militarymoms

My friend Toni is getting ready to move.  She’s going through her house, room by room, cleaning, sorting and discarding.  Mind you, she’s only moving across the street, and she’s even getting a larger house on post, but she is working her way through her home just the same.

It’s PCS season, wherever you’re stationed.  This is the time of year when many military families prepare to move on.  Since so many people are getting ready to move, this is a good time to talk about some ways to make your PCS move a little less stressful.

• Plan ahead.  As soon as your PCS orders are in hand, contact your transportation office or go to its Web site to find out how to set up your move.  Most CONUS moves are arranged online, but some OCONUS bases still require you to go in person to the transportation (personal property) office to set up your move.  Don’t wait to start this process.  There are only so many pickup and delivery dates available, and you need to set up your move early to get the dates you want.
• Clean and sort.  This will help in so many ways.  You’ll get rid of things you don’t need, reduce the weight of your household goods shipment and organize your possessions so you know what you have.
• Document your possessions.  You’ll need to take photos or create a list of all your possessions.  Some people take videos of each room; we take digital photos and keep copies in several locations.  If something happens to your shipment, you’ll need to show proof that you owned the lost or damaged items.
• Get insurance.  If you don’t have renter’s or homeowner’s insurance, consider getting it well before your move.  This is particularly important if you’re moving overseas - you’ll undoubtedly be a renter, and you can’t rely on your landlord to provide any type of insurance.  If the ceiling falls in and your TV is damaged, you’ll have a better chance of recouping that loss if you have renter’s insurance in place.

There’s lots more to come on this topic…check back tomorrow for more helpful PCS tips!

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