Hurricane Preparedness #2

Yesterday’s topic was about hurricane preparedness (http://her-home-blog.com/2008/05/hurricane-preparedness-tips-1/ )but more related to everyday preparedness. The list that I described were things that we should do and have ready in the event of any type of emergency. That will be one less thing to worry about if a hurricane is approaching. Today I will cover what you need and how to prepare when a hurricane is approaching. It is advisable to put your hurricane preparedness plan into action now when the supplies are easily available at the store. Each person should go over the list to individualize it to their needs. Here is an example of a hurricane preparedness list.

FOOD
Non-perishable foods (soups, canned food and vegetables, breads and crackers, snacks)
Juice boxes and bottled water

HOME SUPPLIES
Ice chests, water, water jugs
Camping stove; propane; charcoal
Disposable plates, utensils, napkins
Storage bags
Toilet paper, paper towels
Diapers, wipes, formula, bottles, ointments
Prescriptions, copies of prescriptions and over the counter meds
Toothpaste, toothbrush, soap, shampoo, deodorant
Clothing, blankets, pillows, sleeping bags
First aid kit

Bug repellant

Eyeglasses, contact, hearing aids and batteries
Pet supplies, food, litter, pet carrier, medications
Identification
Cash, credit cards
List of phone number of family and friends
Important Documents, insurance policies
Photos, videos, cameras, film, memory cards, batteries
Battery powered radio
Flashlights
Extension cords
Pliers, wrenches, screwdrivers

PREPARING YOUR HOME

Keep trees trimmed at all times in preparation for unpredictable weather.

Probably the most important thing you can do in preparation for a hurricane is protect your windows and doors. It is so vital to put up shutters. Whether they are commercial, store bought or plywood, it is vital to get them on the windows and doors prior to a hurricane.

Also remove anything that is outside and bring it in. Things such are yard decorations, chairs, tables, umbrellas should all be brought in. If you have an outdoor living space, you should pack up and remove everything that you can. Anything left outside becomes a potential projectile.

Make sure you fill up your vehicles with gas prior to the hurricane. It is wise to do this several days in advance since the closer the hurricane gets, the more likely the gas stations will run out of gas. The same goes for cash. Get your necessary cash a few days ahead of time.

So start now and be prepared. The last thing anyone wants or needs is a natural disaster or storm but none of us have control over mother nature. Hurricane preparedness is a responsibility to yourself and your family. Most of the items will last for many years to come. Important – don’t dispose of plywood shutters after the season. Place them in the garage or attic for future years (so many times I’ve seen the plywood from windows at curb for garbage. So much money wasted.) Go ahead and add to this list below in the comment section.

http://www.redcross.org/news/ds/0305hurricane/
http://www.hhs.gov/news/facts/hurricane.html

Smith & Wesson Galaxy 3 LED Flashlight (Red with 3 Red LEDs)

Organize for Disaster: Prepare Your Family and Your Home for Any Natural Or Unnatural Disaster

Bayou Classic SQ14 Single Burner Outdoor Patio Stove

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“Hurricane hazards come in many forms: storm surge, high winds, tornadoes, and flooding. This means it is important for your family to have a plan that includes all of these hazards”

http://www.wunderground.com/blog/Patrap/comment.html?entrynum=116&tstamp=200805

As June 1st approaches we are heading into the official 2008 Hurricane season and the time of year to review our hurricane preparedness. Living in Florida and having been through the numerous storms of 2004, I guess I can officially say that I’ve learned a few important things. Since no one knows what type of season it is going to be, there are things that you should do to prepare now so that you are ready at any time. Hurricane preparedness is not just for hurricanes. These things are simple and should be done in order to be ready for any type of emergency.

Photos and Videos
Take photos of your home, both interior and exterior including photos of valuables. It is also a good idea to take a video of your home from room to room with narrating to point out special things or features. Keep these and all photos or memorabilia in a plastic, waterproof container. These will be needed in case of an insurance claim.

Important Documents
Place all important documents such as insurance papers, titles, deeds, diplomas, bank papers, birth certificates, social security papers, tax papers, auto documents, marriage or divorce papers, etc. all in a plastic, waterproof container. Include important telephone numbers and addresses. Some of these papers can be difficult to replace.

Supplies
Always have available batteries, flashlights, battery operated radio or television, non-perishable food, bottled water, manual can opener, cooler, first aid kit, candles, fire extinguisher. Some of these items can always be kept together in one place for easy access.

