Many emergency manuals suggest that we keep a pair of shoes and a flashlight under our bed in case of fire, earthquake, or other night-time emergencies.

This morning I had to scramble to find a lost shoe of one of my children! How do shoes get lost anyway? My shoes are almost always together unless the kids have decided to use them for some form of entertainment!

In our home we have a goal to keep a pair of shoes under each of our beds. We even put a pair of clean socks in them so they’re ready to go for the next day (apparently we skipped our routine last night).  So I am recommending the same advice as other preparedness sites do:  make sure there is a pair of shoes under the bed of each family member every night. Laces should be untied so it will be easy to put them on. It would also be wise to have a flashlight by each bed as well.  My kids are not capable of leaving a flashlight alone – it is too much of a temptation to disassemble or take the batteries out. Instead, I put a few of these Red Cross Black Out Buddies around our home.  They can act as a night-light or be unplugged and used as a flashlight.  They automatically turn on when it gets dark or when the power goes out. They are perfect for lighting hallways and rooms.

Imagine how nice it would be to always know where your kids’ shoes are in the nighttime and in the morning.  Never have to scramble again to find them. Also, think about lighting at night if the power were to go out.

Red Cross Blackout Buddy

What are some of your night-time routines and how do you manage to keep your shoes together?