How to Close Hurricane Shutters
To close accordion shutters, unlock them and disengage the locking rods. Pull the shutters toward the center of the window and fit the grooves together. Lock the shutters, then engage the locking rods. To close rolling shutters, fit the crank tool over the lowering mechanism at the top of the shutter housing. Turn the crank to the left to lower the shutters into place, then remove the crank tool and store it for later use.
Unlock the shutters. There should be a lock with a keyhole on one side of the window frame. Put the key into the keyhole and turn it to unlock the shutters. Disengage the locking rods. If your shutters have locking rods, you'll need to disengage them. There is likely one on the bottom on either side of the window. Turn each handle to unlock the rods. The top rods will raise up and the lower rods will slide down. The locking rods hold the shutters out of the way when they're not in use. Pull the shutters to the center of the window. Grasp the edge of the shutter on one side and pull it toward the center of the window frame. Repeat on the other side. The shutters should meet in the middle. Fit the grooves together. Fit the outside blade on one shutter into the inside groove in the other. The inside blade on the other shutter should also fit into the outside groove of the first shutter. Lock the shutters. Simply push on the lock to snap it closed. Engage the locking rods. Pull the locking rods on the bottom of the shutters upwards. Lower the locking rods on the top of the shutters. The locking rods keep the shutters from rattling in strong winds. Fit the provided tool over the lowering mechanism. Roll-down shutters come with a tool to lower them. The tool is a long, metal bar with a crank on one end. The other end fits over the lowering mechanism, which is located in the top corner of shutter housing. Turn the crank to the left to lower the shutters. Once the tool is in place, spin the crank to the left. Continue spinning until the shutters have lowered completely over the window. Remove the tool and store it for future use. When the shutters are in place, you can remove the tool from the lowering mechanism. Be sure to store it somewhere handy so you can use it to raise the shutters after the storm has passed. Remove the pins securing the shutters to the siding. To keep your shutters from banging against your home, they are likely secured to the siding with the help of a pin. Remove each pin connecting the shutters to the siding. Swing the shutters in toward the center of the window. Grasp the edge of one shutter and swing it inward 180 degrees. Repeat with the other shutter so the windows are covered and the shutters meet in the center. Put the storm bar in place across both shutters. There are brackets on the outside of the shutters that hold the storm bar in place. Fit the storm bar into these brackets. Secure the storm bar with screws and wingnuts. Insert a screw into each hole in the bracket. Then, screw a wingnut onto each screw to keep them in place. You should be able to do this by hand, and won't need any tools. You will likely need 4 screws and 4 wingnuts: 1 on each side and 2 in the middle of the shutters. Inspect your shutters once a year before hurricane season. Each year you should take the time to check out your shutters and complete any necessary maintenance. Aim to do this before hurricane season arrives so you don't find problems as you're preparing for a storm. If you notice any major problems or if the shutters need repairs, contact the manufacturer or a qualified technician. Remove dirt and debris from the tracks, if necessary. Dirt, dust, and other grime can build up in the tracks of your shutters, making them difficult to open and close. Use a vacuum with a small nozzle tip to suck up any debris from the tracks. You could also use a leaf blower to blow debris out of the tracks. Spray silicone lubricant onto any moving parts. For accordion shutters, spray the lubricant into the lock, track, and grooves. You can also spray it onto the track or rollers on the top and bottom of the shutters as well as the grooves on the shutters so they open and close easily. For colonial shutters, you just need to lubricate the hinges on either side. Pick up a silicone lubricant from your local hardware store. Avoid using WD-40 or another oily lubricant, as they can attract dirt and salt. Lubricate the thumbscrews for the locking rods, if applicable. If the thumbscrews are rusty or seized, you may not be able to engage or disengage the locking rods. Use a screwdriver to remove them, then smear a tiny bit of white lithium grease on the threads. Screw them back into place using a screwdriver. You could use petroleum jelly as an alternative to white lithium grease. 
Unlock the shutters. Disengage the locking rods. Pull the shutters to the center of the window. Fit the grooves together. Lock the shutters. Engage the locking rods. Fit the provided tool over the lowering mechanism. Turn the crank to the left to lower the shutters. Remove the tool and store it for future use. Remove the pins securing the shutters to the siding. Swing the shutters in toward the center of the window. Put the storm bar in place across both shutters. Secure the storm bar with screws and wingnuts. Inspect your shutters once a year before hurricane season. Remove dirt and debris from the tracks, if necessary. Spray silicone lubricant onto any moving parts. Lubricate the thumbscrews for the locking rods, if applicable. 