The 2026 hurricane season marks 10 years since Hurricane Matthew threatened the Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia coast with massive storm surges, flooding, and damaging winds. But the region was spared as the Category 4 hurricane was downgraded to a Category 2, and then made landfall further north.

You don’t have to wait for a hurricane to be bearing down before you start preparing your home. Many of the most important steps can be done well ahead of storm season — and some won’t cost you a thing.