Spring is in the air and I don’t know about anyone else, but
for me, spring brings the promise of gorgeous weather, blooming flowers and
moving trucks! Yes, moving trucks. For
me, warm weather is nearly synonymous with brightly colored moving vans, bare
white walls and the smell
of fresh cardboard boxes. I currently
claim 23 moves to my name, so though I might be excited by the prospect of
blank walls and a house filled with cardboard and packing paper, I realize not
everyone feels the same way. If you are feeling a little bit of stress about
the upcoming move, here are five of my best tips for making your move
successful and stress-free.
1. Plan early and often!
There’s a reason the Military loves Long Range Training Calendars and Operations
Orders; they go a long way to keeping everyone on the same page and working
together. We may not always have a nice
leisurely three or four months to plan a PCS, but the sooner you start working
out logistics the better. Scheduling
your movers and making hotel reservations ahead of time is critical in these
busy summer months. Starting early will
also help you get the info and paperwork you need for any travel advances and dislocation
allowances. And, speaking of money, if you know a move is coming up, sooner is
always better to start building up a tiny cushion of reserve funds to prevent
that PCS money crunch. I also like to do
a little purging and organizing around the house before the packers come. Though things get a little jumbled in the
packing process, I feel like organizing ahead of time helps to ensure similar
items are packed together for easy unpacking at our new home. And don’t forget those sugar bowls and trash
cans! The movers are fast and thorough;
your sugar and your trash are likely to get packed if you don’t take care of it
ahead of time. Cleaning things well
before the packers come, especially things like couch cushions, carpets and
high chairs, will help ensure you don’t have some additional cargo of the insect
variety at your destination.
2. Find your Security Blanket. My security blanket during our moves is a
checklist that I affectionately refer to as the “Omnibus.” As long as I have my checklist, all is A-okay! I call my list the “Omnibus” because it’s a
series of smaller lists that I’ve merged into one and it covers all the major
pre-PCS planning steps, starting about four months out from a move. I keep the file on my computer and update it
after each move with anything I forgot or needed to add. When we’re ready for
our next move, I print it off, cross off things that don’t apply and I’m ready
to get to work. I leave extra space in
there to add notes and new tasks to the list. I love lists, so I also have
lists for packing our suitcases and car and for extra stuff we need if we are
camping out in Temporary Quarters for a while. You don’t have to be quite as
Type-A as I am, but I do strongly encourage some organizational system, whether
it’s a file folder, a notebook, a file box or whatever works for you. PCS means
lots of paperwork and lots of things on your mind. I find great peace in knowing everything is
in one place when I need it.
3. Be Kind to your Movers.
This is simple but effective. Your movers are working hard for you and you’re
trusting them with all of your possessions.
If you treat them as guests in your home (very hard working guests)
everyone has a better attitude and a better experience. Plus, when you are friendly and chat with
your crew, you’d be surprised about the tips and tricks you pick up from
them. I have always made an effort to
provide drinks and some food for our crews.
According to the DOD contracts with the moving agencies, this is not required
and the movers must bring their own supplies.
However, I remain firm that a little good will goes a long way to making
your packing, loading and unloading a pleasant experience. Over the years, I’ve tried different things –
coffee and donuts, ordering pizza and various take out options. I’ve come to two realizations – they are
appreciative of any gesture you make and fast food is EXPENSIVE! Now, my usual plan is to purchase some
disposable foil pans and refrigerated cinnamon rolls for the morning and some
frozen lasagna, a frozen garlic bread and a bag of salad at the commissary. It’s very affordable, easy to pop in the
oven, and tasty. The movers love it
since it’s a change from the usual fast food fare. If your budget can’t stretch that far, even
picking up a few spare bottles of water to toss in the fridge or having some
extra ice on hand is a kindness that will be appreciated.
4. Remember to de-stress
your babies – two-legged and four-legged.
We get stressed in the PCS process and it’s easy to overlook signs of
stress in your children and your pets. The changes can be scary for them and
they can easily pick up on our stress.
Make a conscious effort to build in some “down time” and “fun time” for
your family as you prepare to PCS and begin your travels. It’s tempting to drive as long and as far as you
can each day, but I promise you there is great value in making one day a
shorter driving day and finding something to do that doesn’t involve watching
the scenery fly by. Depending on where
we have been, we’ve enjoyed stops at local parks, wandering big outdoor outlet
malls, splurging at an amusement park, visiting national monuments and stopping
into visit friends along our travel route.
5. Keep a sense of humor. One day, in the not-too-distant
future, you will be settled in your new home and your PCS stress and adventures
(and mis-adventures) will be but a memory and, eventually, most of your
mis-adventures will be funny. Until
then, hang in there and keep reminding yourself that this is only temporary! Remember, the 30 days before and 90 days
after your PCS are the toughest to get through.
Good luck and best wishes with your PCS.
*This article appeared in the National Military Family Association's "Voice for Military Families" June/July 2012 edition. For more articles, check out www.militaryfamily.org.
