Last reviewed October 2026
This guide is general household advice. For evacuation, flooding, and safety decisions, follow guidance from your local emergency management office and the National Weather Service.
Know the season
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, so the best time to prep is well before a storm shows up on the forecast. A garage you have already sorted takes an afternoon to secure. One you have not takes a stressful weekend.
Houston and Harris County resources
- ReadyHarris.org: sign up for weather and emergency alerts, and use its emergency checklist.
- Know your evacuation zone. Harris County publishes a Zip Zone evacuation map, so check whether your home is in a zone before a storm is in the Gulf.
- STEAR registry: if you or someone in your home needs help evacuating, the State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry lets you sign up online or by calling 2-1-1.
- Flood insurance: Harris County points residents to FloodSmart.gov and notes that National Flood Insurance Program policies usually have a 30-day waiting period. Ask your insurance agent about your own coverage well before a storm.
Do this before the season, or right now
- Clear the floor. The floor is where water reaches first. If it is hard to see the concrete, start there.
- Get things off the ground. Use sturdy shelving, and keep the lowest shelf a few inches above the floor.
- Move vulnerable items indoors for good. Photos, documents, keepsakes, fabric, and paper do not belong in a garage in this climate. See our humidity guide for the full list.
- Use plastic bins with lids instead of cardboard, and label each side so you can find things without opening everything.
- Take photos of what is in the garage. A quick walk-through video or a few photos can help later if you need to describe belongings to your insurer.
When a storm is coming
- Move the car and bring in anything that can fly. Bikes, lawn furniture, and loose tools can be hazards in high wind.
- Lift or move what you can. Put small valuables and electronics up high, or take them inside. Heavy items stay where they are.
- Secure fuel and propane. Check guidance from your fire department or supplier on how to handle these safely, and do not leave them loose.
- Shut the garage door and check the seal. If your opener fails during a power outage, know where the manual release is.
- Charge your phone and photograph the garage once you have finished preparing it.
What is worth letting go of
Storms are a clear reason to get rid of things you were never going to use. Run your garage through the four piles:
- Save: only what you will use and what can handle heat and damp.
- Share: usable items that someone else could have right now.
- Sell: worthwhile items that are better turned into cash than lost to water.
- Sweep: items already damaged by past moisture, such as moldy cardboard and warped furniture.
After the storm
- Check for water, mold, and pests before moving things back.
- Photograph any damage before you clean up or throw anything away.
- Be careful with wet electrical items and anything that has been in standing water.
- Sort what is salvageable from what is not, and set damaged items aside for the Sweep pile.
What we can't take
Paint, chemicals, fuel, batteries, propane tanks, firearms and ammunition, and heavy furniture and appliances are outside what we handle. If your garage has these, mention them in your quote request.
Want help getting ahead of it?
A garage reset before the next storm leaves you with a clear floor, labeled bins, and a short list of what to move. Send a few photos and we will reply with the hours we expect. See pricing for how jobs are booked.