Always on a daily basis keep a supply of necessary over the counter and prescription medications in one easily accessible area.

If you have young children, make sure you keep a supply of diapers, baby wipes, baby food and formula. Keep boards games, coloring books, crayons, puzzles in one place for easy access.

If you have pets, make sure to always keep a supply of food and meds.

This is a general list of things that we can do to prepare in advance for any type of emergency. There may be more things that you have to add to this list. More important is strategically placing these items in an area, such as a hall closet, that is easy to get to. If they are all in one place, it will eliminate the need to be searching all over the house for something that is necessary. Since the hurricanes of 2004, we use a closet near our entry way for these items. They are packed in boxes and on the floor. In case of an emergency, everything is right there where we can just grab it and run. Of course I can’t keep everything on this list in the closet (food and meds just won’t do) but I’ve learned to become much more organized and keep these items together (one shelf just for meds) so that with a scoop of the hand, they are all in a bag.

Part of hurricane preparedness is becoming more organized so that you are prepared for all emergencies. Now is a good time to take a look at your plan of action in case something happens. Being always ready for hurricane season or any emergency is something everyone should do and reevaluate every year.

If you prepare for hurricanes or other emergencies, please let us know. Do you have your own plan to follow?

GRAB-and-GO 2 PERSON 3-DAY Emergency Kit

Your Survival: Protect Your Family and Your Home from Hurricanes, Tornadoes, Floods, Wildfires, Earthquakes and other Natural and Man-Made Disasters

Vector Stormtracker Lantern & Radio (VEC1198)

It’s close to the end of May and time to plan your Memorial Day weekend. Memorial Day is a time of remembrance and observance of the brave men who have served (and continue to serve) our country today and throughout the years. It is also a time for gathering. Even though it is not officially summer, it is the start of the summer season. Many people will be planning a gathering for at least one day of the Memorial Day weekend. If you are, make it easy and enjoyable. It will leave you time to reflect on what the day really represents.

Decorating can be simple. Use small American flags, which you can find anywhere, and place them around the back yard. You can also purchase red, white and blue, silk carnation bouquets at just about any discount outlet. Just having these two things around the backyard will make you and your guests remember what this day is all about.

One Dozen (12) Independence Day U.S.A. Flags 4-in x 6-in

Once you know how many guests are coming, you can begin to prepare. Most of the time, a Memorial Day gathering is a barbecue. But depending on the heat, you may not want to be standing around a grill all day. I usually do something simple on the grill, like hamburgers or hot dogs, and have the rest of the food already made and heated. By doing this, I spend less time at the grill and less time in the kitchen.

Patriotic Red White Blue String Light Set – 100 Lights

Most of the time I will make a pork or beef roast in advance. If you have a smoker, you can even do this outside the morning of the gathering. Because it needs to cook a long time, I will do it on a smoker or in a table top oven or slow cooker that I bring outside (to keep the house cool you can read ). Spice the roast the way you like or according to your favorite recipe, place in a pan or cooker with a little water and just let it cook for about three hours. That’s how you will end up with pulled pork or pulled beef. When it is done and cool enough to handle, I just start cutting and pulling apart. This goes a long way and people tend to really like it. I usually put out hamburger rolls for them to make sandwiches. You’d be surprised to see how many people it can feed.

I usually opt to make macaroni salad instead of potato salad since it is quicker and easier to make. It is also another dish that goes a long way. A pound of elbow macaroni can feed a pretty good crowd.

So that’s what is on my menu for Memorial Day with probably a few extras like chips and pickles. I learned the hard way to take the easy route. There are times when I do heavy duty cooking for gatherings, but in the summer as the weather gets hotter, people tend to eat less and this avoids having too many leftovers. And remember to take time out to reflect upon the real meaning of the day.

Memorial Day (Rookie Read-About Holidays)

What are you planning for Memorial Day? Are you having small or large gathering at your home? Tell us what makes it easy for you.

We all have those little things that make us want to cringe. One of those things that just does it to me is when I go through all of this work ironing drapes or curtains only to have them look disheveled up by the rod. So I made a major decision to make wooden cornices for my windows. My parents did it way back when and the windows always looked so nice. So now I did it. Turns out that this is another one of today’s window trends.

Measure your window from side to side and add three inches to each side. Now add an additional five inches for the depth of each side (a total of 10 inches) which will give you the total length of wood that you need for making the cornice.

