Storms, heatwaves, and aging grids mean blackouts are more common than ever. The difference between a miserable night and a manageable one is preparation you do while the lights are still on. Here are the 15 essentials every home should have ready for the next power outage — most cost little and last for years.
Light and Backup Power
1. LED flashlights — one per person, plus a headlamp for hands-free tasks. 2. Spare batteries stored at room temperature. 3. A 20,000mAh power bank kept charged — it can recharge a phone 4–5 times. 4. A portable power station (300–500Wh) if you can afford one: it runs a router, phone chargers, and a lamp for hours. Avoid candles where possible; they're a leading cause of fires during outages.
Food and Water Safety
5. Three days of drinking water — about a gallon per person per day. 6. Non-perishable food: canned goods, peanut butter, crackers, dried fruit. 7. A manual can opener (electric ones are useless now). 8. A cooler with ice packs to extend fridge food life. Remember: a full freezer keeps food safe for 48 hours if unopened (24 for a half-full one) — when in doubt, throw it out.
Safety, Comfort, and Information
9. A first-aid kit with any prescription meds you need. 10. Warm blankets or sleeping bags — homes cool fast in winter outages. 11. A battery or hand-crank radio for weather alerts when cell networks fail. 12. Cash in small bills, since card readers and ATMs go down. 13. A car phone charger as a backup power source. 14. Board games or a deck of cards — morale matters, especially with kids. 15. A written list of emergency numbers, because your contacts app dies with your phone.
The Generator Warning
If you own a fuel generator, never run it indoors, in a garage, or near windows — carbon monoxide kills silently within minutes, and it spikes during every major outage. Keep it at least 20 feet from the house, and install battery-powered CO detectors on every floor. Solar generators are the safer indoor alternative.
Put these 15 items in one labeled box this weekend. Future-you, sitting calmly in a lit room while the neighborhood goes dark, will be grateful.