How many of us have kids that went camping? It may have been in the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, 4-H, or maybe just family camping. Anyhow, now that the kids are grown up, someplace in your garage, attic, basement, etc, there are probably one or more old sleeping bags lying around. Don’t get rid of them. They could save your life.

If any storm, terrorist act or just plain malfunction leaves your house without electricity for any extended amount of time you will most likely also lose your heat. If you heat with electricity you have no heat. Even if you heat with oil, natural gas or propane gas, it still takes electricity to run a furnace and circulate the heat throughout your home. Now, here’s where those old sleeping bags come into play. Without heat you might have to pile five or six blankets on your bed at night. To some of us that’s pretty heavy. But, those old sleeping bags are well insulated and one sleeping bag will do the work of a half dozen blankets.

Save those old sleeping bags by cleaning them first and them put them in a plastic garbage bag. Seal the bag with tape and store them in a dry place. Remember to make that “dry place” somewhere that will be easy to find in the dark. Remember, you have no lights when your electricity goes off. Usually a sleeping bag is more comfortable to snuggle in while passing the time reading or playing cards waiting for the power to come back on and will be warmer than a “Snuggie” or two or three coats.