The length of the cornice from top to bottom is up to you. Usually six to eight inches is sufficient.

The top piece which is the shelf of the cornice will be the same measurement as the front piece in length from side to side. The width (from front to wall) should be 5 inches.
Remember to measure twice, cut once.

Assembling

Do a test run. Put the pieces together to make sure they fit right. It basically will look like a box without a bottom or back attached.

Using wood glue, glue each piece together. Then hammer small wood nails or finishing nails at all joints.

Finishing

At this point, you can paint it the color of your choice or stain it or you can get creative and paint a design on it. I used a decorative stencil, trace the pattern, and then used a dremel tool to carve it out. After doing this, I stained and polyurethaned the entire piece. You can also add a piece of decorative molding to the top or a medallion in the middle.

Another idea is to place a piece of foam on the board and cover it with fabric. You can use fabric that matches your upholstery or drapery.

Hanging

I found that the best way to hang these is on a piece of wood. Measure the cornice again from side to side and subtract 6 inches. Cut a small piece of wood (2 x 2 ) the length that you have measured.. Make sure that your drapery hardware (curtain rods) are already in place so that you leave enough room to work with drapes after the cornice has been installed. Place this piece of wood against the wall at least three inches above the drapery hardware and nail to wall beams. Now place the cornice on top of that and nail or screw into the board making sure that the overhang on each side is even.

You can also use “L” brackets, which can be found at any store, to attach the cornice to the wall.

Embassy 3″ Faux Wood Crown Valance up to 24 x 36

There you have it. It really is easy to do and just makes a window look complete. No more messy tops of curtains or drapes that are buckling on top. Now if they do, who cares?! You won’t be able to see it anymore. That’s why I made wood cornices for every room of my home.

If you have any questions or just want to leave a comment, go ahead right below. I would love to know if you have made cornices already or you are going to try it now.
No-Sew Window Cornice

40 inch Fabric Covered Cornice – Augustine Camel

WOW!! Thank you to everyone who submitted to this carnival! So many great posts! Remember to include a link back to this post. The next Blog Carnival is scheduled for June 18th. Please visit our page at http://blogcarnival.com/bc/cprof_4093.html to submit your post. So here we go!

GREEN LIVING

Amy L. presents Using Fall Leaves To Fertilize And Protect Your Lawn posted at Housekeeping Tips, saying, “Remarks: Every year, people spend millions of dollars to purchase commercial fertilizers and mulches for their lawns. Yet at the same time, they rake up the fallen leaves from neighboring trees and put them in the trash.”

Sarah had 3 submissions for this category: Choosing The Right Grass For Your Local Climate | Spring Lawn Care – Lawn Care Tips posted at Lawn Care Tips, saying, “Savvy lawn owners are interested in imported specialty grasses and exotic species from around the world or for their lawn.”; Organic Weed Control Methods And Herbicides | Spring Lawn Care – Lawn Care Tips posted at Lawn Care Tips, saying, “Organic methods to keep those pesky weeds from ruining your lawn.” and Managing Lawn Care During A Drought | Spring Lawn Care – Lawn Care Tips posted at Lawn Care Tips, saying, “What to do about your lawn during a drought!”

Hank@myinvestingblog.com was quite humorous with his post presenting A New Investment Idea – Pay Someone To Pick Up The Phonebook That Gets Dropped On My Door Every 3 Months That I (And Millions Of Others) Never Use!

Amy L. presents Organic Pesticides For A Safe Lawn posted at Housekeeping Tips, saying, “The advantages of using organic pesticides for your lawn”

WhatWorksForUs presents What Works For Us: Save $$ – Go (Lime) Green posted at What Works For Us.

Amanda Harris presents What You Need to Know About Buying Organic posted at eFamilyBlogger.

Davexplorer presents Cell Fuel Cars and The Eco Bedroom posted at Your Greeness,
to save the earth for future generations.

Sara Ost presents Green Home Tips from Wanda Urbanska of Simple Living TV posted at Sara Ost, saying, “An exclusive interview with Simple Living TV’s host Wanda Urbanska!”

SpiKe presents 7 Ways You Can Stop Wasting Food And Help Save The Earth posted at Organize IT.

Repeat Revenue presents America?s first city powered by renewable energy. posted at Solar Power Home, saying, “The first U.S. City to be completely powered by renewable energy.”

