Hurricane Season Prep: What to Remove From Your Yard Before a Florida Storm
June 1st hits and suddenly everyone in South Florida starts paying attention to the Atlantic.
You check the weather apps. You watch the models. You have opinions about the European vs. American forecast systems that you definitely didn't have before you moved here.
And somewhere in the back of your mind, you look at your backyard and think: I should really deal with that stuff before hurricane season.
The broken patio furniture. The old grill you've been meaning to throw away. The pile of landscape debris from when you trimmed the palms three months ago. That random junk along the side of the house that's been there so long you've stopped seeing it.
In normal weather, it's just clutter. In a Category 2 or higher, it's ammunition.
If you're in Palm Beach County, Broward, or Martin County and you've been putting off that yard cleanout — this is your sign. Let's talk about what actually needs to go before the next storm makes the decision for you.
Why Your Yard Junk Becomes Everyone's Problem in a Hurricane
Here's a physics lesson nobody asked for: wind doesn't destroy houses. Objects carried by wind destroy houses.
A piece of plywood sitting in your yard weighs maybe 30 pounds. Not a big deal. Put that same plywood in 110 mph winds, and it becomes a projectile moving at highway speeds. It goes through windows. It goes through walls. It goes through your neighbor's car.
The technical term is "windborne debris," and it's responsible for most hurricane property damage that isn't flooding. Your stuff becomes missiles. Your neighbor's stuff becomes missiles. Everything that isn't secured or removed is a potential problem.
This isn't hypothetical. After Hurricane Wilma in 2005, insurance adjusters across Palm Beach County documented thousands of claims where the damage came from debris — lawn furniture, construction materials, tree branches, random junk — that flew from one property into another.
Your old broken grill isn't just an eyesore. In the wrong conditions, it's a liability.
The Pre-Hurricane Cleanout Checklist
Let's get specific. Here's what needs to go — or at minimum, get secured — before a hurricane threatens South Florida:
Definite Remove (These need to leave your property):
Dead tree branches, especially palm fronds piled up from trimming
Construction debris or leftover building materials
Broken furniture — patio chairs, tables, anything that's already falling apart
Old grills that don't work anymore
Anything leaning against the fence or house exterior
Random junk accumulation along side yards
Empty pots, planters, and garden decorations you're not using
That pile of "I'll deal with this later" stuff everyone has somewhere
Secure or Remove (Bring inside, strap down, or get rid of):
Functional patio furniture — if it can go in the garage, it should
Potted plants — small ones inside, large ones grouped and strapped
Garden hoses, tools, anything loose
Decorative items — flags, wind chimes, hanging plants
Pool equipment that isn't bolted down
Kids' toys, bikes, sports equipment
Garbage cans and recycling bins
Often Forgotten:
The stuff behind your shed that you haven't looked at in two years
Whatever's under the deck or porch
Items stored along the side of the house where nobody walks
Screens from the pool cage that are already loose
That broken hot tub you've been meaning to remove (yes, hurricane season is when people finally call about those)
Walk your entire property. Not just the backyard. The side yards. Behind the garage. Along the fence line. Anywhere stuff accumulates.
If it's not attached to the ground and it's not going inside, it's a potential projectile.
The Timeline Nobody Follows (But Should)
Here's how hurricane prep usually goes in South Florida:
What should happen:
June 1st: Hurricane season starts. Assess your property, schedule any cleanout or removal needed.
June-July: Handle debris removal, yard cleanout, tree trimming. Plenty of time, lots of availability.
August-October: Peak season. Stay ready, minor adjustments only.
What actually happens:
June 1st: "I should really clean up the yard before hurricane season."
July: "I'll do it next weekend."
August: "Still have time."
September: Storm forms in the Atlantic.
September + 3 days: Panic. Call every junk removal company in Palm Beach County. Everyone is booked. Home Depot is out of plywood. You're stuffing random debris in your garage at 11 PM while the wind picks up.
I've been doing this long enough to know the pattern. Every single year.
Here's the thing: when a storm is three days out, everyone needs the same services at the same time. Tree trimmers are booked. Junk removal companies are slammed. The people who called in June get service. The people who called when the storm got named get a waiting list.
Pre-hurricane yard cleanout in Florida is like buying a generator — the time to do it is when you don't urgently need it.
What Pre-Storm Cleanout Actually Costs
Let's talk numbers, because I know that's part of the decision.
A typical yard debris removal in Palm Beach County runs $150-400, depending on volume. That covers:
Tree branches and palm fronds
Landscape waste
Bagged yard debris
General outdoor junk accumulation
If you've got more significant items — broken furniture, old grills, construction debris, that hot tub situation — you're looking at $300-800 for a more comprehensive cleanout.
For full property prep that includes side yards, behind structures, and everything in the "I forgot that was there" category, budget $400-1,000 depending on property size and accumulation level.
Compare that to:
The insurance deductible if debris damages your property: $2,500-10,000+ (hurricane deductibles in Florida are percentage-based, usually 2-5% of your home's insured value)
The liability if your debris damages a neighbor's property: potentially unlimited
The post-storm removal cost when everyone's competing for the same services: 2-3x normal rates
Pre-storm cleanout isn't just about tidiness. It's about risk management.
