10/10/2026
Breathe. Pray. Remember: this is day ONE. 🤍
To our customers and friends in Florida and everyone beginning the cleanup after this storm: we may not be there physically, but we’re still here to help you work through what comes next.
If you suffered damage, recovery is a process. Success today means staying safe, getting organized, and taking the next right step. You do not have to solve everything today, and no major decision needs to be made because someone is pressuring you.
Here’s where I want you to start.
1. Before you touch a thing—take photos.
And I mean more photos than you think is normal. Then take more.
Before moving debris, cleaning up, throwing things away, or covering damage, document what you can safely document. Follow local instructions about returning home. Stay away from downed lines, unstable structures, standing water near electricity, and sagging ceilings. Stay off damaged roofs.
If something needs immediate attention to protect people or prevent further damage, take quick photos if safe and get help. Don’t delay urgent protection to finish your photo project.
2. Give those photos a home.
Open a Google Drive folder or create folders on your phone or computer. Name the main folder with your property address and the storm date.
Inside it, create separate folders for:
📁 Roof — photos from safe ground locations
📁 House / Primary Building — Front Exterior
📁 House / Primary Building — Right Exterior
📁 House / Primary Building — Left Exterior
📁 House / Primary Building — Rear Exterior
📁 Fencing
📁 Lawn / Landscaping
📁 Driveway / Walkways
📁 Trees
📁 Other Structures — a separate folder for each shed, garage, etc.
📁 Interior — a separate folder for each room, organized by floor
📁 Paperwork / Receipts / Claim Information
Pick one location and work through it.
Start wide. Move closer. Then photograph the details.
The wide photo shows WHERE you are. The next photo connects the damage to that area. The close-up shows WHAT you found.
Include the areas that appear undamaged, too. You’re creating a record of the property’s condition today.
Put that location’s photos into its folder before moving on, if you can. If service is down, keep taking photos in order and jot down which area you’re photographing. You can upload later. Keep the original files and back them up when service allows.
3. Work your way around the property, then through the inside.
Start at the front and follow a consistent path around the building. Repeat for fencing, lawn, driveway, trees, and other structures.
Then go room by room, floor by floor. Photograph ceilings, walls, floors, windows, doors, closets, and damaged belongings.
If you cannot safely access your attic, do not go in. Ask a qualified professional to inspect it. A friend or neighbor can help with safe photos, notes, and organizing—nobody needs to get hurt trying to document damage.
4. Today’s primary mission: FIND THE WATER.
Did any come inside? Where? How much? Is it still coming in?
Look for wet flooring, damp carpet, stains, bubbling paint, swollen trim, and water around windows and doors. Photograph visible waterlines.
Write down the room, exact location, when you first noticed it, and what you actually saw. If you don’t know where it came from, say that. Don’t guess.
And remember: a surface looking dry does not prove everything behind it is dry.
Document promptly, then begin safe measures to stop further damage and get wet materials dried. Don’t wait for the entire property album—or an adjuster’s visit—to address active water intrusion. Wet materials need prompt attention; drying within 24–48 hours, when possible, helps limit mold growth.
5. Once your photos are done, take a slow video.
Don’t just film. Talk. Point. Describe.
“This is the back bedroom. Today is ____. We first noticed water here at ____. This carpet is wet along the exterior wall.”
Pause at each damaged area. Show the whole space, then the details.
Five months from now, when the immediate aftermath starts getting blurry, your own voice explaining what you saw will matter.
6. Gather your paperwork and keep a running record.
Insurance policies. Claim numbers. Before-storm photos. Receipts. Inspection reports. Written estimates. Save them together.
Notify your insurer promptly. Keep receipts for emergency protection and cleanup, and write down who you spoke with, when, and what was discussed.
If you hire help, get the scope and price in writing. Understand what you’re authorizing. You can address urgent protection without deciding your entire reconstruction today.
Breathe again. Drink some water. Check on your neighbor.
Today is day one. One area, one folder, one step at a time. 🤍
