When winter strips your home of power, your first defense is to think smaller and closer. Shrink your living area to a single room, closing doors and sealing gaps with towels or spare clothes. Cover windows with blankets to trap warmth, and choose an upstairs space if possible, where rising heat naturally lingers. Inside that improvised refuge, your body becomes a vital heat source, so treat it like one. Layer clothing, cover your head and feet, and share blankets or sleeping bags to pool body heat instead of losing it to cold air.

Night brings the hardest test. Prepare a nest with insulation above and below you, and if you have them, use warm water bottles near your core instead of risky makeshift heaters. Avoid ovens, grills, or any open flame indoors—carbon monoxide and fire can turn survival into tragedy. Stay calm, sip warm fluids if you can, move gently to keep blood flowing, and check on others. With focus, caution, and cooperation, a powerless winter home can remain not just endurable, but truly safe.