So the old saying goes “Happy wife, happy life.” Expand on this idea a bit further and the saying can apply to your whole family. The opposite is also true. Add in a few dashes of uncomfort and a good helping of time, and your loved ones can certainly make your very near future fairly miserable.

No matter the event, everyone wants to be happy and have a feeling of control during a disaster. People want to know everything is going to be okay. If you’re flying solo, you also want to be as happy as you can, or at the very least take the sting out of a bad situation.

Over the years, we’ve had our share of hurricanes and while each situation is different, we use the same tactics to keep safe and happy. Here’s the “fun” adventure we had with 2019 Hurricane Dorian off of Florida’s east coast.

Check out the full video and be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel. It helps us a ton!

Fortunately, there are simple things you can do to stay comfortable and keep people happy during a disaster. Whether it’s a hurricane, power outage or snow storm, many of these ideas can apply to any disaster.

There are a lot more detailed and meticulous guides covering every aspect of preparedness, but I want to keep this simple. I want to specifically focus on things that can add happiness, peace of mind, or just make the situation easier in some way.

It should be simple to do, not very expensive, and make your daily life better even if nothing goes wrong.

These are a few of the common-sense preps that have worked for us over the long-term.

Survival Checklist: 10 Tips & Gear We Love

 

1. Be the hero and book a handful of refundable hotels on apps like Hotels.com.

Usually in a widespread emergency, the best idea is to stay home and not be out in the chaos. But if you have to leave, having multiple backup plans will give you and your family peace of mind. In a hurricane situation, as the storm gets closer, hotels book up quickly. You want as many options and escape plans as you can have.

Plan your escape with hotels (think of these as ace cards up your sleeve):

• Search out cheap hotels in several directions of where you think would be best
• Make sure there’s no cancellation fee
• Make sure you’ll be able to cancel within the time window
• Book several
• Use the ones you need
• Cancel the ones you don’t need (set a reminder!)

Hotel reservations can act as free and easy insurance that give you a lot of flexibility and more options. Don’t forget to ask friends and family for a helping hand. You’d be surprised how many people will be happy to help in a disaster if you post it out on social media.

2. Every person should have a backpack of essentials, especially kids.

Having a backpack filled with all the things you need gives a feeling of control and self-reliance. Think like a backpacker.

You don’t necessarily have to have everything that a backpacker would such as a sleeping bag, sleeping pad and tent but then again if you’re staying in a cold shelter, the first two might come in handy. At the very least, you want to be able to take care of yourself and your family’s needs.

Along with all the normal essentials you can find on any survival checklist, I’m focusing on items that will add happiness and peace of mind.

Checklist of backpack essentials to keep you happy with peace of mind:

• A headlamp – more on this in the next section
• 72 hours of food and snacks – easy, ready-made meals and snacks (a full stomach is a happy one)
• Sporks – the humangear Uno is super strong!

• Water bottle – we choose Smartwater or Lifewater bottles because they’re lightweight, tough, and fit well in side pockets (refill often)

• Clothing for warmth – lightweight jacket, blanket
• Hat, cap, or beanie – hats help a lot in rain
• Sunglasses
• Book or magazines – boredom can easily become the biggest part of any disaster
• Small multi-tool – like the Swiss Army Compact (has a built-in pen!) or a Leatherman Squirt PS4 (I carry both)

• Wallet – cash in small bills, ATM & Credit Cards, photo IDs
• Deck of cards
• Bic lighter – the MOST reliable fire-starting tool, hands down (I like the mini)
• Earplugs and a sleep eye mask – for precious sleep to handle situations with a rested mind
• Bonus: An inflatable pillow – for packable comfort (rolled up clothing can also do)

In a kid’s backpack:

• Favorite toys or games
• Books, paper, pencils, and crayons
• Headlamp
• Extra batteries
• Snacks
• Spork
• Water bottle
• Jacket or blanket

We also like to bring an ultralight packable backpack that doesn’t weigh much. It’s a fully functional backpack and is actually comfortable! I like the Outlander Packable Travel Backpack below, but there are many more to choose from.

LIGHTEN YOUR LOAD: A lot of survival websites tout “bomb-proof” or “bulletproof” survival gear, but gear that can handle an apocalypse also means it’s super heavy. If ultralight hikers can hike over 2,000 miles on the rugged Appalachian Trail for months on end with a Lifewater bottle that’s 1/10th the weight of hard Nalgene bottles, then surely it’s good in your backpack on your way to the hotel.

PRACTICE CAMPING: Before you ever have to go through a disaster, you can easily do dry runs of your self-reliance skills by car camping or backpacking. It’s like running live simulations to work out your pain points and blind spots. If anything, it teaches you which necessities and luxury items keep you and your family happy.

3. A headlamp is a game-changer.

Pictured: Petzl Tika XP2 (discontinued), Zebralight, and Black Diamond are also great headlamps.

