Five things to have on-hand during a power outage (they’re not what you think!)

By Melissa Fassel Dunn.

My family was unexpectedly without power for about 24 hours about a month ago. Fortunately, this was a summer power outage, so we didn’t have to also figure out how to heat the house. We had the usual flashlights and batteries at the ready, but we happened to have a few additional products on hand – most of them pretty expensive, which really helped out with the emergency!

I highly recommend you pick these up in the event of a power outage!

1. Glow sticks:

These stayed glowing for at least 12 hours and were especially perfect for the kids, who got a huge kick out of hanging them in their bedrooms and using them for night time house traveling. We also hung them up in bathrooms and stairwells:

2. Battery operated tea light candles:

I can’t say enough good things about these. We put them throughout the house. They have a nice soft light and enabled us to play games, hang out, and to see pretty well – without the nuisance of candles. We had a few of those lit, but they were all scented, and it got pretty overpowering. Plus, we could trust the kids around these. They also last a really long time!

3. Solar lanterns:

Our power outage took place in the summer, so we brought in our outdoor paper solar lanterns and hung them up in our living and dining rooms.

This solar-powered paper lantern worked out well for us as a double-bonus summer patio lighting option:


But in the winter, you could have a few of these battery-operated lanterns on hand, which is so much easier than finagling a flashlight:

4. The big guns: the Halo Bolt 58830 will charge everything & start your car

This thing is awesome. We keep it plugged in all the time and it comes in incredibly handy and perfect for travel because of it’s long-lasting battery. You can use it to power up a laptop, a phone, a fan – you can even use it to jump start your car! Yeah it’s in the $100 range, but it’s been a lifesaver for my family many a time.

5. A bag of ice

Seriously. If it is possible to get to a local store *with* power, buy a bag or two of ice to put in your fridge/freezer. It will help to keep it cool while you wait for the power to come back on.