PCS Prep: How to Purge Your Unwanted Items

By Dawn M. Smith for MilitaryByOwner Advertising, Inc.

A huge part of PCS organization is the traditional purging of all the stuff. From tossing the old and broken to scheduling a furniture donation pick-up, the need for intense organizational skills is required to avoid paying for an overweight household shipment and wasting valuable space in your new garage with unopened boxes of unnecessary items.  

Here’s how you can manage your pre-PCS purge:

1. Don’t wait until the last minute. 

Nothing good comes from delaying the inevitable. You’ll miss out on key services like available dates for donation pick-up. Last-minute planning won’t maximize the earning potential you could have by selling items online or at a yard sale. 

2. Don’t go through the process alone. 

Ask for human help sorting and tossing (hello, family members!), and take advantage of multiple online organizational tools and marketplaces. Better yet, hire a professional military spouse home organizer to help conquer the overwhelm. 

3. Plan a sale at your home. 

A sale set up in your front yard or garage is an efficient way to earn profit from your previously loved items. But, a successful sale requires a preparation period. Culling each room could take weeks. The clean, repair, and label process might take a few weeks more, given all the other related PCS tasks that have to be done during the months before a move. 

Here’s a refresher on how to Get the Most Bang for Your Buck out of Your Pre-PCS Garage Sale. 

Don’t forget you can piggyback on local outlets such as base and neighborhood-wide sales, a church consignment, or school fundraisers. 

4. Sell through apps or online sales.

Depending on your area or style of living, a yard sale may not be an option. Consider poking around some of the popular apps or for-sale sites to see if you have in-demand items that customers will pay great prices for. 

Some companies are stringent about the quality of items accepted, and all vary on how the postage works and the percentage of money taken on the sale from the host company. If your items lean toward bargain prices, a one-and-done yard sale might be the best route. 

Look into these choices sooner rather than later, because they require more time to process than you might think. Once you’ve established the “how-to” of each company’s selling details, the process moves quickly; but initially, you’ll need to calculate plenty of time to clean the items, photograph, package, and ship the clothing or household pieces. Don’t forget to add in some time for marketing and negotiating with savvy bargain buyers. 

To sell clothing and accessories, try:

• ThredUp
• The RealReal
• Poshmark
• Vestiaire Collective
• Worthy
• Kidizen

To sell home goods and more:

• Letgo
• Mercari
• Decluttr
• Chairish
• Swappa
• StillWhite 

If your duty station is near a larger outside population, you could have great luck selling via local buy pages or outlets. 

• Facebook Marketplace
• 5miles
• OfferUp
• Bookoo
• Nextdoor
• On base consignment and thrift stores 

5. Do a Good Deed 

Let’s face it, selling your treasures requires a lot of time and effort, both of which you’re probably short on while you’re getting ready to move, which makes donating what you can’t use an attractive option. 

Donation doesn’t necessarily have to be a second choice. For some families, giving is a cherished tradition before each move, and recipient organizations are far better off for their generosity. 

If you choose to strengthen your community or supply worthy charities (many directly impact veteran causes) with inventory, it’s helpful to know the reputable names and the causes they support. Research their missions and operations to feel comfortable donating. 

Many offer free pick-up, but most get busy during the summer moving months. Schedule pick-ups early, especially for large items. These groups vary on which items they’ll take, so be sure to read their websites for details. 

• GreenDrop
• Salvation Army
• Habitat for Humanity
• Goodwill
• Pick Up Please
• Furniture Bank
• The Arc
• AMVETS
• The Beethoven Foundation and PianosForEducation (pianos)

Locally, tap into Buy Nothing Groups on Facebook to gift your neighbors with things they never knew they wanted! Plus, you’ll find plenty of teachers, daycare staff, church groups, and other service providers who will be thrilled with books, toys, and kitchen accessories. 

Don’t forget about your installation’s borrow bin, lending closet, or whatever term the installation uses to collect household goods for temporary or emergent use by incoming and needy families. 

Organizing a PCS purge is daunting for so many, but as we all know, the clean-out is unavoidable and a part of the military way! Make the most of the season by preparing a significant donation and then delight in your good deed or earn enough money with the proceeds from a consignment app or a tried and true yard sale to outfit your next new home!