Disasters can happen in any area, whether a tornado, hurricane, earthquake, flood, avalanche, or fire. Some of these disasters allow time for you to prepare, and others strike with no warning. Would you be prepared if catastrophe struck today? It’s a good idea to have these essentials to own for natural disaster preparedness.

Water, Water, Water

Creating a large water stock is crucial when it comes to being prepared. You can purchase water bottles or gallon jugs of water, but a rule of thumb is to have enough for a gallon per person per day with enough for a three-day supply. Even if you think you have enough, stock up on more if you’re able. Then, you’ll be able to share with other members of the community who didn’t prepare.

Tip

Along with your home, it’s a great idea to keep water in your vehicle at all times as well.

Non-Perishable Food Items

Creating a stock of food items is as important as water. A few good food products to store are:

• Canned meats, fruits, and vegetables
• Canned juices, milk, and soup
• High protein and energy foods such as peanut butter, crackers, trail mix, protein bars, granola bars
• Stress relieving and comfort foods like candy, cookies, lollipops, coffee or tea, sweet cereal

Have a manual can opener stored away as well so you can open the canned goods.

Clothing and Bedding

If a natural disaster displaces you from your home, you’ll need a place to sleep and extra clothing. Prepare yourself and your vehicle with articles of clothing, sleeping bags, extra blankets, and extra pillows.

If you live in an area where it gets cold, be sure to have extra warm weather gear such as gloves, scarfs, and hats.

Other clothing you may not have thought of is:

• Sturdy shoes
• Rain boots and rain gear

If you have to walk through a flood, your favorite sneakers won’t protect your feet like a good pair of rain boots.

Supplies and Tools

As you’re packing up tools and supplies to have on hand, remember that all items should not need the use of power to work. In most cases, after a natural disaster, homes don’t have electricity—unless you’ve installed a backup generator, which provides so many tremendous advantages. Some great supplies to have packed include:

• Matches
• Pliers
• Flashlights or other light sources
• Extra batteries
• Feminine hygiene products
• Toilet paper, paper towels, soap
• Plastic bucket with a tight lid

First Aid

You always want to be prepared for the worst when it comes to disaster preparedness. Having a first aid kit is a great start, but here are some other things to add to the kit:

• Gauze pads
• Hypoallergenic adhesive tape
• Sterile bandages
• Antiseptic
• Thermometer
• Roller bandages
• Tweezers, scissors, safety pins, needle
• Latex gloves
• Petroleum jelly
• Sunscreen

Odds and Ends

It’s a good idea to have a few things stored away that bring comfort and are fun, especially if you have children. You want items to take the mind off of what’s happening around you, even for a little bit. Grab a couple of card games for the family to enjoy.

Grab a couple of plastic bins to keep everything stored away. Then, when the disaster strikes, all you have to do is grab the containers with the essentials for natural disaster preparedness and leave.

When you move to a new place, you have a laundry list of items to complete. However, moving long-distance increases the burden of tasks, particularly when you move to an island. If you want to organize your hectic life and feel a sense of your move’s scope, read about the stages of a long-distance move in order.

Decluttering and Organizing

The first step in the moving process is to go through all your belongings one by one—especially the boxes in the back of your closet. Moving long-distance is a costly affair, and every additional box adds up. Decluttering and organizing before a move will save you time and money.

When you organize, have your destination in mind. If you’re moving to a Caribbean island, you’ll likely have a different lifestyle than you currently do. You may want to sell your winter coat and boots to avoid lugging unnecessary items across the ocean.

At this point, you should also plan your moving services and decide what storage options you may need. Traveling will require time to organize, so coordinate with professional movers sooner rather than later.

Sorting and Packing

Once you’ve combed through your home, it’s time to sort everything by category and pack it into boxes. At this point, you’ll need to acquire moving supplies so you can quickly box and tape everything. It may help to number each box and create a central list of everything inside.

The more sorted and organized your packing is on the front end, the easier your unpacking will be. The last thing you will want upon arriving at your Caribbean paradise is to keep asking yourself where your essential items are tucked away.

Loading and Transporting

Moving day is finally upon you. It’s time to tape up the last boxes, stack them in a corner, and prepare for the movers to arrive. The next step is to load all the boxes onto the moving truck or shipping container and send them to your new home.

