Pre-Storm Yard Audit

The debris that damages homes in a hurricane mostly isn't exotic — it's the stuff that was sitting in yards the week before. A 30-minute audit in June beats a tarp on the roof in September.

The one-question walk-around

Walk your property line to line and ask of every object: "What does this become at 100 mph?" Then sort into three piles:

• Secure it: things that stay but need anchoring — sheds (check the anchors), gutters, fence posts that wiggle, pavers stacked loose.
• Store it: things that come inside when a watch is issued — patio furniture, grills, potted plants, trash cans, pool toys. Know where each goes now, so storm-eve is a checklist, not a debate.
• Toss it: things with no storm-safe home — and this pile is always bigger than people expect.

The usual toss-pile suspects

Dead or dying tree limbs (especially over the roofline), the old fence sections "you'll fix someday," rotted deck boards, the busted trampoline, leftover lumber and pavers from a past project, the third patio set, hollow decorative items, and anything already broken. Every one of those is a projectile or a pool-filler.

Trees deserve special attention

Florida-licensed arborists stay booked solid once a storm is named. If the audit finds heavy limbs over the roof or a leaning tree, book trimming in early season — and the trimmings can go straight into the same roll-off as the rest of the toss pile.

Haul it while it's cheap and calm

The toss pile plus normal garage overflow is usually 2–4 pickup loads — the $299 24-hour rental handles it in one Saturday, or the 7-day $485 bin if you're doing limbs and fence too. Remember the banned list (no propane tanks, no paint, no batteries) from any cleanout: it applies here too.

Next lesson: what to do in the first 48 hours after a storm. Related: hurricane prep plan · storm debris service · FAQ.