Don’t Get Caught in the Dark

0

The polar vortex has been heard loud and clear… winter is here! So bundle up and get to work because as they say

chance favors the prepared.

One thing in winter that I like to prepare for is the potential for loss of electricity. The last thing you want to do when the power is out is to spend time blindly searching for a flashlight. My one simple tip for organizing part of your emergency prep can save lots of time and frustration. Oh, and best yet it won’t break the bank or take a tremendous amount of time.

Light boxes are easy and an extremely handy way of organizing your light gear in the event of an emergency. Flashlights have a way of disappearing in my house so I find it necessary to have them stored out of reach of little hands. Currently, I have two boxes where I split my gear based on how I anticipate using them. Easy to grab flashlights, a couple of glow sticks, and a small flashlight for each child are in my upstairs box because this is  likely the first box I will grab if the power goes out. Heavier duty flashlights, lanterns, and even more glow sticks are stored in the basement in one container. Keeping these items stored in a designated location reduces the hassle of finding them while increasing the likelihood that they will actually get used for their intended purpose.

Take a moment and knock out this simple emergency prep:

  1. Grab some shoe boxes or smaller plastic bins. If they aren’t clear take a moment to label them now.
  2. Round up all of your light gear.  This is an area where you can easily build your inventory over time so no need to go out and spend a lot of money. I would recommend ensuring you have a good quality heavy duty flashlight to start. Other items you may be able to find on sale like a camping lantern, emergency candles, headlamps, and glow sticks. Inexpensive flashlights from the dollar store are great to have on hand for the kids.
  3. Check all batteries and replace as needed.
  4. Consider where you would easily be able to access the items in the event of a loss of power. Remember, it may be very dark so consider hazard areas like stairs or deep closets.

Preparing in advance allows us to spend the time with our family and not frantically searching for items. Do you have any fun family memories from a power outage to share?

Previous articleBabywearing 101: A Crash Course in How to Wear that Baby!
Next articleThe Struggle Is Real: Christmas Detox
alishasmith
I am a relatively new resident of Ohio but falling pretty hard for Dayton. My hubster and I have been married for 7 years and I often say that I not only married him but also the sport of swimming. My hubby is a head swim coach here in the community. Following his passion over the last 7 years has provided us with great experiences and the opportunity to work with some truly wonderful families. Oh, and a few moves along the way. Recently, with this move I have transitioned from a career in higher education as an Assistant Director of Residential Life where I flexed my Master’s in Student Affairs saving the world one roommate crises at a time to a SAHM! Living on campus with hundreds of college students is not for everyone but the unique experience of college freshmen cheering your son on as he learned to walk down the res hall floor is priceless. Now the fire alarms are a whole other story! Navigating my new job as a SAHM has not been easy but I am learning as I go. We welcomed our 2nd child last fall so I look forward to sharing the joys and tribulations of balancing a growing family, swim meets, and throwing in a little college advice here and there.