Need a square bucket that holds roughly the same volume as a 5-gallon round bucket, is waterproof, is food-grade plastic, is easy to pack thanks to its square shape, is strong enough to haul heavy loads, and is inexpensive?
Look no further than a kitty litter bucket!
Perfect for storing trash and recyclables, doing dishes, using a groover (modify the link instructions), and more.
From Joan. You can see our bucket underneath the table.
A local outfitter uses them for their river trips to great effect, too.
A five-gallon hardware store bucket does not store nearly as well, nor is it as efficient. And the hinged lid makes it easier to dispose of trash and recyclables, per Joan.
However, unless you want a lot of kitty litter for some admittedly functional purposes, you may not want to procure a bucket this way.
If you have some friendly cat owners in your life, and don’t have a cat yourself, you can probably snag a bucket from them.
You can also purchase an empty one with a lid for ~$21, not including S&H. (Among other sizes)
In our case, we repurposed the kitty litter as described above and recently purchased replacement lids for future use.
One lid lasted us more than four years, so I suspect we are all set for a while to come.
Our replacement lid. Also pictured? My titanium step stool.
It’s simple, effective, practical, and arguably more of a conversation piece than a $70 bucket and lid, if not quite as hip!