I’m always on the lookout for innovative uses for our storage solutions so that I can share them with you.  You may have read a previous post about an equestrienne’s impeccably appointed tack room. Today I want to focus on another use for that extra room. Many people turn an extra room into a home office or guest quarters or a combination space. In one instance the homeowner turned that extra room into an amazing home gym. In addition to the treadmill, there was a storage solution spanning the wall where all the bits and bobs that make a home gym a gym were housed. There were cabinets to hold bottles of water, fresh towels and cleaning supplies, cubbies for the free weights and floor mats, drawers to hold bands, and it even had a place for the 60 cm body ball.  And what home gym would be complete without a flat panel HDTV and sound system?  Those also had a place in the custom storage solution.  Regardless of the space you have, the right storage solution can help you reclaim it and make it work for you.

Once you get your home prepared, encourage your neighbors and family members to get ready, too.  

• Trade phone numbers with your neighbors.
• Share a key with a trusted neighbor
• Help them build their kit
• Share your plan with them, particularly if they are part of your plan
• Discuss best practices, including where and how to store their emergency kit
• Ascertain if anyone has special needs and would need assistance
• Offer to help an elderly neighbor or differently-abled neighbor get prepared.
  • The Red Cross recommends having a small group of 3-4 people periodically check in with elderly or differently-abled neighbors. That way there is always a back-up in the event one caregiver is unable to respond.
  • It’s important that these people communicate the person’s status to each other.  

You have 10 minutes to evacuate your home – what do you take?

A well-organized home office can be very helpful if this should ever happen to you. A home office doesn’t necessarily need to be a dedicated room.  On the contrary, a home office can be carved out of a corner of the kitchen or family room, or it can be a room that does double duty as home office and guest bedroom.  Closet Tailors can design a space that will allow you to pull together all those important, must have papers in a snap

• Create a Grab and Go Kit. See our blog post about what goes into a Grab and Go Kit.
  
• Have a charging station in your home office so cell phones, headsets and other communication devices have a full battery.
• Add a charging station for rechargeable batteries.
• Include an emergency flashlight that illuminates when power is cut. This will help you find your way and your evacuation kit. 
• Back up your computer files. House back-up copies offsite or online. 
• Keep scans of important papers on a flash drive that can fit into your pocket. 
• Keep a copy of your home’s emergency plan in your home office. Include contact numbers, meeting locations, communications plans, etc. 
• Dedicate one spot for communication. Post notes for family members here in the event electronics fail or aren’t available.  If everyone knows to look in that spot, you can let family members know where you are and how to find you. Include intended travel routes on all communications.

We’ve invested a lot of electrons encouraging folks to prepare to take care of themselves and their families, but we haven’t addressed pets, yet.  Associated Press reported in June 2009 that nearly half of the respondents to a recent survey considered their pets as much as part of the family as humans.  Whichever half you’re in, it’s important to include your pets in your planning and make sure you take them with you if you’re asked to evacuate. The event will be less traumatic for them if they are with you. Plus, the situation will be safer for the emergency and rescue workers responding to your area if they don’t have to deal with a dog defending its home.

Here are some things to include in your pet’s kit:

• Leashes or crates
• Food
• Water
• Bowls
• Bed
• Favorite toy
• Treats
• Clean up kit, e.g. plastic bags, sanitizing liquid or wipes.
• Veterinary Records, e.g. vaccinations
• Medications
• Copy of Training Completion. This may help sway a hotel manager to loosen pet policies after a disaster.
• Temporary Tags –  This can be as simple as a piece of tape or a key ring that you can write your temporary contact information on.
• Collar with Tags
• Some Counties require pets to be licensed. Have copies of your license
• Current photo of your pet and description should you become separated.

A Prepared Home knows what types of disasters they may face, has an assembled emergency kit that is regularly replenished and has a plan that every member of the household knows and has been drilled on once a year.

One step towards preparation is organization. Having a place for everything and everything in its place is helpful when it comes time to evacuate or shelter in place, assess damage and make insurance claims.

Decluttering your home of unnecessary papers and unwanted items will also make it easier to evacuate when called upon to do so. Getting rid of clutter also removes fuel for fires making it easier for firefighters to defend your home and rescue you or your loved ones.

Contain and Maintain

Once you decide on the items you choose to keep, it’s important to assign a spot to each piece so you can maintain the order. Closet Tailors has a variety of shelves, bins, rods, cabinets that they will use in a space designed specifically for the unique needs of your household.