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How to Prepare for the Power to Go Out
September is National Preparedness Month, so what better time to talk about how to prepare for the power to go out?
The North Country is known for its long, snowy winters, and it’s not uncommon for the power to go out during its many storms.
It’s important to prepare for the power to go out during a winter storm before winter actually arrives.
Emergencies don’t like to give warnings.
That is why we need to always be prepared for an emergency.
Granted, we can’t prepare for everything, but there is a lot that we can prepare for.
Power outages is one thing we can prepare for.
Prepare to Heat the House
I live in the North Country where we only have two seasons – winter and get ready for winter.
It’s either sitting around the woodstove season or cutting the wood season!
Needless to say, preparing to heat the house is extremely important up here in the North Country.
My Old-Fashioned Cookstove
My old-fashioned cookstove sure comes in handy!
It keeps the house warm and toasty, and there’s usually a pot of tea and a kettle of soup simmering on it.
Woodstove
I found a really nice woodstove on Facebook Marketplace that an older couple was selling for 90% off the retail price.
They had bought it for their camp but said it just gave too much heat for them.
SCORE!
Now, I have the cookstove on one side of the house and the woodstove on the other in order to keep heat throughout the house.
Mr. Heater – My Buddy
We also love our Mr. Heater My Buddy propane heater.
It does an amazing job and is the only propane heater that I am aware of that is rated for indoor use without the concern of opening windows to vent.
I keep a small stash of little camping propane bottles.
It is a powerful heater, but it does go through propane quicker than I like.
Note to self: Stock up on little propane tanks!
Prepare for Meal Time
I have cooked on a cookstove for many years, so cooking with wood during a power outage isn’t a big deal for me.
I actually still cook on wood all of the time even though we aren’t living off-grid anymore.
We also have the option of cooking on our barbecue grill during a power outage.
We eat quite well whether the power is on or off.
Living off-grid doesn’t change our eating habits at all.
I am always so thankful for my Well-Stocked Pantry!
Having all kinds of home-canned goods and dehydrated foods takes a lot of stress out of living without power.
My shelves are always stocked with all kinds of shelf-stable food.
Some of my favorites included dehydrated eggs, dehydrated butter, powdered milk, and everything to make homemade bread.
This covers the basics.
Prepare for Washing the Dishes
I would use paper plates every single day of the week whether the power is off or on, but they sure do come in handy when it’s out.
Either way, they will always be something to wash.
Having buckets to carry water, large bowls to wash and rinse dishes in, and huge kettles to heat water are vital during this time!
Prepare for Drinking Water
It is always a good idea to keep gallons of water and individual bottles for drinking on hand.
I keep old juice bottles, fill them with water, and store them in my large freezer.
Many people fill bottles of water and just store them in their basements.
If we know the power might go out, we fill up our 5-gallon Igloo jug and any other large containers we can locate.
We make sure the tea kettles are filled up too.
Anything that can hold water gets filled.
Prepare for Lighting
Lighting is a major issue during a power outage.
Our generator broke years ago, and we never replaced it.
I keep a stockpile of candles on hand that I usually pick up at thrift stores.
I set the candles on top of aluminum foil and in front of mirrors.
The foil and mirrors reflect the light and multiply the amount of light the candles give off.
The foil, also, made me feel safer while burning so many candles since it gave something for the candles to drip onto and if the fire fell onto the foil, I could just roll it up without an issue.
We have our camping Coleman’s propane lantern.
Although it gives off an amazing amount of light, I don’t feel comfortable using it inside.
When I do use it inside, the windows are opened up for ventilation.
Each person carries a flashlight around with them at all times during a power outage.
The headlight ones work the best while working since they obviously free up the hands while providing the light.
I love the LED lights that look exactly like a light switch.
We keep one in the bathroom at all times and others spread throughout the house.
I have a big stash of these lights that I found at Harbor Freight for only $1.99 each!
I also have oil lamps that I like to keep filled and ready to go.
Prepare for Personal Hygiene
Personal hygiene isn’t as hard as one might think. We have multiple ways of staying on top of keeping everyone clean.
I keep a large kettle of water heating on the woodstove.
The kettle is always filled and available for everyone to stay washed up throughout the day.
Brushing teeth only requires a cup of water, so that is pretty easy.
I always keep a couple of camping showers on hand for emergencies too.
I actually have a cistern in my basement. I am able to keep the toilet flushed by getting buckets of water out of it.
Prepare for Doing the Laundry
I lived a lot of years off-grid when my older kids were little.
Thanks to this experience, I am better prepared to be able to do laundry without a dryer and washing machine.
I have some large buckets, big kettles, totes, a laundry plunger, and believe it or not, a commercial-size salad spinner.
Most of the drying can be done on a clothes bar, or simply hung around the house on clothes hangers.
I do miss my old-fashioned wringer washer though.
I think I will put one back on my prepping list!
Prepare for Using the Bathroom
You need to prepare for your family to use the bathroom in a safe and sanitized manner.
I keep a couple of these luggable loos on hand.
Line them with trash bags for quick and easy clean-up.
As I mentioned earlier, we are always able to just use our regular toilet and flush it with water from the cistern in the basement.
Prepare for Communication
If the power is out for an extended period of time, you will want a way to be able to communicate with people.
Keep car chargers on hand so you can charge your cellphones in your vehicle.
When I was a kid, CB radios were a hot item. Everyone had them.
It wouldn’t be a bad idea to have your family members all get CB radios.
Walkie-talkies come in quite handy too.
We could learn smoke signals, but that’s probably a little extreme. 🙂
Prepare for Entertainment
Prepare the keep the family entertained.
Keep board games and a few decks of cards on hand.
You don’t need to wait for the power to go out to start using these games though.
Check out my article,
Bring Back Family Game Night for Some Frugal Family Fun
Prepare for Power Back-Up
Many people couldn’t imagine going without power even for a few hours.
If that’s you, then make sure you have alternative sources ready to go.
Of course, a generator is at the top of the list.
Solar panels, wind power, and a complete battery system are items to consider too.
Prepare to Use Cash
Cash is definitely king in a power outage situation.
Make sure you keep some small bills and change on hand to use during power outages.
How to Prepare for the Power to Go Out
If you are prepared, when the power goes out, it just feels like an inconvenience rather than an emergency.
We try to stay prepared, but we also take the opportunity to see where we could do better.
Emergencies will arise.
It is not a matter of whether there will be an emergency in your life, but when.
Don’t wait. Start by getting the deals and filling your home with things your family needs and uses on a daily basis.
I hope this encourages you to keep a well-stocked pantry.
It is time to become a Strategic Shopper!
Resources I Use on the Homestead
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