Friendly reminder….

Hurricane Season 2026 is less than 90 days away.

Hurricane Season officially kicks off on June 1st. It is mid March which means we have less than 90 days if we want to be prepared before it begins.

Why be prepared early? My biggest whybis peace of mind. I’m a mom of 5…which means 5 children are depending on me to be ready to care for them no matter what the circumstances are.  I don’t want to be in a long line before a storm hoping to get what we need.

Being prepared early means a few things.

You have time. When you are prepared ahead of time you have the gift of time to plan,  prepare slowly and mindfully, shop sales and you avoid crowds of people all trying to get basic essentials before a storm hits.

It gives you peace of mind.  Knowing you and your home will be ready for what comes your way gives you a sense of peace. You also can help your friends and loved ones get themselves prepared.

It also gives you resources during other times of uncertainty.  The world feels very uncertain right now.  A little prepadness can go along way.

What do you need to be prepared?

There are some great websites that gives advice.

NOAA is great

https://www.noaa.gov/hurricane-prep

Your local government also can be a great resource and give more localized information.

This information I’m about to share is how I am personally getting ready and what I’m thinking about.  Please be sure to check with official guidelines and consider your own families unique needs. This is what I’m thinking about for inside my home.  I’ll cover things for outside in another post.

Water is incredibly important.  As I build my stash water is one of the first items I’m stocking. If needed you could go some time without food but not water. You need 1 to 2 gallons per day per person. Don’t forget your pets they need water too. Also think if anyone would end up staying with you say older family members for example.  You’ll need to include everyone who would be with you in your count.

You can get gallons but I stash a mix of gallon jugs and small bottles because those are easier for my children and you don’t need to wash a cup if water is already a problem.

A 24 case of 16.9oz bottles is a little over 3 gallons of water.

A 36 case of 16.9oz bottles is over 4 and a half gallons of water.

A 40 count case of 16.9oz water is a little over 5 gallons of water.

To make sure I have enough and to simplify math I round down to the lower amount. So instead of 3.17 gallons for example I would count as 3 gallons.

Important water is not only for drinking.  It is possible you’ll need water to flush your toliet.

I personally do not fill my bathtub as the mother of small children..   I worry about safety so we have containers if needed.

As far as food I have heard time and time again to store what you eat currently…. as well as to eat what you store but that part is a conversation for later.  Store what you will eat.  Yes if you got hungry enough in theory you would eat whatever was available but let’s be honest… wouldnt it be better under an already stressful situation to have what you like to eat not random food?

If you start preparing early you can make note of what items you like. Pay attention to what your family eats over the course of a week or two.  Also try some canned food items. See what you like and don’t like.  Experiment with it while it’s not an emergency.

Canned proteins,  some canned fruit ( gives extra hydration too fyi) and vegetables and some easy to prep if not already prepped grains and you have a meal.

Two other things to consider are condiments and can openers. Canned chicken can become a yummy chicken salad with a little mayo and relish.

Not required but I think you should also keep some special storm snacks.  Regardless of if the power goes out or not storms are stressful. Having some of your favorite snacks can be important for morale. Don’t under estimate the power of snacks especially for kids.  If they are stressed having a mix of snacks can do a lot of good for their mental well being as well as nutrition if you include snacks with things like protein , food fats,  produce etc.

Don’t forget your pets food.

Paper plates too!

What else do you need to think about?

Medical needs.  Over the counter,  prescription.  If you have refrigerated medicine consider how you will keep cold if the power goes out.  You’ll want a fully stacked first aid kit.  I like having wound closures as well as regular bandages.  Knowing some first aid goes a long way too. If you have woman in the house of child bearing age please have feminine products in your house. Baby wipes are great for everyone ( never flush). Extra diapers and formula for babies.

Think about how you could clean up and sanitize if needed if your water or power were effected.

You’ll want to think about things like how will you see if you have no power at night.  Flashlights and candles ( maybe battery operated if you have young kids or a pet that could knock over a candle). Batteries for your flashlights. Charging banks can be so helpful. An emergency radio.

Other safety things like a fire extinguisher,  make sure your detectors like smoke and carbon monoxide are working.

A stocked toolkit.

Comforts and warmth like blankets are important.

A fun bin.  This isn’t required but I think very helpful.  Coloring books, games,  things to read.  This can boost morale and help make a hard situation more bareable.

Not something you can buy and stock up on but please learn your evacuation routes before you need them.

Again as I mentioned earlier this is what I’m thinking about for my family and my circumstances.  I’m not a storm expert nor can I cover everyone’s individual needs.  Please check your local needs as well as your own families unique needs. 

I am not an expert but I am a mom who cares deeply about protecting her little ones through actively preparing for what can come.  I cannot control what the hurricane season will bring but I can make sure I am as prepared as I can be.

Starting now reduces the stress and burden on you.

Stay safe