major dad and I are veterans of major Hurricanes Bertha, Fran, Ivan and Dennis. (along with others like Hurricane Sally on Ivan’s 16th anniversary in 2020). When Irene and Super Storm Sandy visited Brother Bingley, I thought I would offer up what’s worked for us in terms of preparation, both food-wise, house-wise PLUS some of the things folks don’t know about, that help make life bearable if those winds look to head your way. I always hope you’ll find or learn something you didn’t know before.

[So, I wrote this original post back in 2014 and have updated it every year since. Not only is it good for hurricanes or big blows headed your way, a lot of the prep info – like having contact plans and basic necessities on hand – is also relevant to living in, say, an earthquake or blizzard zone. We’ve gotten some really lovely “thank yous” over the years from folks who’d read it and would never expect a big storm in their life. But there was a kernel of advice that turned out to be really helpful. Stay safe and frosty wherever you are. ~ Beege]