Lighting solutions for a room with only one outlet?

Question

Two large rooms in the house have only one outlet each, and the landlord is not the helping out type.

How can I put more lights in this huge room? Are there good quality battery lights out there? Isn't it unsafe to run extension cords all over the place?

If I have a power strip, is it still unsafe to plug in a bunch of extension cords?

Answer 1

If you have an overhead light fixture you can buy a handy gadget that you s***w into it to have an additional outlet.  It is not safe to have extension cords but a grounded power strip will be safer. Don't have cords under rugs or on the floor to trip on.

Answer 2

That sounds like my old place, I dont know if its safe but thats what I had to do and the manager saw it so but granted it wasnt his house either. I did the power strip thing and the extension cord thing too.

Answer 3

Well you can run power boards, just make sure they have surge protectors. LED's take very little power to run so maybe you could look into low power lighting so you can have more lights, but enough lighting for each room? Flourescents are also very low in power but as they are ugly, you can get them with the plastic covers (smooth type covers) and then use coloured contact adhesive over the covers, cut out a design and mount it vertically or horizontally on a wall, so it is more like art lighting than horrid flourescents.

Good Luck with it.

Answer 4

Consider a lamp with multiple heads like:

http://www.lampsplus.com/Products/Floor-...

There are many varieties and this is something you can take with you and keep the room looking tidy. This should give you ample light within the room The fixture that is at the top will reflect light off the ceiling and the others can be focused where needed. You will be surprised how much light these offer!

Here are more!

http://www.lampsplus.com/Products/Floor-...

Found a great budget lamp too: http://www.lampsplus.com/Products/Floor-...

look at your local stores for something in this style as well. Michele

Answer 5

I use a power bar to solve the very same problem , I never had any problems , and you never use all of the things that are plugged in all at ones, so it is safe.

Answer 6

I happen to have two outlets only and have power strips in each.  A few extensions too.  So far, so good.