Blackout-Proofing Your Home: The Complete Checklist

You don’t have to be a prepper to be well prepared. A blackout-proof home means you can manage for 72 hours — ideally 10 days — without external supplies. No electricity, no running water, no supermarket.

This checklist goes through, room by room and area by area, what you can do today to prepare your home.

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Pillar / Area	Critical challenge	Key Action	Wolf’s unvarnished verdict
1. Lighting	No backup lighting — candles placed incorrectly pose a fire hazard.	Headlamps (hands-free!), LED lanterns, candles only in safe holders.	“During a blackout, it gets darker than you’ve ever experienced. Plan your lighting zones in advance.”
2. Heat & insulation	Heat loss in poorly insulated homes becomes critical after just a few hours.	Seal doors, keep woollen blankets, sleeping bags and thermal protective sheets to hand.	“A well-prepared home retains heat for 24–48 hours. If unprepared, it cools down in 6 hours.”
3. Safety & Communication	In the dark, the risk of accidents and disorientation increases.	Hand-crank radio, agree meeting points with family, build a network of neighbours.	“If you don’t have a plan during a blackout, you’ll make bad decisions. Plan ahead.”

Area 1: Water ✅

Water is the most critical resource. Without electricity, pumps stop working — there is no longer any water pressure, especially on higher floors.

What you need:

• ☐ At least 2 litres of drinking water per person per day, stored for 10 days
• ☐ Water canisters (10–20 litres, food-safe) as a supplementary supply
• ☐ Water filter as a backup for when the supply runs out
• ☐ A tub or large pots for quick filling when a power cut begins

👉 Water filter test: Which is the best for an emergency? →

👉 Water supply during a blackout: Everything you need to know →

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Section 2: Food ✅

What you need:

• ☐ Supplies for at least 72 hours per person (target: 10 days)
• ☐ Food that keeps without refrigeration (tinned food, dried goods)
• ☐ Food that can also be eaten cold (in case there is no heat source)
• ☐ Can opener (manual!) — an electric one won’t help here
• ☐ Check best-before dates — once a year

👉 Emergency food supplies: The complete list →

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Section 3: Light ✅

Without electricity, it’s pitch black after sunset. That sounds trivial — but in everyday life it can quickly become dangerous (falls, accidents).

What you need:

• ☐ At least 2 torches with spare batteries (or rechargeable)
• ☐ Head torch — leaves your hands free for other tasks
• ☐ Candles (10-day supply) + candle holders + lighters
• ☐ Chemical glow sticks as an emergency backup
• ☐ Solar garden lights that can be charged during the day

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Area 4: Cooking and heating ✅

Modern gas heaters and electric cookers do not work without electricity.

What you need:

• ☐ Camping stove / gas hob with a supply of gas cartridges (at least 5–10 cartridges)
• ☐ Alternatively: paraffin heater or other non-electric heater
• ☐ Pots and pans that fit on the camping stove
• ☐ Lighter / matches (store in a waterproof container)

👉 The best gas cookers for power cuts, reviewed →

👉 Cooking without electricity: An overview of all options →

👉 Cooking during a power cut: How to do it →

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Section 5: Electricity and energy ✅

What you need:

• ☐ Power bank (20,000 mAh+) — always fully charged
• ☐ Car charging cable if you have a car
• ☐ Spare batteries (AA, AAA) for all household appliances
• ☐ Optional: Balcony power plant / solar panel as a long-term power source

👉 Balcony power plant review: Generating electricity off the grid →

👉 Power during a blackout: How to keep yourself supplied →

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Section 6: Communication and Information ✅

During a power cut, it is important to receive information from the authorities — and to stay in touch with your family.

What you need:

• ☐ Hand-crank radio — receives emergency broadcasts without electricity or the internet
• ☐ Keep your mobile phone fully charged at all times (power bank as a backup)
• ☐ Important phone numbers printed out — not just saved on your mobile
• ☐ Agree a meeting point with your family in case mobile phones fail

👉 The best hand-crank radio for a power cut, reviewed →

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Section 7: Health and First Aid ✅

What you need:

• ☐ Complete first-aid kit
• ☐ Stock of medicines — regular medication for at least 4 weeks
• ☐ Painkillers, fever reducers, anti-diarrhoea medication (OTC)
• ☐ Disinfectant, dressings, tweezers
• ☐ Refresh your first aid skills (take a course)

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Section 8: Cash and documents ✅

Debit and credit cards won’t work without electricity.

What you need:

• ☐ At least €200–300 in cash in small notes (€5, €10, €20) at home
• ☐ Important documents copied and stored in a waterproof place: ID card, passport, insurance cards, vaccination certificate
• ☐ USB stick with digital copies of your most important documents

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The complete blackout checklist at a glance

Would you like to have all these points in a clear, printable checklist?

👉 Blackout checklist: How to be fully prepared →

Or get our free instant checklist as a PDF:
👉 Download free PDF checklist →

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Conclusion: 3 steps to a blackout-proof home

1. This week: Stock up on water + buy a torch + buy candles
2. This month: Build up a food supply + buy a gas hob + power bank
3. Long term: Hand-crank radio + full first-aid kit + emergency rucksack

For the complete emergency rucksack with everything you need at your fingertips:
👉 The best emergency rucksacks reviewed — for singles, couples and families →