After all your belongings are out of the house, you should go around cleaning every corner. While this deep clean will take time, it’s vital to remember before leaving. The last thing you want is a landlord to bill you for cleanup or have problems completing the sale of your home.

Unpacking and Decorating

The final part of your move is unpacking and decorating. The movers transported your boxes from the port to your home, and everything is waiting to be opened and welcomed into your new life. Now comes the fun part of decorating your new house and settling into paradise.

Knowing the stages of a long-distance move in order can help you keep calm. While moving is a stressful endeavor, it does have a beginning and an end. Remember the sunny beaches and crisp air awaiting you on the other side.

Hydroponic gardens that grow fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers aren’t just for fancy science labs anymore—you can manage one right in your house. A water-based, soil-free gardening method has plenty of merit for anyone who loves to garden. Whether you lack space in your backyard for a traditional garden or want to try your hand at something new, the various benefits of hydroponic gardening will hook you in for bountiful harvests and beautiful blossoms.

Grow Your Garden All Year Long

If you have a green thumb and recently moved away from the tropical climate of the Caribbean, you may miss the year-round warm, comfortable temperatures—especially if you moved to a more temperate climate. Certain crops only thrive in those warmer regions, which makes gardening your favorite foods and blooms more difficult. Since you can keep your hydroponic garden entirely indoors, the weather outside won’t affect the health of your garden.

The fluctuating humidity levels in your area may still harm your hydroponic garden, but you can easily control those levels around your garden with humidifiers and dehumidifiers when necessary.

Harvest Your Favorite Fruits and Vegetables Anywhere

Finding fresh fruits and vegetables that remind you of home or are necessary for your homestyle recipes can be difficult, especially if they’re out of season where you’re living. With hydroponics, you can grow your own crops, like tomatillos for salsa or pork bowls, without considering the seasons or environment.

You’ll keep the plants safe from both the elements and pests in your indoor hydroponic sanctuary—all you’ll need to consider is how to create a healthy environment for the specific crop you’re growing.

You’re in Control

Buying produce from the store puts you at the mercy of their produce suppliers, and even local farm stands may grow things differently than you prefer or use pesticides you’d rather avoid. And if you grow your own produce in an outdoor, soil-based garden, you can’t control many aspects of their environment, like the weather and pests.

However, growing foods in a small interior hydroponic garden allow you to control every aspect of their surroundings and the nutrients they take in. Because of this, there are very few uncontrollable elements that impact your plants. You can grow hydroponic plants that are just as healthy as soil-grown crops—or even healthier since you’ll notice nutrient deficiencies as they happen. Plus, if you need to use pesticides (which many hydroponic gardens won’t require), they can be much safer homemade remedies.

Complete over fertilizer, lighting, and atmosphere is the most important of the various benefits of hydroponic gardening. Every bit of love and care that you put into your plants shows through their growth and health. Grow your knowledge of botany and plant care with hydroponics, and reap the rewards of a beautiful garden with delicious crops!

After spending time at someone else’s vacation home, of course, you want one of your own. Buying a second home is a big decision, and you should be ready for the hidden costs. In addition to your mortgage, you’ll need to know the maintenance costs of a vacation home. Find out how to take care of your Caribbean beach house here.

How to Budget

When you determine your maintenance budget, follow the same rules as you would for any house. You should set aside at least one percent of the cost of your house each year. For instance, if your vacation property costs $500,000, you should set aside $5,000 each year for maintenance.

Types of Maintenance

The type of maintenance necessary for your vacation home will depend on its location. If it’s right on the beach, you may need to update exterior features after heavy storms. For instance, consider how often you’ll need to install a new front door if conditions cause it to crack, peel, or rust.

Pro Tip: Hire contractors to help you make repairs to your home. Professionals will ensure your maintenance project is top-quality every time.

Vacation Home Expenses

Owning a vacation home comes with more expenses than the cost of the house and maintenance. You’ll want to decorate the place too. Filling your beach home with furniture, artwork, and appliances may require a separate budget.

Ways To Save Money on Your Second Home

If owning a second home starts to get too costly, save money by renting the space. When you are not using it, allow people to rent it for their own vacations. Often, allowing renters to stay in your home can satisfy the cost of your monthly mortgage in a single week.

The maintenance costs of a vacation home are like that of your current house. Though beach houses may endure more wear and tear, you can prepare with money in the bank and a good contractor to help you make repairs.

