Field Problem: Getting Organized to Move

Dear, Field Problems:

My husband and I just received orders to PCS. The move is very unexpected. He just returned from a deployment and our house is unorganized, to say the least. Even though we have PCS’d before, I am totally overwhelmed and have no idea where to start to get ready for the movers. Help!

Ariana; Fort Stewart, GA; Active Army spouse of five years

Dear, Ariana:

We’re right there with you! Spending months without your spouse and being the only parent leaves “projects” on the back burner. Soon your house becomes less than desirable in the clean and organized arena. And no matter how many times you have PCS’d, it’s all too easy to feel overwhelmed when faced with major changes. Combine cleaning out the attic and reintegration and you’ve got a serious challenge on your hands.

Start by taking a deep breath. You can do this.

Make a list. We know it sounds silly, but once you have a list you can make a plan. Making a plan can take the stress out of the situation because you will have a goal and a structure to follow. Think big and write everything down.

Your list should include what you are going to do with each room and what the timeline is to finish the project. Do not plan out more than you can feasibly do in the allotted time. In the individual rooms, only do small sections a day. Think of it as one cabinet, one drawer, or one piece of furniture. Decide what to toss, what to keep, and what to get rid of (donate or sell).

Have a box or bin in each room along with a trash bag. All things to be donated or sold go into the box. All other things that don’t fit into those criteria get put into the trash bag. Everything else gets stacked or put away in such a way as to make it “mover friendly.”

As you go through a room, organize things to make it easier for a mover to pack. Put loose items such as pens, small kids’ toys, and silverware into Ziploc bags. Put “like” items together. Put larger, more substantial items into small plastic bins. If you group things together—such as kids’ toys that have multiple parts—it will not only help movers, but it will help you when you unpack.

If you have anything broken or anything that has missing parts determine if you are willing to fix it or not. If not, get rid of it now. Remember that if you see things that need to be repaired, repainted, or cleaned, do it now. You don’t want to be unpacking dirty items on the other end.

Get your family involved. You shouldn’t be the only one bearing the brunt of a total house clean up. Tell your children that whatever they sell in a garage sale gets them money to spend on something else. That seems to be quite a motivator.

Another concern whether you own your home or you are renting is getting the house prepared for selling or move-out. Here is where another list comes in handy. Chores like touching up paint, power washing, and installing new carpet are things that you need to budget time and money for.

Since you’ve moved before, we will skip the entire process of procuring transportation of your household goods and all the red tape that goes with it (Our advice? Assign this task to your husband). But, we did want to offer you a few tips for the dealing with the movers.

• Gather your important documents (medical records, marriage license, military IDs, children’s school records, vet records, orders, etc.) and hand carry them to your next station.
• Notify your children’s school of the upcoming PCS about three months out or as soon as possible
• Book temporary accommodations for your travel and arrival at the new location.
• Plan your route to the new location.
• Use up items that cannot be moved like food, cleaning products, candles, and other liquid or perishable items.
• Research your new area using spouse groups and installation pages. Check out our Post With the Most series for specific installation information and connection to spouse groups, realtors, schools, and more. You can search using the little magnifying glass on the right side of our homepage.
• Start and keep a household inventory including serial numbers of all electronics and appliances.
• Take pictures of all of your goods so that if they’re completely lost you have something you can reference.
• Have your post office hold your mail or do a forward to your permanent address until you know your new location.
• Separate “do not pack” items from the items the movers are going to pack.
• Don’t pack anything yourself, let the movers do it.

Ironically, it doesn’t seem to get easier. We remember wondering what the weight limit was as we tried to figure out creative ways to classify our magazine collections as “professional development” books. Not knowing what is around the bend is stressful. Take it one step at a time and don’t be afraid to ask for help.