Organizing Tips for Emergency Preparedness

The recent winter storms in Texas have us thinking, once again, about emergency preparedness.  In home organizing, we often talk about decluttering first, about keeping only the things you need, about simplifying...  People often are concerned - where is the line between being prepared and hoarding?  How much do I actually need?  
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These are very personal questions, and the answers often change over time based on our personal needs.  Where do you live and what types of events are more likely to occur in your area?  What are the personal health and safety needs of your family?  For example, a family member with celiac disease will need special gluten free food and a baby taking formula will need distilled water, so having some extra on hand  is important for those individuals.  ​

Tasks to Prepare:  
Here are some tasks to consider doing now to prepare for future emergency situations.  

• Photos for Insurance:  Do you have home-owners insurance?  If so, have you actually gone through your home and taken photos of every room and of the larger priced items?  Plan ahead and take a few minutes to complete this task.  
• Make a "Go Bag":  Do you have a "Go Bag" with the most important things to take with you if you need to up and leave quickly?  What important documents would need to go with you?  
• Personal Photos:  Have you backed up your computer, phone, and/or pictures?  It is recommended to keep two backups of your most important electronic files.  Make sure that the second copy is not physically located at your home, but is either stored in another location or is saved on a cloud-based program.  
• Medications:  Some people are reliant on medications that are imperative for their health.  Having extra doses of those medications, as well as regularly used medical supplies, are important to have on hand.  In addition, everyone can benefit from a first aid kit.  
• Consider creating a to do list to stay with the "Go Bag" that has a list of things necessary to do on your way out the door.  Some tasks may include:  get wallet/photo ID/driver's license, bring medications, turn off the AC, etc.  Emergency situations trigger specific hormonal responses in our body as well as cause some areas of our brain to kick into high gear while others are less used; this can make it harder to think cognitively in the moment, so having a pre-prepared list can be extremely helpful.  ​

What other tasks are important for you or your family to complete now in order to be prepared for possible future emergencies?  Consider what they might be and then set aside some time to complete them.  

My heart goes out to everyone who was impacted negatively by the recent winter storms in Texas.  Not only were so many people without heat and water for days, but many people now have to deal with the aftermath of pipes bursting in their attics and the subsequent internal floods within their homes.  It will take a while to put the pieces back together. 

I love taking pictures and was able to capture some beautiful moments amidst the chaos and cold, so I am sharing some of these with you today.  They are a reminder to me of God's love and constant presence, and I hope they will be for you as well.  ​

Pretty sure this furry friend was the only warm one around that week! He certainly didn't seem phased by the cold like the rest of us were...

​Please note that this is a home organizing blog, and this is NOT meant to be medical or legal advice.