Day 62: How to Build a Shelter From Trash

The Trash Shelter Trick

Stay Dry, Stay Alive with Street Scrap

When you’ve got no tent, no tarp, and the weather’s turning bad, you can still make a shelter from what everyone else throws away. It won’t win design awards, but it could save your life.

What It Does

• Shields you from rain, wind, and cold

• Insulates against the ground

• Uses free, found materials anywhere

• Keeps you alive until rescue or daylight

How to Do It

1. Scout for Structure
   Look for pallets, large boxes, broken furniture, or doors to form walls.

2. Insulate the Ground
   Cardboard, rugs, or thick layers of plastic keep body heat from leaking into the earth.

3. Wall It Up
   Stack flattened boxes, tarp scraps, or sheet metal to block wind and hold heat.

4. Top It Off
   Use plastic sheets, roofing scraps, or layered cardboard as a roof.

5. Lock It Down
   Secure with wire, rope, duct tape — anything to keep the wind from tearing it apart.

Tips

• Face the opening away from wind.

• Layer materials for better insulation.

• Keep it small — the less space inside, the warmer it will be.

Bottom Line

Trash can be worthless — or it can be the reason you make it through the night. The only difference is knowing how to use it.

step by step: build a shelter from trash