A Tent in the Room and a Bottle of Boiling Water: Unconventional Ukrainian Life Hacks for Getting Through Winter Blackouts

As the 2026 heating season approaches, the topic of housing resilience against prolonged power and heat outages is once again taking center stage. On the social network Threads, Ukrainians who have already weathered previous waves of blackouts have begun sharing practical experience: what actually helped them survive the cold in their apartments and what turned out to be useless. The Styler editorial team (RBC-Ukraine) has compiled the most unconventional solutions that, according to users, actually work and are worth considering in advance while there is still time to prepare before winter.

A Rubber Hot Water Bottle and a Tent: Local Heat Instead of Heating the Whole Apartment

One of the most unexpected tips that emerged in the discussions concerns an ordinary pharmacy rubber hot water bottle. A user who survived the cold in her apartment noted that the hot water bottle "unexpectedly swooped in" on her daily life: you can't sleep on it, but it can be used to warm the bed before going to sleep or tucked into training pants while sitting at home. The logic here is simple — instead of trying to heat the entire volume of the room, the heat is directed to a specific point of contact with the body. Another user confirmed the effectiveness of a camping tent set up right in the room: "A tent for sleeping, the 'inspiring' one — it's all true." The point is that warming a small enclosed space with your own body heat is significantly easier than heating the entire apartment, so for sleeping in severe frosts a tent may turn out to be more practical than heating the whole room.

Windows, Blankets, and a Five-Liter "Hot Water Bottle" for Water

Another method proven by folk experience is covering windows with thick blankets. As one participant in the discussion writes, "the windows covered with blankets worked amazingly. It's dark, but considerably warmer." A dense textile barrier reduces heat loss through the glass, which is especially important at night when the outdoor temperature drops. A separate trick is mentioned involving a large container of hot water: a five-liter bottle is filled with boiling water and placed under the blanket as an additional hot water bottle. Here it is critically important to use only a container designed for hot water, to seal it securely, and to avoid direct contact of the skin with the surface in order to prevent burns.

Official DSNS Recommendations and the Red Line of Safety

In addition to folk methods, the State Service of Ukraine for Emergency Situations (DSNS) provides systematic recommendations for preparing for winter. First and foremost, the agency advises stocking up in advance on drinking and utility water, long-shelf-life food, warm clothing, and flashlights, and to work out a way to retain heat in the home. Separately, the DSNS warns about prohibitions: in apartment buildings, it is not allowed to use stoves (burzhuyki), as well as gasoline, gas, or diesel generators. Portable gas appliances are permitted only with certification and strict compliance with safety rules. This direct restriction is important to take into account, since it is precisely homemade and uncertified heat sources that become the cause of most household fires and carbon monoxide poisoning during blackouts.

Contradictory Data

Here it is worth honestly pointing out the discrepancy between "folk practice" and official norms. On the one hand, social network users actively share their experience using gas burners, compact heaters, and generators as an alternative to the electric stove and central heating. On the other hand, the DSNS directly prohibits stoves and uncertified generators in apartment buildings, and requires that gas appliances be used only according to the instructions. In other words, some of the life hacks that "saved" people during previous outages formally violate safety rules and may be dangerous in densely built-up areas. Moreover, the tips about tents and hot water bottles are the subjective personal experience of individual users, not a universal solution: their effectiveness depends on the size of the apartment, the condition of the windows, and individual needs. Therefore, before applying any of the described methods, it is reasonable to check the current DSNS instructions and not to use uncertified equipment in residential apartment buildings.

What to Prepare in Advance: A Checklist for Winter 2026

By combining user experience and official recommendations, a practical list can be compiled. First, energy saving: turn off appliances in standby mode so as not to waste the reserve charge on trivialities and to stay in touch longer. Second, heat: a stock of warm clothing, a sleeping bag, extra blankets, windows covered at night, and, if necessary, a tent or canopy for sleeping. Third, water and food: stocks of drinking and utility water, long-shelf-life food, alternatives to the electric stove, and compact certified kitchen appliances. Fourth, light and communication: flashlights, power banks, charging devices. And the main thing — safety: no stoves or uncertified generators in apartment buildings, only certified gas equipment with strict compliance with the instructions. It is easier and cheaper to prepare for winter 2026, when outages are forecast to be prolonged, than to improvise in the coldest month.