Phil B. presents Reducing the Electricity Consumption of Water Heaters << Phil for Humanity posted at Phil for Humanity, saying, “Reducing the Electricity Consumption of Water Heaters”

HOME IMPROVEMENT

Maryam Montague presents Peacock Pavilions: and an entirely real conversation posted at My Marrakesh, saying, “Hello, this is about the trials and tribuations of renovating our home in Marrakesh”

Andrew Caxton presents several posts: Lend a Hand With These Wall Hooks; The Thing About the Doors; Sink? Aquarium? Both!; Porcher Pedestal Sinks; Lipla Beds: Sleek and Effective; The Arion Collection all posted at Home Decorating Reviews Blog.
Mandy Trapper presents About Home Improvement For Bathrooms posted at Home Remodeling Tips And Tricks and Things To Consider For Your Hot Tub Installation posted at The Hot Tub Advisor.

Aparna presents Beware of dust mites on your pillows posted at Beauty and Personality Grooming, saying, “Dust mites often play safe by sneaking into spaces between bedclothes, carpets, stuffed furniture and similar soft objects.”

Vinny presents How to Organize Your Closet posted at Home Life Weekly.

Randy Rhodes presents Reconditioned Dyson Vacuum: Questions To Consider Before Purchasing Retail posted at Dyson Animal Reviews.

Busy Bee Kim presents 10 Ways to Welcome Spring posted at Busy Bee Lifestyle

Stephan Grindley presents The More Expensive Ergonomic Chairs Give You Some Great Features posted at Ergonomic Chair Tips.

Veteran Military Wife presents No More Dirty or Burnt Up Grills posted at Life Lessons of a Military Wife, saying, “Have you ever had a grill grease fire? Or thrown away a perfectly good grill because it was too much of a hassle to clean? Then read this.”

Tip Diva presents top-ten-tips-stocking-and-organizing-a-medicine-cabinet; top-ten-tips-getting-ready-for-summer and top-ten-tips-cleaning-a-room posted at http://www.tipdiva.com/

REAL ESTATE

Joe Manausa presents The Real Estate Market – When Will We See The Turn? posted at Tallahassee Real Estate Blog, saying, “It seems that many people have an opinion on real estate, and many have speculated that the worst is behind us.”

Sarah presents Are You Ready to Buy a House? posted at Tips To Save Money. Learn To Be Frugal, saying, “Buying a house is the American dream, but does your current financial situation allow for it?”

Christopher Johnson presents Mortgage Types posted at christopheraaronjohnson.net, saying, “First in a series about buying a home.”

Trevor McKay presents What Kind of Mortgages are Available? posted at All About Mortgage Calculators.

ALL OTHERS

GP presents Nothing Succeeds Like Success posted at Innstyle Montana- Come on Inn, saying, “To quote Thomas Edison Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”

Theresa presents Big Picture Progressive Exposure at http://olinepublishing.blogspot.com/2008/04/big-picture-progressive-exposure.html

Fritz presents Liveboard – A True Baseball Fans Scoreboard posted at Fritz – The Tech Dog.

Gratitude presents Apr 6, Spring clean your home and mind posted at Gratitude’s Personal Development Blog, saying, “Get rid of the clutter in your home and also in your mind. Make your life fulfilling and abundant.

Barbara Y presents two, How rabies virus is transmitted and Effective home remedies for dogs posted at petmeds4dogs.com

Murphy S presents two Making Sure Puppy Stays Healthy and Ideal Puppies for Kids posted at PuppyHelpLine

Madeleine Begun Kane presents Hapless Home Buyer?s Guide posted at Mad Kane’s Humor Blog, saying, “Buying a house humor.”

Joe Manausa presents The ?No Brainer? Investment posted at Tallahassee Real Estate Blog, saying, “It is estimated that the average cost to a parent (not the total average cost) to send a child to college is roughly $20,000 per year.”

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of a carnival of everything home using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags: a carnival of everything home, blog carnival.

Homeowners Insurance is one of those must haves when you own a home. In fact, it is a required when you have a mortgage, but like all types of insurances, it has been steadily on the rise. If you live in a high risk area as I do, it has more than doubled in the past few years. By working closely with my insurance agent, I found that there are ways to save money on my policy. Here is some important information that you should know about your homeowners insurance policy that just might save you some money.

• Make sure to shop around . Since different agents write policies with different companies, you will find that the rates will vary. After receiving a quote, you must look over the policy being offered. Many times there are unnecessary additional items which you can remove to save some money.