Sometimes, you come up empty in your house shopping endeavors. Maybe the kitchen isn’t big enough for your culinary genius, or perhaps there isn’t enough space for your growing family. Or maybe you want a cozy beach bungalow in the Caribbean. Regardless of why nothing on the market suits your needs, you may find yourself having a team build your perfect home instead. Before you start calling contractors to make it happen, check out what to know about building your dream home!

Set a Budget

Before you can call up an architect or pick out a plot of land, you’ll need to set a budget. Starting with a budget helps you decide how you want to allocate your money. For example, some plots of land may be pricier than others, depending on the location. If that will take up a large portion of your capital, you’ll need to adjust your expectations for the rest of the process.

A budget also helps you settle on a plan once you’ve assembled the perfect team. Communicate everything you want to the team to ensure you don’t overpay or end up with a design that doesn’t align with your dreams. Your budget should also include money for furniture, bills, and any mishaps.

Find a Plot

One reason you haven’t found the perfect house could be due to struggles with the location. Whether you want a beautiful seaside home or something tucked away in the country, search out a plot of land that serves your purposes. For instance, if you’re looking to build a home in the Caribbean, you’ll need to decide whether you want to live on the shore or more inland! Weigh the pros and cons of each option to decide what matches your needs.

This is an excellent time to reach out to a real estate agent to find the best price. An industry expert could also lend you some crucial knowledge on what’s desirable and not so great about each location choice.

Carefully Create a Team

Take all the time you need to assemble the right team. You’ll need to research companies and contractors to make sure you only hire quality workers. Now’s also the time to see what kind of work they can do. Can the builders you hire create your design plan? If not, you’ll need an architect to help with this and tell you how realistic your vision is. Remember, what sounds great on paper isn’t always practical or affordable.

Pro Tip

Before construction starts on your new home, consider your building materials. You need a structurally sound house, but some building materials affect your cellular signal. Although you may love the look of a brick house, it may interfere with your cellphone signal, so think about that before you approve your design.

Establish a Timeline

Another important detail you should know about building your dream home is the timeline. Building a custom home takes time, and unexpected delays pop up. You’ll need other living arrangements while you wait, but you should still have a flexible timeline to keep things on track.

Unlike what we see on TV, building a house can take quite some time, especially if you want it done right. Work with your team of contractors to establish how long everything should take in an ideal situation. Try creating a timeline before things get moving so that you know exactly what to expect once the project begins.

It’s essential to stay safe in your home, but most don’t understand that you need to avoid making life-altering mistakes to protect yourself and your family. Here’s a quick list of the most common mistakes people make when preparing for a hurricane.

People Underestimate the Strength of a Hurricane

Watching a video on the internet and experiencing an actual hurricane are two different things. There are times when others will see that the storm hardly did any damage, but there are times when those not from the area don’t understand that hurricanes are a significant threat. If you’re a traveler, consider planning farther away from hurricane season. In other words, plan your trip to Florida between March and July instead of between August and November.

Over Hoard Food for Days

Don’t hoard food and water when prepping for a hurricane, even if you don’t have another choice but to stay in your home. Remember, there’s plenty you’ll need to stock up on, but that doesn’t mean you need to buy over a thousand dollars worth of stuff. Yes, hurricanes can happen at any moment, but create a list of things you can easily stock up on before heading to the store.

Not Evacuating Right Away

When authorities announce evacuation plans, it’s a good idea to plan accordingly. When evacuating, this doesn’t mean you should leave as soon as impact hits. You must take this evacuation process seriously, and the more you listen and see, the more prepared you’ll be as you and your family evacuate. Take extra precautions and leave as early as possible to ensure your and your family’s safety during hurricane season.

Over Trusting Their Home

It’s great if you trust your home, but if you haven’t updated it with well-maintained hurricane-proof windows and doors, you risk your and your family’s life if windows break and glass sprays into the air, striking someone. Ensure everything is up to date by updating all windows and doors in your home with hurricane-proof technology. If you find yourself trapped at home during a hurricane, the windows and doors will protect the interior from receiving any flying debris.

When preparing for a storm, it’s essential to keep your home updated with hurricane-proof doors and windows. Besides that, stay mindful of proper evacuation and evacuate a reasonable time before a hurricane strikes. Consider these common mistakes people make when preparing for a hurricane when planning out your strategy for keeping your family safe.