Post-Hurricane Debris Removal: What to Expect
Sometimes, despite preparation, storms happen. Trees come down. Fences break. Things that were secured become unsecured when 100 mph winds have opinions about it.
If you're reading this after a hurricane has already hit South Florida, here's what you need to know about post-storm cleanup:
Timing matters.
Immediately after a storm, everyone needs debris removal at once. Companies are overwhelmed. The county sets up debris collection points, but they get backed up too. Patience is required.
That said, don't wait too long either. Debris sitting in your yard becomes a pest issue, a mold issue, and potentially a code enforcement issue if it lingers for weeks.
Know what the county will take.
Palm Beach County typically activates special storm debris collection after declared hurricanes. They'll pick up vegetative debris (tree branches, palm fronds) placed curbside, separate from regular trash. But they won't take construction debris, furniture, appliances, or mixed waste.
For anything beyond yard waste, you'll need private hauling.
Document before you clean.
If you're filing an insurance claim, photograph everything before you move it. Debris location, damage patterns, what came from where. Your adjuster will want to see the scene, not just hear about it.
Pricing adjusts after storms.
I'll be honest with you: post-hurricane debris removal costs more than pre-hurricane cleanout. Not because companies are gouging — because demand is extreme and jobs are harder. There's more volume, more complexity, and everyone needs service in a compressed timeframe.
Storm debris removal services in West Palm Beach and across Palm Beach County typically run 1.5-2x normal rates in the immediate post-hurricane period. As things stabilize over the following weeks, pricing returns to normal.
This is another reason pre-storm prep makes sense. You're paying less and getting faster service by handling it before the rush.
The Stuff People Always Ask About
What about my pool cage screens?
Those removable screens on your pool enclosure are tricky. In theory, you can remove them before a storm to prevent wind damage. In practice, most people don't — it's a lot of work, and the screens sometimes survive fine.
If your screens are already loose or damaged, remove them. A loose screen becomes a sail that can rip apart the whole enclosure. A missing screen is just a gap.
Should I trim my own trees before hurricane season?
If you're comfortable on a ladder with a saw, small branches are DIY-able. But for anything substantial — dead branches, high limbs, anything near power lines — hire an arborist. Tree trimming accidents spike every May and June as people prep for hurricane season.
Once the branches are down, that's where debris removal comes in. We haul what you cut.
What if I'm a snowbird and not there for hurricane season?
This is common in South Florida. You head north for the summer, and hurricane season happens while you're gone.
Options:
Do a thorough yard cleanout before you leave in April/May
Hire a property manager or neighbor to check after storms
Schedule a pre-season cleanout with a service that can access your property
Some of our clients leave a key with a neighbor and authorize us to come clear debris if a storm hits while they're away. Peace of mind is worth something.
Is there anything that's actually hurricane-proof?
Bolted-down furniture, properly installed pergolas, concrete planters over a certain weight — these are generally okay. But "generally okay" isn't a guarantee. I've seen 200-pound planters moved by storm surge. I've seen bolted furniture ripped out of concrete.
When in doubt, remove or secure. The stuff that survives a hurricane is the stuff that wasn't there to be tested.
The Real Talk Section
Here's what I've learned from years of pre and post-hurricane work in Palm Beach County:
The people who prep early aren't just better prepared — they're less stressed. When a storm enters the Gulf, they're not scrambling. They're watching the forecast like everyone else, but their yard is clear, their vulnerable items are identified, and their plan is made.
The people who wait are always the most stressed. They're making decisions under pressure, competing for limited services, and often paying more for worse timing.
Hurricane preparation isn't about being paranoid. South Florida gets storms. That's the deal. The question is whether you handle it proactively or reactively.
Proactive: spend a few hundred dollars in June, check the box, move on with your summer.
Reactive: spend more money in September, stress about availability, rush through preparation while watching a red blob spin toward the coast.
Your choice. But I know which one I'd pick.
One More Thing
That junk in your yard — the stuff you've been meaning to deal with for months — hurricane season is actually a gift.
It's a deadline. A forcing function. An external reason to finally handle the thing you've been avoiding.
Some people need that. A reason beyond "I should probably clean this up." Hurricane season gives you a reason with teeth.
So use it. Get the yard cleared. Get the debris removed. Get the property ready.
Then, when the tropics get active and everyone else is panicking, you can sit back with a beer and watch the weather people draw spaghetti models. Your yard is clean. Your prep is done.
That's a good feeling. And it doesn't cost much to get there.
Ready to prep before the storm?
Junk Bull provides hurricane debris removal and pre-storm yard cleanout across Palm Beach County, Martin County, and Broward County. Get it done now, before the rush.
Call 561-344-6677 or book online at junkbull.com.
June is better than September. Trust us.
Junk Bull — Junk Removal & Demolition Serving Palm Beach, Martin & Broward Counties 📞 561-344-6677 🌐 www.junkbull.com
Don't let your junk become a projectile.
