Having a solid hurricane plan is the first step:

• Home owners should make sure that all insurance policies are current and adequate for your property and contents.
• Make copies of important documents such as passports, insurance policies and medical information. A safe deposit box at the bank is the safest place for these. Nonetheless, if you are keeping copies of important documents at home, have them in a waterproof container or a vacuum-sealed storage bag and store in a safe and secure location in your home.
• Have a written list of emergency contact numbers – laminated if possible – next to all phones. Include phone numbers of next of kin, close friends, doctors, local emergency shelters, and neighbours.
• Identify in advance, what outdoor preparation is needed prior to a storm and where outdoor plants, furniture and yard equipment will be stored. You may need physical help to bring these items indoors as well as to board up windows with plywood and making sure all shutters are in working order. This part of the plan should be organized well in advance of any pending storm or hurricane.
• BELCO maintains a tree-trimming program for its overhead main line system and major branch lines. However, tree trimming on private property is the responsibility of the property owner.
• Residents or their landscaping service planning to trim trees in close proximity to power lines are asked to call BELCO at 299-2800 in advance, and they will assist by disconnecting the power to ensure safety.
• Tie wooden shutters to avoid rattling and also to stop them from blowing open.

• If you don’t have a cell phone purchase an inexpensive pre-paid phone with enough credit to last at least 5 days. If you have never used a cell phone get someone to help you understand the basics, including how to send a text message.
• Prior to a hurricanes arrival, be sure to charge the cell phone and if possible have extra charged batteries on hand and investing in a car charger is a good idea.
• Consider making your own block ice, which lasts longer than ice cubes, should your electricity go out. Fill plastic containers with water and freeze in advance. You can use these later in your refrigerator and or freezer to keep foods cold.
• In the event you experience damage to your home, don’t fall prey to dishonest individuals who may offer to carry out repairs. Let someone that you trust assist you in finding the right people to repair you home.
• Once a good plan has been established the next step is to assemble a hurricane emergency kit.
• A good hurricane kit for the home should include the following;
• Non-perishable food; pop up tops are the best but in the event you can’t get these remember to have a manual can opener and canned food that doesn’t need to be cooked, energy bars, canned fruit, Vienna sausages, corned beef, tuna, powdered milk, juice boxes, dry cereals, etc.
• Bottled water (it is recommended to have a 3 day supply of food and water per person, including pets).
• First aid supplies
• Prescription medications
• Extra, up-to-date eyeglasses, hearing-aids, oxygen
• Personal hygiene products including disposable body wipes
• Incontinence undergarments, or adult diapers, may also be necessary
• Limacol – a soothing astringent that cools the skin
• Hand held battery operated fan – another way to keep cool
• Flashlights and extra batteries
• A battery operated radio and extra batteries
• Hand sanitizer
• A bucket and rope for dipping water
• Light weight plastic table cloth – a quick fix to protect furniture from leaky ceilings and not as heavy as tarpaulin. Have some masking tape or clothes pegs to hold the plastic in place.
• Cash – in the event that banks are not open and you don’t have access to an ATM.
• A supply of plastic garbage bags (including deodorized bags) with ties
• Disposable plates, cups and utensils
• A disposable camera to take pictures of damage for insurance purposes
• Work gloves and some basic tools – nails, a hammer and a screwdriver
• Emergency contact list (laminated if possible)
• Portable camping lanterns instead of candles. Candles can be knocked over in the dark and cause a fire.

Having the necessary hurricane supplies in advance helps to avoid long lines and empty shelves that can occur just before a pending hurricane.

And what about storing your emergency supplies? A good sized waterproof box or a cooler on wheels with a long handle are ideal for storing some of your hurricane emergency essentials. It is unlikely that everything will fit into one container that you can easily manage, so determine a safe and convenient place in the home and remember to store items in waterproof containers that are easily accessible. If possible clearly label these containers so that the contents are easy to locate in a hurry.

These newsletters will contain home decorating tips, going green, interior design ideas, landscaping ideas, featured artist, new products and much more!

Tips That Give You More Bang For Your Buck

CareerBuilder.com Home Buyer’s Guide says that when you live in a home, it’s easy to be blind to its shortcomings, but put it on the market, and those detractions can become readily apparent. They can reduce the ideal selling price of your house or leave it sitting on the market much longer than you would prefer.

