One of the things that I love is that even though right now a majority of people are getting their information online yet the newspaper may just be the thing that saves them in the long run.
Insulation for Walls or Pipes
When building houses 100 years ago, newspaper was often used as insulation. It was cheap and effective.
Should you find yourself in a situation where you have to build an abode, or your home is damaged and you need to fix it in SHTF situation, newspaper is a great insulator.
You can also wrap your pipes in it at night to prevent them from freezing.
Newspaper is a wonderful multi-purpose product that certainly has a place in your stockpile, which could be used within the house, and also for outdoor survival. Let’s see some functionally valuable survival uses for
Let’s see some functionally valuable survival uses for newspaper if SHTF.
Insulation for Walls or Pipes
When building houses 100 years ago, newspaper was often used as insulation. It was cheap and effective. Should you find yourself in a situation where you have to build an abode, or your home is damaged and you need to fix it in SHTF situation, newspaper is a great insulator.
You can also wrap your pipes in it at night to prevent them from freezing.
Toilet Paper
Just like the Sears and Roebuck catalog of old, newspaper will serve quite well as toilet paper in a pinch. Don’t use the glossy paper for this – just the print paper. To make it soft, just wad it up and rub it between your knuckles a little.
If you really need directions for this use beyond this bit of advice, please read our article on Homemade Substitutes for Toilet Paper.
Bullet Proofing
This isn’t myth; it’s fact. Phone books or stacks of newspaper, if compressed together into a solid wall that’s a few inches thick, will stop most bullets.
You can either use this inside your walls or you can build barricades sort of like sandbags in designated areas that you’re planning to use as defense areas.
Organic Weed Prevention
Instead of using black plastic, layer your garden beds with a layer of newspaper. It’s biodegradable and will stop the growth of weeds just as effectively as the black plastic that many people use. Place a few layers down and weight it by wetting it a bit or by placing some rocks on the corner. The added benefit here is that it actually helps fertilize the soil for the next season, too.
Blanket or Protection from Dampness Under Sleeping Bag
You’ve often seen bums, at least on TV, sleeping under newspapers. There’s a good reason for that: they’re warm! Just a couple of layers of newspaper serves to block the wind and hold in body heat. Of course, the more layers you have, the warmer you’ll be.
A few layers of newspaper will also help to insulate you from the cold or wet ground. Just place it under you before you lie down.
Draft-Proofing or Covering Windows
Just as it works well for insulating you and your walls, newspaper makes an excellent draft-stopper around your doors and windows. Just tuck it into the cracks and you’ll be amazed by how much cold air you’ll keep out (or in, as the case may be in the summer).
If you’re looking for a quick way to cover your windows in order to keep people from seeing in, or to camouflage your house so that it looks less appealing, newspaper works wonders. As a matter of fact, this is one of our favorite survival uses for newspaper. Just wet it with water, or even add a bit of flour to make it stickier, and stick it on the windows.
This has the added benefit of being easy to remove and if you only add one layer, you’ll still get plenty of light but people won’t be able to see in.
There are so many ways that you can use newspaper to help you survive the day to day life of either off the grid living, homesteading or prepping! So let us know what you think. Do you have any ideas for us on how we can use this resource?
