How to Prepare Your Home for Power Outages—Without Sacrificing Style or Safety

Preparation is essential for any successful endeavor. From vacations to home improvements and emergency preparedness, all require thoughtful consideration, strategies, and flexibility, especially when things go awry. When you envision preparing your home for emergencies, the image of a safe room may come to mind. 

However, you don’t have to swing to the extreme side of preparation. Homeowners have many options that blend seamlessly into personalized decor to provide peace of mind and safety in an emergency. Explore several ways to boost your home’s emergency preparedness in every room, without sacrificing a thing.

1. Blend Form, Function, and Fashion into Your Lighting Package

Lighting options have come a long way to offer style and flexibility. Rechargeable LED lamps are a popular option for both beauty and safety. These lamps easily illuminate areas otherwise without accessible power or where cords would be unsightly. Choose small table lamps as attractive options for your mantle. These add beauty and layered light and are within reach in the event of a power outage. 

Similarly, kitchens can up their cozy factor with cocktail table lights, which also help when you’re without power. Wall-mounted lights with rechargeable LED pucks give you affordable options for design and hold their charge well. Stash remotes for rechargeable lighting nearby, using a decorative bowl or box as their landing pad. Incorporate regular battery checks and recharging part of your cleaning and maintenance routine to ensure your lights are fully charged.

Not all lighting options need to be part of your design – they can instead be stored strategically.

Flameless LED candles with timers are popular during the holidays and provide handheld lighting in an outage. LED headlamps may be your go-to for camping trips, but they’re of little use during an outage in your garage. Keep extra LED headlamps with your safety flashlights to secure hands-free illumination for the whole family.

2. Maintain Power Discretely in Every Room

The disruptive nature of a power outage should be common sense. However, the moment your power is out, the world goes both dark and quiet. The consistent hum of equipment, lights, and appliances creates the heartbeat of your home. Without power, you kick off a timer for how long you can shelter in place and consume perishables. That’s why it’s important to establish backup power and power banks throughout your home. 

Shop for furniture with convenient USB chargers, as well as power bank functionality. In this scenario, you can confidently charge your phone using stored energy from your couch. Instead of draining other power pucks, establish a dedicated source for critical communications charging. 

Outdoor generators can be massive, but they don’t need to be massively disruptive to your landscaping. Conceal outdoor generators in vent boxes or with decorative fencing that matches your home’s exterior. Ensure your generator maintains easy access to airflow and has the appropriate distance from your home and enclosure. Maintain easy access on each side, ensuring proper accessibility for maintenance and cleaning without removing your thoughtfully selected enclosure.

3. Disguise Emergency Equipment in Plain Sight

Emergency preparedness isn’t a secret, but it shouldn’t be the most obvious thing about your home to a first-time visitor. Use decorative baskets or dedicated cabinetry for emergency items like flashlights, batteries, chargers, and first aid kits in labeled containers. Maintain the integrity of these spaces by restricting their use to only emergency items. The last thing you want to do in a power outage is fumble through Tupperware to get to your flashlights. 

Walk through your home to consider the best places to store key safety items. Entryways you use regularly, common areas, and bedrooms will often top this list. Built-in benches provide convenient storage for safety items and seating for daily use. 

Blackout curtains can add attractive weight to your window treatments and improve sleep quality. In an emergency, they shield your home from the hot sun, extending the comfort level of your home without air-conditioning. By providing insulation to your windows, blackout curtains offer function and beauty. 

Upgrade to sleek and modern smoke and carbon monoxide detectors that blend into decor and offer cutting-edge technology. Some units communicate with your alarm system and can send updates to your phone and emergency responders, even without power.

Enjoy the Function of a Tricked-Out Safe Room Without the Appearance of a Bunker

Oftentimes, the best features of a home lie hidden in plain sight. When you integrate safety features into your design, decor, and structure, safety stays within reach. Plus, when items pull double duty, like those stunning blackout curtains, it makes for a wise investment. Get creative with your safety updates and search beyond the hardware store. Take to decor sites for inspiration on how to disguise safety features without hindering their function. 

Read all instructions and requirements to ensure your designs don’t impact effectiveness. For example, equipment with sensors will require uninterrupted airspace around their perimeter. This allows airflow to reach the sensors and the sensors to respond accordingly. However, other items will easily stow away in a storage ottoman or hidden panel for quick and convenient access. When you design with safety in mind, you can rest easy knowing you’re ready for whatever comes your way.