking for ideas to publish and cool things to make.
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Check out these two great products that can help you be prepared:
How to Cook and Store Food Outside
How to cook and preserve ANY kind of meat using fire, the sun or natural chemical reactions so you have food that’s safe in ANY situation you encounter…
How to build your own solar oven for hands-free cooking while you’re busy doing other activities that keep you alive — so that you can enjoy a hot meal at the end of the day…
Detailed plans for building a wood-fired oven using scraps lying around and a few supplies from your local hardware store so that you can prepare breads, casseroles and broiled meats…
How to avoid mistakes that could kill you when preserving your food —what you MUST do each time you can your own food — so that you don’t wipe out your family while trying to save them…
How to create a smoke tent to dehydrate and preserve meat on the go— so that you can preserve meat even if you’re on the move…
Which five star restaurant cooking technique can be done with simple fruit juices and will cook fish and other meat through a chemical reaction — and which ones aren’t strong enough to produce safe to eat food…
How to know with 100% certainty that your family’s food is safe to eat…
And much, much more…
Vertical Gardening Report
How to grow enough food to feed yourself in just 4 square feet of space
Why you don’t need a yard or any kind of traditional garden plot to grow your own food
How you can build your own vertical garden from scratch for a fraction of the cost of a big outdoor garden
What you need to do to set up your garden in a single afternoon
Why vertical gardens have better air circulation, fewer plant diseases and almost no bugs
The best way to water your vertical garden, so you can use less water but still get great yields
What plants will give you more food in a vertical garden than they do in the ground
How vertical gardening spares you the back-breaking work of gardening – no more bending over to plant, weed, or water!
And much, much more…
This is really great I save articles like this all the time just one at a time but here I have 36
Thanks. I enjoyed putting it together, and I actually tried all these, which is why a lot are from DIYready. I did not share with you the failures or the never to do agains! 🙂
There’s a couple things I could share that you might like. Like how to make lip balm, using 1/2 coconut oil and beeswax, add a few drops of confection oil or extract. Another one that I like to do is use an old pair of children’s jeans to fix your favorite old work coat. Cut the pant legs and slide onto sleeves to extend wear. And the rest of the jeans can be used on face of coat if ripped or holes. I do a lot of work with firewood and this has been a really good solution to save on my favorite work clothes, and almost like having an extra lining, which the more expensive companies put out for sale.
That is awesome. Thanks! I am going to try the lip balm this weekend. The first time I tried one of the “lotion” recipes I found, I ended up with balm, anyway. Sort of funny now that I think about it. Love the work coat idea. Must try that as well.
Great list! definitely would be interested in more! Thanks for publishing!!
Thank you! We just created this site in November, and are thrilled you like our DIY projects, especially our ones for survival and preparedness.
Great article!! If you have a growing network these are great projects to do and share the results. If I am making survival bars why not make enough for close friends in your network. They could make hardtack to share, etc. Great for community building and you can “share the work” while all reaching for the same goal!!
Super suggestion! Thanks
What an amazing project list. I would like to see more DIY projects in the future.
My family and I try to have monthly preparedness dinners I’m going to use these ideas to include the grandkids. Thank you!!
I love this! Do you think you could do something like this for more of a “off the grid” living?
This was awesome! I really would like to see more stuff like this!
Since this is a new site, I will join.. I normally don’t because the spam monsters get there pretty quickly and I HATE spam.
OK, I know a few of these, but I still like this site a lot..
Thanks Bunches..
Jack
Awesome Ideas, I have saved them all. You have done a Great job. Keep them coming. Thank’s Again….
Thank you!
Awesome site …. very informative and great ideas. Love reading them and going to try my hand on the rocket stove.
Thanks!
Love your site!
Thanks!
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Sorry but that Faraday cage is a joke.. While yes a metal garbage can would make a great one, and it should be insulated. If it isn’t grounded it wont work, plain and simple. There must be a way to transfer the current to the ground. Plus it simply isn’t possible for the average person to run a proper test on a farady cage in normal everyday situations… we have nothing available to simulate the power emanating from any EMP weapon that may be used, nor can we simulate the power that is released by the sun..
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