You know what I’m referring to here…those little packets of drying agent found in bottles of vitamins, etc. We usually toss them with the bottle when it’s empty. Well, there ARE useful things we can do with them, so consider keeping one of those bottles and save the packets in there for future use. Here are some ways to use them…

Store some with silver tableware or silver jewelry. The drying agents won’t stop silver from tarnishing, but it will slow it down.

Add some with clothes and blankets during off-season storage. The drying effect will help to prevent mustiness and mildew.

Add them to whatever you store in a damp basement. They will help to keep items dry and prevent mustiness and mold from forming.

Put them in a camera bag. If you use your camera outdoors, the humidity in the camera bag can cause some film and condensation to form on the camera. Placing some drying packets in the camera bag can help to prevent that from happening.

Add them to any container where you store photos. Moisture can cause old photos to stick together and ruin them. Adding some drying packets to the photo box can help to save those precious old photos.

Protect important documents. Add some drying packs to any container where old, important documents are being stored. Birth certificates, marriage licenses, death certificates, property titles, important receipts, and treasured old letters and cards are all prime examples. This will help to preserve the documents.

Use them when storing dry flowers. Many people use dried flowers for potpourri, room decor, and assorted craft projects. Drying packets can help to dry flower petals and also keep them dry in their storage containers.

Add them to your toolbox. Some tools and accessories are prone to rusting. Adding some drying packets to your toolbox can help to prevent that from happening.

Help keep electronics dry. Put some drying packets in your electronics bags and storage containers to help keep them dry and prolong their life.

Add them to powdery mixtures to prevent clumping. Some powdery mixtures can tend to clump up when humidity enters the box. Laundry detergent, dishwasher detergent, and other powdered cleaning agents are good examples. Toss in a few drying packets to help prevent the clumping. Be sure to remove them when using the detergent!

Preserve stored collectables. If you have a collection of old baseball cards, comic magazines, or any other such paper items, add some drying packets to the storage container. This will help to soak up moisture in the box, preserving your precious items that much more.

Help to preserve holiday decorations. Adding some drying packets to your boxes of stored holiday decorations can help to keep them fresh and dry for your next use.

Revive old musty books. Place some drying packets in a plastic bag with a musty book. Leave it there for a few days and that will help take the moisture and musty smell out of the book.

Add them to garden seed packets. If you save seeds from year to year, add some drying packets to the bag your seeds are stored in. The reduction in moisture may help to preserve your seeds a bit longer.

Place some in bathroom medicine cabinets. Adding some drying packets to bathroom medicine cabinets can help prevent shelves from rusting, and also to help protect the contents of the cabinet from the excessive moisture in the bathroom.

Add them to your sorted vitamins and other pills. If you divvy out pills in advance, adding some drying agents to your storage container can help to keep your pills dry and fresh.

Keep fishing tackle items from rusting. Placing some drying packets in your fishing tackle box can help to keep those items from rusting.

Store some in shoes. If your shoes have gotten wet, or if your feet tend to sweat a lot, place some packets inside your shoes when storing them to help dry them out and reduce odors.

Prevent carpentry nails from rusting. If you store carpentry nails and such, they might rust over time. Placing some drying packets in with those items can help keep them from rusting.

Prevent holiday tins from rusting. We all enjoy the beauty and joy decorative tins can bring to our homes and tables during the holidays. But they do have a tendency to rust over time. Place some drying packets in your favored tins when they are being stored to help keep them dry and prevent rusting.

Place some in closets. Closets can tend to smell stale, especially if not used regularly. Place some drying packets in closets to help make them (and their contents) fresh and dry.

Place some in gym bags. This will help to keep the contents dry and smelling fresh.

Rescue your cell phone. Many people have accidentally dropped their cell phones in water. After retrieving your phone, wipe it dry and remove the battery and memory card, if you can. Place your phone, battery, and memory card in an air-tight container (such as a plastic bag) with some drying packets. Leave it there at least overnight, even up to 24 hours, and your phone should (hopefully!) be fine.

Keep windows dry. Sometimes condensation can form between window panes. Placing a few drying packets between the window panes can help to stop the condensation from forming.

Keep pet food dry. If you invest in a large, bulk bag of dry pet food, place a few drying packets in the bag to help keep the pet food dry and fresh. Of course, be careful not to feed them to your pet…they are NOT edible!

Keep windshield from fogging up. The car windshield can get foggy on humid days, especially during early morning drives. Placing some drying packets on the dashboard can help to soak up some of that humidity, preventing the window from getting foggy.

Extend razor blade life. Razors tend to have a short life, especially when not dried after use. They’re too expensive to waste them like that! After use, dry them off, then go one step further by placing them in an air-tight container with some drying packets.

Preserve dry makeup. Preserve the life of dry makeup powders by storing them in an air-tight container with a few drying packets. This is especially helpful if you live in a humid area.

Keep dry foods dry. Add one or more drying packets (depending on size) to opened, dry foods. Bread crumbs, flour, herbs and spices, pastas, rice and other grains, and crackers are good examples of foods that can age quickly if moisture gets in them. The drying packets will help to keep these foods fresh and dry until needed. This is especially helpful if you live in a humid climate.

Freshen stale dresser drawers. Have you ever noticed a musty odor when you open a dresser drawer that isn’t used very often? Place some drying packets in the drawer to keep the things inside fresh and dry.

Freshen luggage. When returning home from a long trip, dirty laundry in luggage can cause smelly, and even moldy luggage. Carry some desiccant packs with you and turn them loose in your luggage to do their job on the way home. You’ll still need to wash your laundry, but at least it (hopefully) shouldn’t be moldy!

Revive your used packets…Don’t Throw them Out!
When your packets have been used and reused, don’t toss them! They can be revived by placing them outside in the sun on a dry, hot day. Afterwards, store them in a tightly closed container until you need them again.

If that won’t work for you, place the used packets on a clean, dry baking sheet and place them in your oven set at its lowest temperature. Allow them to “bake” for an hour or more to dry them out. (Be careful not to burn the packets during the process. If you see the packets turning dark, remove them from the oven!) Store them in an airtight container.

Better yet, if you have a dehydrator, place the used packets in the dehydrator with the temperature set at about 120°F for 2 or more hours. Return them to your storage container to be used again.

Resources
https://www.practicallyfunctional.com/17-uses-for-desiccants-how-to-make-your-own/

https://www.makelifelovely.com/6-uses-for-silica-gel-packets-dont/

https://www.edcosupply.com/3-unbelievable-uses-for-desiccant-packs/

https://www.mythirtyspot.com/17-clever-ways-to-use-silica-gel-that-you-never-knew/

https://www.littlethings.com/silica-gel-household-uses/1

https://www.bobvila.com/slideshow/10-reasons-you-shouldn-t-toss-silica-gel-packets-51628

https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/403/What+is+the+best+way+to+dry+used+desiccant+Silica-Gel