I consider a headlamp as an essential in your backpack. In the dark, it makes every task easier and the first time you use one, you’ll see why. Trying to hold a flashlight or cell phone in the dark while doing stressful tasks means tying one hand behind your back. A headlamp gives you freedom of movement with two hands.

Once on a business trip, Sarah’s hotel was under a tornado warning in the middle of the night and everyone had to huddle together in the hallway. When the power went out, she was the only one with a headlamp. She made it easier for everyone and lit the way.

Yes, my cell phone has a light, but I only consider it a backup and use it to guide me to my main light source – my headlamp. Using a cell phone as your primary light sucks up the precious battery that you’ll need later. It also puts your phone at risk while you’re stressed out and juggling multiple things in your hands.

A headlamp not only frees up both hands, it can allow you to relax with a good book at night. Many headlamps have a red light or dim setting so you can easily read in the dark without disturbing others. We often read books in our tent before bed while camping.

Headlamps also save power. Instead of needing to light up your whole house, a headlamp puts the light exactly where you need it – in the direction you’re looking. Gone are the days of candles.

CONSIDER THIS: A candle produces about 12 lumens of light. By comparison, my LED headlamp running at medium-low can produce the same amount of lumens and burn for 41 hours straight! Oh, it also only uses a single AA battery. How magical.

4. Ditch your regular AA and AAA batteries for rechargeables in all your devices.

Years ago we swapped out all AA and AAA batteries that weren’t rechargeable in all of our remotes, controllers, headlamps, lights, timers, and anything else we owned. Instead we use Eneloop and Amazon Basics rechargeable Ni-MH batteries. They’re high capacity, last a long time, and are truly amazing!

They keep the majority of their charge for a long time on the shelf. Also, over the years we’ve had regular batteries corrode while sitting right next to our rechargeables that stayed clean and charged.

Since we now ONLY use rechargeable batteries in our everyday life, if any run low, we stick them in the PowerEx AA & AAA Smart Charger to juice up and grab a fresh set that’s waiting. We always have a bank of charged batteries and never have to run out and buy them. Make sure your smart charger can charge each battery independently.

For grab and go, these Storacell AA and AAA battery carriers are convenient for when you want to throw spare sets in your bag.

5. Become a Jedi master by wielding high-capacity battery pack chargers.

Power is happiness and peace of mind. Our modern lifestyle demands devices that rely on power. We depend on these devices for everything from finding shelter at hotels, communicating with family, getting news through Facebook and Google, and literally lighting our way.

In my headlamp example, the single Eneloop Pro AA battery it uses has a capacity of 2500mAh. For comparison, average pocket-size and larger lithium-ion battery packs can have a capacity anywhere from 10,000mAh upwards of more than 26,000mAh! That’s a lot of charges for your smartphone, tablet, or rechargeable batteries for all your devices.

I personally have two battery packs when I travel – an Anker PowerCore 10,000 mAh (1 port) and Anker PowerCore 13,000 mAh (2 port) charger. I could instead have a single super-sized battery pack, but I like the option of being able to carry a smaller one in my pocket. It also lets me use one while the other is charging. 

Add in an Anker 24W Ultra-Compact Travel Charger, some USB charging cables, and you have yourself a robust power system on the go.

6. Be your own gas station.

If you have a safe place to store it, it’s smart to keep a couple of five gallon gas cans filled in reserve to give you a full tank of gas when stations are closed or sold out. I’ve seen station after station closed during a hurricane and people stranded on the side of the road because they’ve simply run out of gas. It happens every hurricane. Keeping a small reserve is an easy step that will give you tremendous peace of mind.

A full tank can get you a long way out of town. (Don’t transport gas inside your car. It’s not worth the risk. Get a roof rack or trailer hitch rack instead.)

If the power is out, a gas reserve will let you idle your car for a long time as a generator (see #8).

If you have a neighbor that has a generator, you can barter power for gas. Years ago when our power was out for three days, our neighbors let us plug into their generator in exchange for some gas. We just ran a 100-foot extension heavy duty power cable. Having a reserve of gas saved the food in the fridge and let us run lights, TV, and the internet.

THE ULTIMATE RESERVE: Every month, buy one five gallon gas can and fill it up. Mark the number of the month on the can with a permanent marker. Next month, pour the previous month’s gas into your tank, buy another can, and fill both when you fill up. Every month after, do the same thing until you reach twelve cans. You now have sixty gallons of gas in reserve.

I don’t need that much gas, but maybe you do? You might be comfortable with only two, four, or six cans, but when people are running around trying to find gas, you’ll be taken care of and won’t be part of the problem.

To rotate, every month after, simply fill your car with that month’s number (an E-Z Pour Spout is nice) and refill the can when you fill up. You will always have gas on hand that at most is only one year old and would not need not need a stabilizer. Since you’re going to use the gas anyways, the only cost is the price of the gas cans.

7. A propane grill can put a smile on your face.

When the power is out, a propane grill is an awesome thing to have. It brings your kitchen outside and brings people together. When grilling during a power outage, I’ve often thought to myself, “Why don’t I grill out more often?”

