What you need when you're snowed in: Must-have home blizzard supplies

Technically, Denver has already had a "blizzard" this season. (October snow!) But to me, a blizzard is only a blizzard when you have to get out your home’s emergency blizzard supplies because you’re snowed in and have no power.

Here’s our list of what we purchase and store, just in case we can’t get down from the mountain for two or more days and have to live without electricity:

Canned and other non-perishable food we can eat without heating or that we can easily heat in the wood stove. Suggestions include cereal, granola bars, canned fruit, canned soup and beans, powered milk, nuts, etc. Throw in some chocolate if you want to be a hero. And if you have a baby who’s on formula, don’t forget to store some extra of that, or no one will be happy.

Manual can opener. Because your electric one isn’t going to do you much good when the power is out and using a knife can be a bit dangerous, I've found.

Matches and dry wood and kindling. Use only if you have a wood stove or fireplace, please.

Flashlights and extra batteries, and candles. Necessary only if you want to see your family members at night or if you want to avoid walking into furniture and walls.

Gallons of drinkable water.

Toilet tissue. No explanation needed, I hope.

Old-school NON-CORDLESS phone. This will allow you to have phone capabilities even if the power goes out and your cell phone doesn’t work. Of course, if phone lines go down, too, you're out of luck.

Battery-operated radio. Again, necessary only if you want to know what's going on in the world. Sometimes, I don't want to.

Several-days supply of important medications. For us, this includes children’s ibuprofen and Benadryl, because I do NOT want to experience H1N1 or an allergic reaction without pharmaceuticals.

Important phone numbers, such as who to call to report a power outage and your supervisor’s cell phone number. Maybe add your mother to the list if she worries like mine.

Plenty of extra blankets and quilts. Unless you prefer shivering. Your call.

Instant coffee. I once went four days without caffeine because of a blizzard. It wasn’t pretty.

12-pack of Dr Pepper. Oh wait, that’s just me.

Board games to keep family members from going crazy from boredom without Wii.

Just about anything that you think makes winter camping fun. Because it’s a similar experience.

And remember my last all-important tip: You can’t break into the blizzard supplies at the first sign of a snowflake, just because you really want to eat that can of spaghetti-Os you remember being so yummy when you were 5 years old.

Did I miss something on my list? Add to it by leaving a comment below, please. Thanks for reading!