When nature calls in the wild outdoors, it’s nice to have a convenient place to do your
business. So for this project I’m going to show you how to make a portable emergency
supply kit that could save your tush during a natural disaster. Or at least, provide a
little cushioning for it.
Let’s start this project with a 5 gallon bucket, some heavy duty trash bags, a pool
noodle and some ultra soft toilet paper.
Look closely at the handle on the bucket, and you’ll notice that all it takes to pop
it out, is a little tug on the side.
And while we’re here, it’s a really good idea to bend the tip over with a pair of pliers
because it’ll make the handle a lot easier to connect again, later on.
Now lay the bucket down on one side and measure around 3 fingers from the connector port,
because we need to drill a small utility hole, and this spacing should be just about perfect.
I’m using a 3/16” bit, and you can see the hole just barely goes through the top
layer, and doesn’t actually penetrate the wall. That’s important.
Now try threading the open end of the handle through your toilet paper tube until the roll
reaches the middle. Then lock the handle back on the bucket, by simply pushing the end into
the new connector port until it snaps in place. Just like that we’ve got ourselves a built-in
toilet roll holder, for easy access when we need it.
Now the best way to keep our bucket clean, is to line it with heavy duty garbage sacks.
And I found some “Step Can” trash bags at a local super center, which are a perfect fit.
The ones I’m using are around 1-1/2’ x 2x1/2’ ft and will hold up to 8 gallons
of waste, which will be more than enough to meet our needs.
Push the garbage bag down into the bucket, and secure it in place by lining the top ridge
of the pail the same way you’d line a garbage can.
The plastic liner should make a nice tight fit, so there won’t be much chance it’ll
come off by accident.
Ok, let’s move on to making the seat.
I got an orange pool noodle from the dollar store, and cut a piece roughly 3 ft long.
If you’re careful, you should be able to cut a clean slit down the one of the sides
as well. And just like that, you’ve got a nice foam padding to cushion your backside.
Which should make your outdoor experience a little more comfortable.
Alright the Business Bucket is just about done. There’s just one small modification,
left to make.
You’ll notice that when you try to unroll the toilet paper, it rubs on the side of the
bucket, and it’s very frustrating and difficult to use. So to solve this challenge, we need
to elevate the handle, and I’m going to do that by drilling another small hole, slightly
offset from the center.
If we use something like a small bungee cord to lift the handle, you can see it suspends
the roll away from the bucket, which solves the problem.
Now if you don’t have a bungee cord, don’t sweat it. You can always use an elastic, some
string, or even a wire coat hanger instead.
At this point our bucket is completely finished and ready to do business. That’s how simple
and easy it is to make an emergency Port-A-Potty. And what’s really cool is that everything
can be stored inside the bucket, to keep the whole system self contained and odor free.
But, rather than stopping here, let’s take the idea to the next level, with two more buckets.
I found a 2 gallon pail with a lid, and a 5 quart, big mouth bucket at the hardware
store, and check this out. They’re waterproof, which means we can fill them up with useful
supplies. I packed mine with stuff for hunting, camping, and survival situations. And if you
pack them well, your buckets will hold an impressive amount of equipment.
For example. I included a heavy duty tarp, with some para-cord and bungee straps, so
we can make a shelter. And a bottle of rubbing alcohol that can be used for sanitization,
or make-shift camping fuel.
I threw in a knife that’s got a fork and spoon built into it, and a flashlight so we’ll
be able to use our facilities in the dark. But that’s not all.
There’s plenty of room for a small first aid kit, and some lighters for getting a survival
fire started. And just because you can, a pack of medical grade nitrile gloves for when
it’s time to do the dirty work.
It’s truly amazing how much stuff will fit inside. And don’t forget, the buckets themselves
are useful as well.
They’re waterproof, which means you can store materials when you’re out camping
or hunting, and look what happens when you flip the white bucket over, and set the wide
mouth bucket on top. You’ve just created a make-shift sink.
Ok, it’s time to demonstrate how the bucket works, and for that, let’s use a bit of
hazelnut spread and some apple juice.
If you look closely, you’ll see how the plastic lining keeps the waste contained,
and is really simple to replace if it ever gets filled up.
Heavy duty bags have less chance of ripping or leaking, and most trash bags will be able
to hold liquid waste as well, which will help keep the inside of your bucket clean.
Now speaking of clean, remember to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. And
when you’re ready to dry them, there’s a little hand towel down there as well.
If you want to go the extra mile, you may want to include a small pack of cleansing
wipes, or a bottle of moisturizing hand sanitizer.
Now you may have noticed earlier, that in my bundle of supplies I included a small gardening
trowel, and here’s why. When you cover your deposit with a handful of leaves, and sprinkle
a layer of dirt overtop, it forms an odor barrier that keeps your bucket from smelling
bad and attracting flies.
And if for some reason you’re in a situation where you have to use the bucket indoors,
there’s still room for an air freshener in there as well.
Alright let’s finish, up by putting everything away.
Start by tying off the garbage bag and sending it away for disposal. You might want to keep
in mind that it is full of human compost, and there are regulations on where it needs
to be dumped.
Go ahead and load your supplies back into the 2 gallon bucket, then snap on the watertight
lid to keep it sealed.
Everything goes together if you drop the big mouth pail in first, followed by the container
of supplies, which you should find, fit together perfectly.
Now simply pop the handle off so you can remove the toilet paper, and set it inside the bucket.
And if you put it in the center, you’ll still have a gap big enough to coil the pool
noodle around, and tuck it snugly inside. Amazingly, there’s still a little room to spare.
Finish up with a lid that makes an airtight seal, and you’ve got yourself a handy little
“bug-out-bucket”. Full of supplies that could save your life in an emergency, and
since it doesn’t really have a shelf life, it’ll stay water-resistant, and self contained, indefinitely.
Well now you know how to use a few buckets and some trash sacks to make a surprisingly
versatile, Business Bucket. So the next time nature gives you a call in the wild outdoors,
you’ll have a much more convenient place to do business.
Well that’s it for now. If you like this project perhaps you’ll like some of my others.
Check them out at www.thekingofrandom.com