How To Make a Trash Can Rain Barrel

October 26, 2012 By Prepared Mom

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Trash cans can serve many purposes in prepping supplies.

Rubber trash cans have a number of emergency uses. Today I picked up this 32 gallon one for $12. I can usually find them on sale for under $10 but I needed one quickly today. I make sure to buy the ones that are the thicker rubber, not the cheaper flimsy plastic ones. This one is made by Rubbermaid. I want to stress they are not food grade and not meant to store open bags of food and are not recommended for long term food storage. I know this, yet I do keep large unopened packages in them until I can get things properly stored. To me that is better protection than just having them lying about.

So, what can you do with them?

Have two near your water heater with a garden hose, flat-head screwdriver and the printed instructions for how to drain your water heater in case you are in a situation where your potable water supplies are running low. If a situation arises where you have exhausted your water supplies and drained your water heater, you can then turn the trash cans into rain barrels. Remember that this new rain water will not be potable water. You cannot drink it without first chemically treating it or filtering it. You can use bleach in an emergency to treat water. Use 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe or bleaches with added cleaners. A medicine dropper comes in handy for this. However, using calcium hypochlorite (pool shock) is the best prepper plan for chemically treating drinking water.

compass saw needed for trash can rain barrel — Save

This is a compass saw

It’s important to have the additional supplies needed to build your rain barrels on hand and to realize if you are at this point, you probably won’t have electricity for that fancy drill. My plan is to use a compass saw if no power was available. You can find the pvc parts in the plumbing section of any store like Home Depot. Watch the video below and as always, write down the instructions and store them in a safe place. I suggest storing the instructions in a ziploc bag with the needed supplies and taping it inside one of the barrels.

Comments

jayne hanson says

May 4, 2020 at 10:20 pm

There is no video below!!!!

Preparedness makes more sense now than ever.

As we move through 2026, it’s clear that the world is shifting in ways many of us can feel — even if we can’t always predict what’s next. In recent years we’ve seen global supply chain disruptions, international conflicts affecting energy and food markets, extreme weather events across multiple continents, cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, economic uncertainty, inflation, and rising costs for everyday essentials.

From global pandemics to geopolitical tensions and natural disasters happening around the world, the message is the same: stability isn’t guaranteed.

Whether or not you believe we’re headed toward a major global reset, there are plenty of everyday realities that make preparedness practical — not extreme. Job loss. Health emergencies. Severe storms. Power outages. Supply shortages. Economic downturns.

Preparedness isn’t about panic.

It’s about positioning your family to respond calmly when life throws the unexpected your way.

We’ve found that the more intentional emergency planning my family does, the less I worry about the big “what ifs.” When you have food storage in place, backup plans for power and water, and practical skills to lean on, uncertainty feels manageable.

That peace of mind is powerful.

Here at Simply Preparing, we share the survival tips, preparedness strategies, and practical systems we’ve learned along the way — from pantry building and food storage to emergency planning and self-reliance skills. Our goal is not to create fear, but to create confidence.

And we hope you’ll join the conversation.

Preparedness is not a solo journey. We all bring different experiences, lessons, and perspectives to the table. Share what you’ve learned. Ask questions. Leave comments. We grow stronger and smarter together.

Now, let’s get started prepping.

Pick a post and begin reading. At the end of every article, the blog will randomly suggest three additional preparedness posts to explore. Set aside just 10 minutes a day to build your knowledge base. Small, consistent steps add up faster than you think.

Because when it comes to preparedness, we’re never truly “done” learning — and we’re never wrong for being ready.

Let’s prepare wisely.

Reader Interactions

Comments