The power went out. What do I actually need at home?
You do not need to buy an entire survival store. Start with what you already have, then fill the gaps that actually matter.
Start here. This is not a second-rate preparedness plan. It is the first layer.
Light: gather every working flashlight, headlamp, camping lantern and battery light you already own. Check junk drawers for spare batteries. If candles are your only backup, use sturdy holders and the safer-use rules below.
Phone power: fully charge phones, old power banks, laptops and tablets before the storm. A charged laptop can sometimes become a large USB battery for a phone. Put the phone in Low Power Mode, lower screen brightness, turn off unnecessary radios/apps and stop recreational scrolling when preserving communication matters.
Food: eat refrigerated perishables first if the outage becomes prolonged. Keep fridge/freezer doors shut. Group frozen food together. Freeze food-safe containers of water before a predicted outage. If you already own a cooler, have it ready; even inexpensive coolers plus ice can extend cold storage.
Water: before a storm that could affect water service, fill clean food-safe containers you already own. Do not use containers that previously held toxic chemicals. Include water for pets.
Warmth: gather blankets, sleeping bags, warm clothes, hats and socks. Close off unused rooms and concentrate people in a smaller comfortable area when conditions make that appropriate. Never improvise indoor heat with a grill, camp stove, generator or other outdoor combustion equipment.
Cooling: close blinds or curtains against direct sun when that helps, use the coolest safe part of the house, and use natural ventilation when outdoor conditions are cooler and safe. Extreme heat can become dangerous; leaving for a cooled location may be the correct zero-dollar or low-cost solution.
Information: write important phone numbers on paper while the internet still works. Download or screenshot useful emergency information. If you already own a battery radio, dig it out now.
Cooking: first choose foods that need no cooking. Do not move an outdoor grill or camp stove indoors just because the electricity is off.
Sanitation: collect trash bags, soap, hand sanitizer, paper towels, toilet paper, buckets/containers and cleaning supplies you already have. These become surprisingly useful in a longer outage.
Car: charge devices while driving only outdoors, never by running a vehicle in an attached garage. Know how to manually open your garage door before you need to leave.
People: one of the most valuable free resources is another person. Decide now who nearby has power, transportation, tools, medical knowledge, a generator, freezer space, a working radio or simply the ability to check on you, and what you can offer them in return.
Before you buy anything: do the free stuff
Charge everything you already own when severe weather is approaching.
Freeze containers of water if you have freezer space.
Group frozen food together and make the refrigerator/freezer cold before the outage if you have warning.
Put lighting where you can reach it in the dark.
Make a paper contact list and know how to manually open electric doors or gates you may need.
1. Match the light to the job
Headlamp: best when moving or working with both hands.
Flashlight: best for a directed beam.
Battery/rechargeable lantern: better for shared area light.
Candle: provides dim ambient orientation around the flame but is poor task lighting and introduces fire risk.
If candles are what you have, use them as safely as possible
Use a sturdy holder that will not tip on a stable heat-resistant surface. Keep the flame at least 12 inches from things that can burn. Never leave it unattended or sleep with it burning. Keep it away from children, pets, hair and loose clothing. Do not use candles around home oxygen. Keep working smoke alarms and an appropriate extinguisher accessible.
2. Keep phones alive without buying a giant battery
$0: start with every charged device already in the house and aggressively conserve phone power.
Next step if buying: a quality USB-C power bank may be all you need. Solar is a separate decision.
See free, budget and upgraded power options →3. Make sure information can still reach the house
$0: preserve phone battery, write down contacts, screenshot/download information, use any existing battery radio, and coordinate with nearby people.
If buying: a battery-backed NOAA alert radio creates a separate information path.
See communication options →4. Protect the food you already paid for
$0: keep doors closed, group frozen food, freeze water ahead of time, use existing coolers and eat vulnerable food in a sensible order.
An unopened refrigerator generally keeps food cold for about 4 hours; a full freezer about 48 hours and a half-full freezer about 24 hours if the door stays closed.
See free through full-backup options →5. Do not create a carbon monoxide emergency
Use working carbon monoxide alarms with battery backup. Never run a vehicle in an attached garage to charge devices.