30 Item Ultimate Altoids Tin Urban Survival Kit (includes sunglasses, a deck of cards, and ketchup)

There are tons of these survival kits floating around Instructables and the rest of the Internet and though I do love making kits that include fishing hooks and sewing sets, my chances of being in a survival situation where I actually need those things are slim. I wanted to make a kit of the things that I often find myself wishing I had or that other people often ask me for.

My kit is unique in that it contains some essentials for urban survival that I haven't seen in any other kits. A few of my favorite things are a mini deck of cards, a pair of sunglasses, and a packet of ketchup. My kit contains 30 unique items (31 if you count the tin itself), all of which are very useful things.

I'll list the items again as well as some of the uses on the last page. I would love to hear comments about what you would include (or substitute) to make the tin ideal for your own use. I hope this Instructable inspires you to make an everyday kit that you can carry around.

Step 1:

The 30 items:
-bandage
-alcohol swab (I used one of those moist towels that KFC gives)
-a razor blade
-paper (I used a few post-its)
-a miniature deck of cards (mine were from Chuck E. Cheese's but I've seen them in quarter machines)
-a small plastic spoon (I got mine from a ice cream shop when I was given a sample)
-a length of duct tape
-a cotton swab
-a piece of gum
-a safety pin
-a paper clip
-a match
-a small screwdriver head (mine came from a screwdriver with switchable heads)
-a pen (the clickey kind are the best)
-a toothpick
-a small mirror (I got one from a makeup compact)
-a ketchup packet
-a salt packet
-a pepper packet
-a sugar packet
-a length of dental floss
-a pair of sunglasses (those paper or plastic ones that optometrists give after an appointment)
-tin foil
-aspirin
-a paper towel
-a hair tie
-a few bills
-a few quarters
-a straw
-a plastic grocery bag


Other things you'll need include:
-glue (the stickier the better)
-clear tape
-scissors (I used a multi-tool)

Comments

[supertoria12]

Overall, this is an excellent Altoids survival kit instructable. One bit of criticism I must give is that moist towelettes are NOT a suitable replacement for an alcohol swab or wipe. A moist towelette cannot be used to clean a wound like an alcohol wipe can because they are soaked in a different solution and often contain perfumes. Other than that, awesome guide!

[supertoria12]

Also, safety pins are often used to temporarily fix loose or ripped clothing.

[BLUEBLOBS2]

Did you know that you can seal the ends using a lighter and some pliers?
First, hold the straw with pliers about 0.5 mm from the end. Next, take a lighter and fuse the ends shut. Put whatever you want inside. Lastly, fuse the end that has not been fused yet. But, then again, those straws are from Starbucks...
-BLUEBLOBS2

[peacefulshades]

the short straw, mirror and razor combo does not sit too well with me.....

[Lorddrake]

ROFL

[Alex-95__]

y not?

[sherrycayheyhey]

use as you please :)

[hot_soup]

A good way to do this is wrap the tape around the pen ink tube, that way your get a better grip for the pen and something to wrap the tape around.

[sherrycayheyhey]

Thanks for the suggestion. I had considered doing that but I don't know why I didn't. As long as the tape is the same size as the pen that would probably be the best use of space, make the pen easier to use, and make accessing the tape easier too.