7 Pre-Hurricane Life Hacks

When the forecast calls for heavy rain and wind, there are some simple things you can do before the wild weather arrives to get through it with less stress. Denis Phillips, Chief Meteorologist from ABC Action News here in Tampa, posted these tips a few years ago. A few are simple logical suggestions. A few are brilliant little pre-hurricane life hacks that can make your life a lot less miserable if the power goes out.

So far this hurricane season, we've been lucky in Florida. But with some wild weather in the forecast tomorrow, there are some things you might want to consider doing tonight should Tropical Storm (or maybe even Hurricane) Debby pay us a visit.

#1: Get the laundry done tonight!
Denis points out that without air conditioning, anything dirty will start to stink your place up. And when the AC goes out, you’ll want clean sheets because you’ll be sweating... a lot.

#2: Dig that old cell phone out.
Charge up old phones, not just the one you use now. Old phones can still call 911. Or they can keep you entertained so you don't drain the battery on the phone you do need. Also charge up those portable chargers you bought for traveling.

#3: Cook meat and perishable foods.
No brainer right? Especially those expensive cuts of meat... they should be your dinner tonight. Freeze cooked food too. Denis says he loves a hardboiled egg as a shack on that first day without power.

#4: Dig out the backpacks.
Be ready to evacuate by having a few bags already packed in case things get wild.

#5: Hit the ATM.
During a prolonged power outage, cash can become king. Credit card machines might be down. And chances are you don't carry a lot of cash on a daily basis. None of us do.

#6: Turn the AC down.
This is certainly one I wouldn’t have thought of doing… but it makes sense. Higher temps in the room will lower the temp in your fridge to preserve those foods longer.

#7: Why is there a quarter in my freezer?
What a brilliant idea. Freeze a cup of water and put a coin on top. If the coin stayed on top after the power went out, your food stayed frozen!

Have any pre-hurricane life hacks to share? Leave them on my Facebook and I'll add them.

It'll be here before you know it. Hurricane season is upon us and if Ian and Helene  taught us anything, it's better to be safe than sorry. Even though Tampa was barely able to avoid the worst of Ian, we still remember people scrambling to get last-minute supplies. Some waited in lines for hours for supplies only to leave empty-handed. Don't let that be you this year! In the case of a major hurricane or even a tropical storm, you should have these 5 things before hurricane season starts.

Experts say it's super important to build a storm kit before any type of disaster. Each kit may look different based on an individual's needs. These are the universal 5 items you shouldn't forget! We found all of these items on Amazon. If you think ahead and order these items now, you should be able to build your storm kit before hurricane season even starts. Anybody can remember to stock up on the essentials (bottled water, food, and batteries) but do you have these useful items in your home in case of a big storm?

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has also listed hurricane safety tips and resources so you and your family can be prepared. When shopping for supplies, you should grab enough items like water, food, and batteries, to be able to last you for at least 1 week. It also seems pretty obvious that every Floridian should own a battery-operated or hand-crank radio. If you ever lose power, at least you can still be kept in the loop with your favorite radio station. And by now, everyone should have a backup portable phone charger.

Remember when everyone was scrambling all over Pinellas and Hillsborough counties looking for sand bags? Most pick-up locations were only allowing people to pick up 2-3 bags per person, which is probably not enough to surround your house/belongings.

If you order these empty sandbags on Amazon now, you should have them by next week. It will make your life a lot easier to just drive to your nearest beach or causeway and fill the bags up that way.

We all know how crappy it is to lose power in the middle of a hurricane. In some cases, you may not know when it will be restored. Amazon has this really cool battery powered camping lantern with a fan for only $20. Reviews say that 1 set of D batteries lasted them over 10 hours.

If you live in Florida and don't have a decent pair of rain boots, now is your time to get a pair. If the thought of gross storm water touching your skin freaks you out, you should grab a pair of these knee high waterproof boots.

It's better to have something and not need it than to need something and not have it, right? Check out this mini water filtration system for just $22 on Amazon.

You don’t want to ruin important documents like social security, state issued ID and birth certificates, prescription medication, copies of insurance documents, to name a few. Bonus if you can convert other important documents to an USB flash drive! You'll want something big enough to hold all of your belongings, but compact enough to carry around in case you have to evacuate. Amazon has a great option, here.

This one may seem obvious, which is why we made it an honorary mention in case it does slip your mind. Remember how bored you were when you lost power from Ian? Some board games, deck of cards, or coloring books should help you pass the time, without killing your phone battery.