Power Outage Survival Guide: What to Do Before, During, and After
A complete checklist for handling power outages, from the 5-minute prep you can do right now to what to do when the lights go out.
Power outages aren’t dramatic. They’re annoying. And the difference between “minor inconvenience” and “genuinely miserable” comes down to about 30 minutes of prep that most people never do.
Here’s everything you need to know — before, during, and after.
Before: The 30-minute prep
Do these once and you’re covered for every future outage.
Charge things now. Keep a portable battery pack charged at all times. Not for your next camping trip — for the next time the power goes out. A fully charged 20,000mAh pack gives most phones 4-5 full charges.
Know your breaker box. Find it. Label the circuits if they aren’t already. Know how to flip the main breaker. This takes 10 minutes and saves confusion in the dark.
Have a flashlight that’s not your phone. Your phone’s flashlight drains battery fast — and your phone is more valuable as a communication device. Keep a real flashlight with fresh batteries in an easy-to-find spot.
Freeze water bottles. Fill a few plastic bottles 3/4 full and keep them in your freezer. They serve double duty: they keep your freezer cold longer during outages, and they become drinking water as they melt.
Stock the basics. Non-perishable snacks, bottled water, and a manual can opener. Nothing fancy. Just enough to get through 24-48 hours without a working kitchen.
During: What to do when the power goes out
Check if it’s just you. Look outside. If your neighbors have power, check your breaker box — you may have tripped a circuit. If the whole street is dark, it’s a utility outage.
Report the outage. Call your power company or check their outage map. Most utilities have automated phone lines and apps for reporting.
Protect your food. A full freezer stays frozen for about 48 hours if you keep the door shut. A half-full freezer: 24 hours. A fridge stays cold for about 4 hours with the door closed. Don’t open them to “check” — every time you open the door, you lose hours of cold.
Unplug sensitive electronics. Computers, TVs, and gaming consoles can be damaged by power surges when electricity comes back. Unplug them or use a surge protector.
Stay warm (or cool). In winter: layer up, close off unused rooms, hang blankets over windows. In summer: go to the lowest floor (heat rises), drink water, and find shade.
Conserve phone battery. Lower brightness, turn off Bluetooth and WiFi, close background apps. Switch to airplane mode if you don’t need data. Use it for calls and checking outage updates, not scrolling.
After: When power comes back
Wait before plugging everything back in. Power can flicker on and off. Wait 5-10 minutes to make sure it’s stable before reconnecting sensitive electronics.
Check your food. If the outage lasted more than 4 hours, check fridge temperatures. Anything above 40F for more than 2 hours should be tossed — especially meat, dairy, and leftovers. When in doubt, throw it out.
Reset clocks and timers. Check anything on a timer — thermostat, oven, alarm system, sprinklers.
Recharge your backup battery. Do it now while you’re thinking about it. Not “later.” The next outage doesn’t send a calendar invite.
The full checklist
For a complete, checkable power outage prep list — plus 23 other scenarios — check HooReady. Every item is prioritized, and you can track what you’ve already done. Free, works on any device, no sign-up needed.