There’s a lot of positives that come with owning a propane grill:

• You can cook all that fresh food in your refrigerator so it doesn’t go bad
• A warm, freshly cooked meal lifts the spirits
• The aromas will make you smile
• Cooking on the grill keeps the heat outside instead of heating up the house
• A cookout can be a positive community building event
• You can boil water
• Hot water makes coffee 🙂
• Chocolate chip cookies on the grill (Yes it’s possible. You’re welcome)

Keep an additional full propane tank in reserve. Power outages always seem to happen when you’re about to run out of fuel. Having a spare has saved me during hurricanes, but even more during barbecues. Make sure to cook outside.

8. Your car is an expensive generator. Use it.

You own a car right? Instead of spending hundreds of dollars on a generator, you already own one. To run smaller devices, charge all your batteries, or even power your fridge, all you need is a power inverter. It converts your car’s DC battery power to AC power. You can then plug in regular 110 volt appliances into the power inverter. Boom, you have power.

Make sure to size it large enough for your refrigerator or device’s startup surge. I once made the mistake of buying an 800 watt power inverter to run my 600 watt draw refrigerator. I didn’t realize the startup surge of the fridge was over 1000 watts, which shut down the inverter every time. So get more than you need.

9. Make labeled buckets or bins to organize everything.

We have a tough plastic kitty litter bucket labeled HURRICANE that holds all of the hurricane shutter hardware for our house. Whether it’s wingnuts, bolts, paper instructions, keys or tools needed to install hurricane shutters, it’s all in that bucket. You’ll never forget where you put that stuff again and it will all be in one place.

The same goes for our backpacking gear and anything else we want to remember when we need it. Another plus, the hard plastic keeps it safe from bugs and moisture.

10. Take a breath. Relax. It’s going to be okay.

The world seems like it’s falling apart during a disaster, but after it’s over – people rebuild. And you will too. Things will go back to normal. Routine will set in, the sun will shine, and good days will be here again.

In the eye of the storm, just know that it will be okay. Find people that you can share time with or that you can help. After a storm, magic happens. Neighbors come out of their houses and help each other. I’ve seen it after every disaster. You’ll get through it because you’re resilient. That’s what humans do.

BONUS TIPS – Hurricane and Storm Specific

 

1. DON’T USE PLYWOOD when putting shutters on your house.

Instead, try clear corrugated polycarbonate. If plywood is all you have, then you don’t have a choice. Most people run out to Home Depot and buy plywood to screw over the windows on their house.

It sounds logical at first, but there are a lot of downsides of plywood:

• It’s crazy heavy
• It’s dark (do you like living in a cave?)
• It warps with moisture
• It breaks down over time

The upsides of clear, hard, polycarbonate sheets are many:

• Lightweight – easier to install by yourself, especially large pieces
• Clear – lets in a lot of natural light when it’s likely your power will be out
• Visibility – since it’s clear, you can see what’s going on outside
• Doesn’t warp – moisture doesn’t affect it
• Durable – will last a long time

I stress using clear polycarbonate versus plywood because the upsides will save you money, frustration, and make you much happier in the long run.

2. Install hurricane or storm shutters when you move into your house.

A few years into owning our house, we pre-installed Tapcon Storm Anchors around our window frames. Do this work once and you’ll have an easy hurricane shutter system forever. It’s so much easier since half the work is done! Believe me.

Once we screwed our anchors in place, we drilled holes in polycarbonate (or plywood) sheets. When we want to put them on the windows, we press the sheet into the holes, and simply screw down the sheet with wingnuts. Quick and easy.

Some people cut the polycarbonate to size inside their window frames and attach them with Velcro, but for us the anchors felt more secure. If you can afford to install the more expensive roll-down or slide-lock hurricane shutters, its makes protecting your house even easier. You’ll probably even get a break on your insurance!

No matter the system, it’s smart to have hurricane shutters installed on your home way before a hurricane or storm is even a problem. But if you haven’t and a storm is on the way, now is a great time!

3. Label shutters by group and installation order for future reference.

If you have single sheets, it’s easy. Label them bedroom, living room, and so on.

We have corrugated metal shutters in a couple areas that are a little more complicated to install and need to be put on in a certain order. So for all the pieces for one window, we have five pieces all labeled with a C, but in addition each piece has a unique number. C1 C2 C5 C4 and C3 in reference to which goes on in what order. In the future when you’re stressed out with a storm on the way, it makes it easy to put them on quickly the first time.

Wrapping Up

These are several of our favorite tips that we use to either keep happy, make the situation easier in some way, or simply give us peace of mind. Some of these require a little foresight. Some are easy little changes you can make right now that are either free or very cheap.

Your needs will be different, but if you can make a bad situation a little easier, I think it’s worth it. Stay safe out there friends! No matter what happens, the future is bright.

Do you have any favorite tips to keep you happy in a disaster?