Silica gel packs are seen by many to be just something to be ignored as you try and eat that packet of jerky or tossed in the garbage with the crumbled brown paper from that new pair of shoes. Why should you save them? Here are a few reasons:

1. Razor Blades – Razor blades do not often last very long, and are replaced frequently as the blades get dull, but also due to the amount of moisture that they are exposed to. In order to extend their overall lifetime, locking away your razor blades after usage and dabbing them dry with a few silica gel packets can reduce the risk of moisture-inflicted razor blade loss, and thereby lengthen how long you have them.
2. Prevent Water from Ruining a Cell Phone – Similar to the way that rice works to absorb the water your phone may have been subjected to, silica gel packets work in the same way. Cover your phone in them after a nasty encounter with water, seal it away, and wait at least twenty-four hours before powering your phone back on.
3. Vitamins and Medicine Tablets – Silica gel packets are often stored with this initially, as it helps retain freshness and to prevent mold and deterioration. Make sure to keep them together, as the removal of these helpful packets could keep them from living as long as they should.
4. Important Documents and Papers – Just like everything else on the list, in order to refrain from unfortunate water damage, keep your silica gel packets and your important documents and papers in the same drawer.
5. Pet Food – Whenever you’ve had your pet food for a long time, or you have large amounts of it, it can gain moisture faster. By storing it in a plastic bin, you can preserve the parts that have begun to get soggy by sliding a few silica gel packets in with them. Just make sure not to accidentally feed them to your animals (though they are nontoxic for them)!
6. Luggage – Anything could happen on a vacation, and the last thing you want is for your luggage to get damp and gross. This could lead to mildewing, but can be prevented by sticking a few gel packets in with your clothes to retain their freshness throughout the trip.
7. Gardening – You might be an expert at gardening, and as such but storing seeds for the upcoming harvest. In order to keep them fresh, store them in a sealed container with silica gel packets. Thankfully, not many of the packets are necessary to keep out moisture, so even one or two can go a long way.
8. Pumpkins and Squash – Commonly known for molding and rotting fast, this can be prevented by breaking open a silica gel packet and using the beads inside. Push them into the outer layer of the pumpkin or squash and help them to thrive through the winter months.
9. Ammo Box – Toss a few into ammo cans to keep ammunition viable basically forever when stored correctly.

Turns out, anywhere that moisture can be a problem is a place that these little packets can become incredibly useful.

They won't stop something from becoming waterlogged in a flood, of course, but helping extend general longevity in light of moisture is kind of their only job.

So if you have to store stuff in a dampish basement or attic, or you're putting some things away in a rental storage unit, throw in a few of these packs to keep everything crisp and dry.

There's a lot more stuff that can benefit from silica gel packs. Head on over to Home and Gardening Ideas to find out more.