There's nothing like a power outage to make us realize just how "wired" (or, these days, wireless) we are in life.

As Jersey prepares for this winter storm, there's a chance those cell phones, gaming devices, music players and tablets will need to get by on a last charge for a while.

Here's a few of our favorite low-tech ways to get through:

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Games are a low-tech crowd pleaser (chee Seng choi, ThinkStock)
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Round up the games.  "Spot It!" is as low tech as they come, yet it's a newer hit with lots of versions. Break out the old favorites (like Jenga or Candyland), or some recent holiday gifts that haven't see much play time.  If you don't need to keep it PG-rated, "Cards Against Humanity" remains huge. Or, grab a deck of cards and get a refresher on Go Fish, Crazy Eights or another classic.


 

Or go "boardless." "Heads Up" is a popular game app, made super-huge by Ellen DeGeneres.  Players take turns giving clues as to what's held above the guesser's head.

There's no reason you can't make it work without the actual app. Go old-school and write out some answers, then do the guessing without a smartphone to flip.  If you want a game that require zero materials, try out "Botticelli" or "Fortunately, Unfortunately."


 

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Blanket forts are a timeless way to escape for awhile during a storm (Artfoliophoto,ThinkStock)
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Blanket forts. That is all. Whether with kids or as a grown up with a book and a glass of wine, this is a timeless favorite.  Sitting under a couple of spare sheets, surrounded by pillows can make the dark pretty cozy.


 

Woman organizing photo album
Being"snowed in" without power could mean tackling a delayed project (Jupiterimages, ThinkStock)
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Catch up on photo albums.  No, not your online photo albums. Real photo albums. Gather up those photos you've been meaning to sort. This may be a perfect time to recruit older kids for help, when they're not "plugged in."  If you get caught up reminiscing over memories, all the better.


 

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Seize the day and organize.  This a a great chance to take stock of post-holiday clutter. Whether it be toys or clothes, there's even less distraction to keep you from tackling a spot or two in the home that needs to be thinned out and organized.


 

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Use the downtime of a storm to get crafty (auleena, ThinkStock)
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Get crafty, or at least wordy. Here's a chance to try out some of those Pinterest ideas you loved. For kids, it can be as simple as making early Valentines for relatives.  If you're low on supplies, try writing a letter.  Making someone feel warm and fuzzy could be a silver lining of the 'no power' situation.


 

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Before digging out or de-icing after the storm, "treat yourself!" (bhofack2, ThinkStock)
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Indoor S'mores.  Dust off the fondue pot or stoke the fireplace and roast marshmallows.  Or, just eat the ingredients piecemeal and still enjoy.

Erin Vogt is a lifelong Jersey Girl, whose first reporting gig involved her Fisher Price tape recorder. As a wife and momma of two kiddies, she firmly believes that life’s too short to drink bad coffee.  A fan of the beach, Dave Grohl and karma, in no particular order.

 

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