Power Outage Must-Haves

After a long hiatus from blogging, many things have changed for us lately. A quick life update, we moved to the mountains, I am back to being a stay-at-home mom, and we are now a homeschooling family. I remember starting this blog when my eldest was just a baby. She is now a freshman in high school and our youngest is now in 7th grade. A lot has changed but one thing I am excited to share is our life here in the mountains. Definitely a challenge at times but being close to nature is worth it.

Speaking of challenges, we have experienced snow, wildfires, evacuations, and some power outages since moving up here in Forest Falls, CA. I have learned along the way and still learning. Recently, California has experienced the biggest and most expensive wildfire (as far as I know). Several wildfires occurred last week, the strong wind event (Santa Ana winds) plus the dry conditions have been awful. I am grateful that we were not evacuated and have only lost power for several days. The widespread outage was eye-opening for a lot of people. I have been grateful that we were prepared for the extended power outage.

I have always been a prepping and planning kind of mom/wife. We do not have a huge amount of budget to prep for emergency supplies but over the years I have learned to be a casual prepper. Not a doomsday one, but a sensible prepper.

I will be sharing a few of the things that have made a difference and have helped us during the extended PSPS (Power Safety Power Shutoffs). Don't forget to print the checklist. It is free! You can save it on your phone so you can shop as you go.

This list can either be a MUST-HAVE or NICE-TO-HAVE. It will truly depend on your budget, needs, and how self-reliant you have to be.

1. Generators

We have a generator that we purchased a couple years back from Facebook Marketplace. It was affordable but on our first power outage, we noticed that it was leaking gas. Yes, we did inspect it before buying it. However, we didn't inspect it long enough. After long hours of using it, the generator will leak oil. So my first advice is to be careful when you buy it second hand. We have repaired it and had been so useful.

You also need to shop around and compare prices. Do your research. There are different types of generators: inverter, whole-house, and portable. Generally, you need to know power output capabilities, what type of fuel to use or fuel sources, and the wattages needed for the type you intend to power. For us, powering the fridge, charging our devices, and maybe being able to use a couple of stand lamps are a necessity. We do not use our generator to power the whole house.

Here's a good guide for buying a generator: Generator Buying Guide.

2. Portable Charging Station

If purchasing a generator is quite expensive, you can look into purchasing a portable charging station instead. Amazon has a wide range of selections. I love watching videos of off-grid lifestyles on YouTube to see what portable charging stations they recommend and use. Jackery is a good brand.

3. Camping Stove and Propane/Butane

This has been a lifesaver for us, budget-wise. We do not have to eat out every single day. We can make simple meals because we have a camping stove. If you do not have a water heater during a power outage, you can boil water for a quick shower. You can also do your research as there are several choices for camping stove. We use a two-burner camping stove and a portable propane. There are also camping stoves that use butane. You can also use a single-burner camping stove.

4. French Press or a Percolator

I should probably put this on my number one. Having been able to make coffee during a power outage is such a blessing. I do not own any fancy coffee maker though I do dream of owning an espresso machine. The camping stove and my French press comes in handy together. I can heat water and just make a good coffee. A [ercolator and camping stove is also an excellent idea. If you wonder how I keep my French press warm, we have a wood-burning fireplace. Since I own a metal French press, I keep it warm on top of my fireplace.

I always have a small pot of water and my French Press on top of my fireplace during an outage esp during winter season.

5. Emergency Long Hour Candles

Sometimes, Dollar Tree would carry a 5-hour emergency candle. Though it's not quite a 5 hour one, it is still a good quality. Just be very careful with candles in general. Amazon do carry a 36-hour candle. Make sure to put lighters or matches on your list too.

6. Lanterns and Flashlights-Battery operated, Rechargeable or Solar Powered

We like to have several options as far as flashlights or lanterns are concerned. Relying solely on battery-operated lanterns and flashlights can be expensive.

7. Power Banks

This is handy for emergency power for your cell phones. We have at least 3, both rechargeable and solar-powered.

8. Extra Batteries

Amazon also has a good deal on big packs of batteries. We always stock up on double A and triple A for our lanterns and flashlights

9. Outage Meal Plan

Simple meals are a must-have during extended periods of a power outage. Read this blog post: Power Outage Emergency Meals and grab your free printable.

10. Disposable Plates and cutlery

Having disposable plates and cutlery is also a lifesaver so we do not have to worry about the dishes.

11. Stored Water and Drinking water

You might be wondering why do we need to have stored water? It is indeed for emergency when you suddenly have no water. You just can not trust the grid sometimes. Keep a 5-gallon container (or a few of them) that you can use for either washing your dishes or hands.

Drinking water is also an important one. You must consider how much water you will need for each family member. Here is a good article on how much water do you need.

12. Cooler

If you live in an area that snows and you get snowed in, have a separate cooler that you can store outside your home to keep it cold and use as a secondary food storage.

13. Frozen water Bottles (prepped ahead of time)

Freeze several water bottles if you have extra space in your freezer or have a separate freezer, When we lost power for several days, the frozen water bottles inside the freezer and inside the fridge that I had spread kept my food from being spoiled.

14. Shelf Stable Pantry Stocks

This goes hand in hand with your outage meal plan. Have a shelf-stable pantry stock so you can make easy meals or snacks.

15. NOAA Radio

A hand crank radio is very important as well. It should actually be a part of your emergency preparedness list. There will come a time when cellphone towers may not work even your tv may not work. Being able to stay updated in case of emergency will likely save your family from danger.

GRAB YOUR FREE PRINTABLE HERE: