I'm sure that sounds like a loaded question, but I can narrow it down a bit--to two specific things.
Where are some good places to store flashlights and batteries that your kids won't have access to? I prefer to store them together. Those battery organizers aren't really practical for us because we seem to always have more of different sizes than they have spaces to keep. I forgot to mention earlier that my kids are teenagers, so they can reach high up places, too. One kid is particularly curious as to what's in most everything. So, short of a lock and key, the more clever, the better.
I understand keeping these things from little hands of toddlers but teens??
Geesh. Teens should know and have access to a flashlight and be able to change batteries in things as needed.
Strange to me to lock things up from teens. Haven't they learned protocol in the house?
I keep various sizes of batteries in an ice cream bucket in a kitchen cabinet. I keep the batteries in the original packaging until I need them. You don't want them touching each other. I keep a couple flashlights and battery operated lantern there too. There are batteries in the flashlights as well so they are ready to grab. I also keep a large flashlight in the basement laundry room, and a pocket sized one at my desk.
As for keeping things away from kids, we used to have cabinet locks when they were little.
If your concern is older kids walking off with your flashlights, consider giving them each their own as a gift. My kids have pocket sized LED flashlights.
Added: I saw your addition. I don't understand why you need to hide batteries from teenagers.
When my mom had something to keep secret, like presents she hadn't wrapped yet, she kept it in her bedroom which had a locking door.
Why do you need to keep them away from teenagers???
Anyways,.......maybe somewhere in your room? Under your bed, in your closet? Sometimes those shoe holders that hang on the back of a door are very useful to hold items like this. My kids don't go into my room without permission, so that's my suggestion.
organization isn't the problem here. it's having teenagers who need to have things locked away from them like they're toddlers.
my teenagers had their own flashlights, and everyone in the house knew where the batteries were stored, and what to do with dead batteries.
hiding batteries and flashlights from 'curious' teenagers does not compute.
khairete
S.
I keep mine in a small bin on a high shelf in a cupboard. It's not super-organized, but the batteries are in their original packaging and the flashlights are in there with them so they are easy to find if I need them during a power outage.
I have never heard of a battery organizer - interesting! must look it up.
We have a small plastic tub with all our batteries in it (in their original packaging to keep them separate). This and a couple of flashlights are under our kitchen sink. When kids were small, child proof lock was on that cupboard.
We also have flashlights in garage, basement, linen closet upstairs, etc. high up in cupboards out of reach of children - in case of emergency. So one on each floor.
we have a small tool box on top the fridge, there is batteries in packaging there, these is a drawer in the desk, it locks the loos batteries are organized in there (with the charger for the re-chargeables too flashlights can be found in many places.. kitchen window, top of the fridge, next to every ones bedside, and several in the basement. i don't want anyone to be in the dark should the power go out (and we live in the country so when powers out its pitch black unless the moon is out) and we have a solid black dog... good luck not tripping on him in the dark!
The battery organizer IS imperative, to me. You need to keep the batteries from touching each other end-to-end.
Why do your kids "play" with the flashlights? They need to have access in case of an emergency - power outage, right? They need to know they are TOOLS not toys.
Pick a drawer or location that works for you and your husband. Ensure your batteries are kept separate and stored in a cool, dry place. Flashlights can be in a drawer...if they are for LONG TERM storage? Remove the batteries so they don't corrode.
Hope this helps!
When my kids were little I kept dangerous items (cleaners, basic tools, etc.) in the cabinet over the fridge. If you don't have a cabinet you could just store items in a basket on top of the fridge.
Not sure how this question is "loaded"?
For little kids batteries are something you need to keep out of their reach.
Swallowing them would be bad.
An up high place would be best - so an upper shelf in a closet or bookshelf or cupboard would be good.
When our son was little he always had his own flashlight - but for kids they have the battery access panel that won't open without a screwdriver.
We have a small cardboard box that we keep all our batteries in.
I keep one of those battery organizers (which I know you don't like, but hear me out!) at the top of the basement stairs, attached to the wall. I like that there's a tester built in. The other big thing is to use rechargeable batteries! Then you never run out! They are a little more expensive, but honestly, I got tired of all the regular batteries running down, and they are such an environmental disaster even if you recycle them (which I do). It's a huge expense over time to use one-time batteries.
I charge them 4 at a time, and put them in the organizer while I charge another set. I always keep a few charged in different sizes (AAA for the TV remotes, AA for the remaining remotes and the old calculator my husband still uses, larger ones for the flashlights). I keep a flashlight or a mini-lantern on each floor. Upstairs, it's in the hall linen closet where I have a wire rack hung on the inside of the door for all the little things that don't belong on the main shelvesshelves - bandaids, ice pack holders, ace bandages, and a few emergency candles (because, you know, sometimes the batteries run out of charge during a power outage). I either hang a flashlight on the rack if I have a loop of some sort, or I use a Command hook inside the door and up high. So that way, all the "emergency" stuff that you don't use all the time is not in the bathroom medicine cabinet or under-sink cabinets, but it's centralized.
I keep old jelly jars or votives and put tea light candles in them - the glass keeps them from blowing out and keeps the flame contained. We live at the end of a power line that leads to a dead end. Anytime there's an outage, we're the last ones to get power back.
So, with a small supply upstairs in the main hall linen closet, a bigger stash and tester with the battery organizer at the basement door, and a good flashlight by the door to the garage, there's something to grab no matter when the power outage hits. Nobody goes up and down stairs in the dark.
They're old enough to understand what no means. If this was my house they'd get grounded and they'd have to replace the items they stole and wasted.
I'd also consider buying them their own flashlights so they'd leave mine alone.
