Hurricane Preparation
Prepared early, calm later.
What to do before the season, what to do when a storm is named, and what to do in the final 48 hours — including the furniture and documents most people forget.
Why this matters: Preparation is cheap and calm in May. The same work is expensive and stressful in a warning cone.
6 steps · About 4 hours before the season
- Step 130 minutes
Get your documents and contacts in order
Insurance, policy numbers, medical info, and utility contacts.
Do this: Complete and print the emergency contact sheet.
These are the hardest things to gather under pressure.
- Step 21 hour
Document what you own
Photos and details of significant items, room by room.
Do this: Add or update items in My Home.
An inventory made before a storm is what makes a claim straightforward after one.
- Step 3
Build the supply kit early
Water, batteries, medications, fuel, and cash.
Do this: Stock the kit at the start of the season.
Shelves empty within hours of a named storm.
- Step 4
Prepare the exterior
Shutters, trees, gutters, and everything that can become a projectile.
Do this: Walk the property and make a list.
Most wind damage comes from unsecured objects, not the wind itself.
- Step 5
Protect interior furnishings
Move pieces away from windows, elevate what you can, cover the rest.
Do this: Plan which pieces move and where.
Water enters at windows and floors first, and furniture is what it reaches.
- Step 6Optional
Know your final 48 hours
Fuel, charge, freeze water, and decide about evacuation early.
Do this: Write your final-48 list now.
Decisions made early are better than decisions made in traffic.
Maria's tips
- Photograph every room before the season starts — timestamped photos help with claims.
- Keep a paper copy of insurance details; power and cell service both fail.
Common mistakes
- Waiting for a named storm to buy supplies.
- Leaving patio furniture out 'just in case it passes'.