So if you’re planning on renting or selling your home, it is prudent to step back from your familiar abode and inspect it with a new set of eyes — preferably the eyes of a prospective tenant or buyer.

TIPS

DOES OUTSIDE SPACE MATTER? Give your balcony curb appeal! By refreshing it with ceramic pots green or colorful plants, make it maintenance free as possible!

NOT SURE HOW TO DECORATE? Consider hiring an interior designer to provide recommendations on how to increase the value of your home with renovations that won’t break the bank.

WHAT TO DO WITH EXCESS FURNITURE? Hire a storage unit to eliminate some of the clutter in your home, including excess furniture.

According to a 2006 cost-versus-value report in REMODELING magazine, a typical renovation project returns 75 to 80 percent on the dollar at resale. Kitchen and bathroom updates and window replacements return 85 percent

Upgrading your kitchen and bathrooms need not cost a fortune. Trade an old faucet for a new faucet, add a new backsplash or buy door hardware for visual appeal, anything to imply freshness and good maintenance by the previous owner is a good selling point.

In some cases, it might be necessary to replace a countertop. Where possible, go for granite.

When it comes to the environment, being a good island citizen starts at your doorstep. www.greenrock.org is a great website that gives you tips about alternative choices that are socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable than those choices that exist today. From recycling to using alternative cleaning materials, minor changes at home can add up to real benefits for the planet, not to mention your own health and happiness

11 tips to make your House more Green from www.jsbi.blogspot.com

1. Green up your appliances. Getting rid of that old/second refrigerator in the house could save you a lot every year. Appliance use comprises about 18% of a typical home’s total energy bill, with the fridge being one of the biggest energy hogs.

2. Watch the temperature. Almost half a home’s energy consumption is due to heating and cooling. Turn down the thermostat in cold weather and keep it higher in warm weather.

3. Save water. The Web site “Water — Use it Wisely,” created by a group of Arizona cities, lists 100 simple ways to save water. I’ll share just a few here: Put an aerator on all household faucets and cut your annual water consumption by 50%. Install a low-flow toilet. If you have an older model, adjust your float valve to admit less water into the toilet’s tank. Of course, you don’t need products to save water — behavioral changes also add up quickly: using a broom instead of the garden hose to clean your garden can save a lot of water and turning the water off when you brush your teeth will save 5 litres each time.

4. Clean green. Stop buying household cleaners that are potentially toxic to both you and the environment.
5. Let there be energy-efficient light. Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFLs) use 66% less energy than a standard incandescent bulb and last up to 10 times longer.

6. Save a tree, use less paper.
7. Want wooden floors? Opt for bamboo. Bamboo is considered an environmentally friendly flooring material due to its high yield and the relatively fast rate at which it replenishes itself

8. Reduce plastics, reduce global warming. Each year, we throw away some 100 billion polyethylene plastic bags — from grocery and trash bags to those ultra-convenient sandwich bags. Unfortunately, plastics are made from petroleum — the processing and burning of which is considered one of the main contributors to global warming. In addition, sending plastics to the landfill also increases greenhouse gases. Reduce, re-use and recycle your plastics for one of the best ways to combat global warming.

9. Use healthier paint. Conventional paints contain solvents, toxic metals and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can cause smog, ozone pollution and indoor air quality problems with negative health effects. These unhealthy ingredients are released into the air while you’re painting, while the paint dries and even after the paints are completely dry. Opt instead for zero- or low-VOC paint, made by most major paint manufacturers today.

10. Garden green. First, use compost instead of synthetic fertilizers. Compost provides a full complement of soil organisms and the balance of nutrients needed to maintain the soil’s well-being without the chemicals of synthetic fertilizers. And healthy soil minimizes weeds and is key to producing healthy plants, which in turn can prevent many pest problems from developing to begin with.

11. Using Public Transport. Usage of Public transport for your daily travel will not only save a lot of fuel but also reduce the CO2 emissions. For example, if 50 employees of a company drive to work by car – the fuel these 50 or so cars consume will be so enormous than what a public transport say bus/metro/train will need. Also, in places which have very poor public transport – the ideal case would be to consider car-pooling.