• Sit with your insurance agent and go over every line item on the insurance policy quote. They will be able to explain each item for you so you can determine if it is necessary.

• By raising the deductible, you will decrease the cost of the insurance policy. Be sure not to raise it too much and make certain that you are comfortable with the proposed deductible. Whatever your deductible is, you should have this amount available in savings to cover that costs should something happen.

• Do not insure the land that your house sits on. If you deduct the value of the land from the total value of the home, you will have the amount of coverage you should carry.

• Do not add in the value of a shed to the value of the home. Outdoor personal property is covered under the line item “unattached structures“.

• Do not add in the value of a pool. But you should carry a high personal liability such as $300,000 if you have a pool in case of accidents.

• Try to get a policy with the same company as your auto insurance. This will give you a multiple policy discount.

• You will receive a discount for items such as security systems and hurricane shutters (if you live in a hurricane prone area). Make sure to tell your agent about this.

• Make sure to tell your agent of any major repairs you have made such new electrical wiring, heating system, air conditioning system, roof and plumbing. You will also receive a discount for these items.

• If you are over 55, ask if you can receive a senior citizen discount.

• If your home is located in a flood zone, it is important to carry flood insurance.

• After you have called several insurance agents for quotes, compare each of the policies. Do not stop and accept the first quote you receive. You will be surprised to see the different quotes you receive from different companies.

• If you home is paid in full, do not let your policy lapse. Depending on where you live, it can be very difficult to find a company that will issue you a policy.

Homeowners insurance is a necessity and something that you need to take control of. While at the same time you want to save some money, you also must be comfortable with the policy that you agreed on. Next time you are renewing your policy, don’t forget to take a look at this list of how to save money on your homeowners insurance bill.

If you know of any other ways to save on homeowners insurance, please share them with us. Today everyone is concerned about saving some money.

Since this post is about party supplies, having parties and welcoming guests into your home, I decided to do my first podcast to welcome each one of you to HerHomeBlog.

welcome-podcast.mp3

Since I will be having family and friends over this weekend for a birthday party, it seemed like a good time to go over my list and share what party supplies I keep on hand. By doing this, I don’t have to run out and buy everything all at one time and I always have them available in the event unexpected guests drop by. These come in handy when there are a lot of guests and you want to make clean up easy and quick.

“Do-ahead preparations will take the stress out of drop-in visitors, and free you to enjoy visits from unexpected guests. Purchase or prepare hospitality supplies: crackers, some good cheese (the smellier the better to deter grazing children) frozen cookies or slices of cake. Child-proof the latter by wrapping aluminum foil and labeling as “liver and onions” before you freeze!”

http://organizedhome.com

You can store them in a tub like container, in the garage or even have a shelf dedicated just for this. I keep mine on a really high shelf that no one can reach so that they are not tempted to use them everyday.

Non-perishables

Plastic utensils including knives, forks and spoons.
Paper plates for cold food or coated plates needed for hot foods.
Plastic cups in different sizes. You can also use the paper type coffee cups. By keeping different sizes, you will always have some available for children.
A bag of balloons.
Rolls of crepe paper in different colors for decorating.
A package of napkins. You can keep a supply of the smaller sized napkins just for parties.
Paper table clothes to dispose of or vinyl table clothes that can easily by washed off.
Foil pans for cooking or setting out food. If heavily soiled, you can just dispose of them at the end of the party.

158 Piece LUAU Tropical PARTY Decorations/DECOR BALLOONS/Hibiscus Straws/Tablecloths/Appetizer Food Picks/BANNER/Flowers/Chinese PAPER LANTERNS

Perishables

Buy soda or juice when it is on sale to keep handy. Just remember to rotate your supply so that you know it is always fresh.
Most of us usually have mustard, mayo and ketchup in our refrigerators. Keep an extra one of each in your cupboard so you don’t run out in case of a party. Pickles, relish and salsa are also good to keep on hand.

One of the things I don’t like to keep on hand is chips, pretzels and crackers. They have a tendency to go stale if kept for too long.

Just remember that when the party is over, collect the unused non-perishable supplies and pack them away for the next time. Check to seek how much of the perishables you have left so that you can restock your pantry when the items are on sale. By doing this, you will know what you have left and can restock when your local store is having a sale.

What do you keep on hand for parties? Tell us what ideas you have to make the next party we have even easier.

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