When you or your partner are on active duty, moving is unavoidable. The fact is, military couples and families have to move—a lot. It’s a part of this life. When you’ve moved multiple times within a few years and can only anticipate more Permanent Change of Stations in your future, learning all the ins-and-outs of moving can mean the difference between a stressful mess and relocation perfection. So, what do you do when your PCS ends up being not-so-permanent?
Try these seven tips for packing, moving, unpacking, and settling into your new home, whether it’s your first move or your fifth:
1. Sell it or toss it.
Pruning your possessions down to the bare minimum can provide serious peace of mind when packing for the move. The less stuff you have, the fewer things you have to worry about. How much is that baseball card collection really worth to you? A utilitarian mindset can help decide what’s worth keeping and what’s gotta go. Also, any boxes from your previous move that you haven’t unpacked should be considered eligible for purging. If you haven’t touched them and they have no useful contents, it may be best to let ‘em go.
2. Choose a PPM/DITY move.
Leaving your move up to the military can be an easy decision, but often one that you may regret later. Learn all about PPM and DITY moving here and why it’s a good decision for those needing extra flexibility and a faster move time. DITY moves can mean only having to go without your items for several days instead of four to six weeks, as with a typical military move, plus you usually can choose which day you’d like to move when you hire your own movers vs. using the military’s movers.
3. Make a master plan.
Think about what you need to accomplish, how you will accomplish it, and what materials you need in order to move seamlessly. Whether that’s pricing your move by getting a Free Moving Quote or setting up a system for organizing boxes pre-move, having a general blueprint and strategy can make moving much easier.
4. Get a moving binder.
Keep all moving-related documents and paperwork safely stored, organized, and dated in a binder so you know where to go when you need to handle any billing or moving issues. You’ll never know what box or bag this information will be in without some formal organization, so keep tabs (no pun intended) on the binder throughout the moving process.
5. Ditch the liquids.
Most military moves and DITY/PPM moves prohibit the transport of liquids and chemicals often found in your household. Bypass this issue altogether by tossing any and all liquids. You can find a complete list of what’s not allowed here.
6. Take an inventory.
Your belongings may be commingling with other military moves. Can you account for every box and item? Implementing some sort of inventory system can help you keep track of Kitchen Box #4 effortlessly. Use photographs, colors, or labeling to keep a full record of your stuff.
7. First things first.
Moving essential boxes are totally amazing ways to keep all the items you’ll need immediately when moving into your new home. This box is usually filled with cleaning supplies, scissors, bathroom necessities, some food items, bedding, and other essentials. Don’t load this box onto the moving truck. Making sure it stays by your side will make the transition from station to station much smoother.
While it’s impossible to avoid a PCS, staying positive with this 7-part guide to military moving can make easy relocation possible.
Do you have any helpful tips for military moving (or moving in general) that I may have missed? Let us know!
Chan Plett is a professional content writer for the web and self-proclaimed moving expert, after having moved nearly once or twice every year for the past eight years. She’s written for doityourself.com, The Dollar Stretcher, and several online blogs.
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