Nancy Nemitz
Florence was a Category 4 hurricane on its approach to the North Carolina coast headed directly toward my daughter’s home south of New Bern.
I was with her because she gave birth seven days before. She also has a 21-month-old son and her husband is deployed.
All her earthly possessions and those of her children had to fit into the cargo space of a Subaru Forester. Her two dogs evacuated with her sister-in-law to Atlanta.
Luckily, she’s organized. All-important insurance, medical and vital records were in a binder.
Photos already were on thumb drives. Her memorabilia already was pared down to fit into one banker’s box. She took one garbage bag for her clothes, and a backpack for the baby’s clothes and blankets. All of Benjamin’s clothes fit in half a trash bag, and the rest she filled with his toys.
Diapers and wipes already were in bins, so all ready to go.
There wasn’t room for childhood Christmas ornaments and stockings, her wedding dress, her husband’s guitars or childhood photos.
We were in a hotel for nine days, and listened to the stories of many evacuees who were losing a lifetime’s accumulation of furniture and memories. One man said, “I looked out my window and saw a man driving through deep water. The truck was carried away. I don’t know what happened to the man.”
So many brave people said over and over again, “It’s just stuff.”
We can learn a lot from the survivors of Hurricane Florence. Think about what you could fit in your car if you had to leave with only a day or two to prepare. What if there is a fire or flash flood and you don’t have much time. Get your vital records binder prepared now. Put your most cherished photos on a thumb drive and pare down memorabilia while you have the time to make good decisions.
Nancy Nemitz is the owner of Create the Space Professional Organizing, in Northeast Mesa. Visit her website at createthespace.com.