After several years of stability in one location, it finally came the time to embark on our 11th PCS. While I’ve grown accustomed to the frequent moving, this would be our first move since before the pandemic. While many things were still the same, there were many things that had changed drastically because of Covid. While many were hoping for the summer peak moving season to improve from 2020-2021, many others expected it to be like the previous year. Here’s what happened with ours…
Housing
As soon as we received our orders, we began to research housing options. Knowing that options would be slim, we started first with the process of buying a home. We found a great realtor, decided on a lender, did the pre-approval, gathered our info for the VA Loan, and began the shopping! We knew we would be over BAH, and set a budget of what we were comfortable spending each month and what we would be willing to stretch to if the house was worth it. At the time we began this process the interest rates were rising to around 4.75%. It only took a few weeks for us to find that for the size of the house our family needed on the minimum size, and our budget, we weren’t going to be able to afford to buy a home without me having a larger pay increase.
We shifted gears and considered on post, but with a near future plan of extending our family by a fur baby, we wouldn’t be qualified to live on post. Thankfully through watching the social media groups, we got a lead on a rental that met the size we needed and our budget. Within a few days, we had our housing secured.
Pro Tip: As soon as you know you are moving, consider putting your name on the post-housing list. You can always remove your name later, but it’ll give you a backup plan. Always have open communication and expectations about housing budgets with your spouse. Don’t buy a house if you cannot afford it. Shop your options.
Origin Location Experience
We were scheduled for a 2-day pack and a 1-day load for an estimated 17,000 pounds. We had frequent communication from our assigned move coordinator leading up to the day of packing, including a few check-ins during the pack and load days. Additionally, we also had contact from our driver the day before letting us know what time they would be arriving. We ended up with a crew of 6 to pack and load. They ended up getting everything, but the primary bedroom was completed (only because our cats were secured in there) on day 1. On day 2 the crew packed the primary bedroom and began loading everything.
As rooms were completed, we added color-coded room labels to each box to make delivery easier. We also took the time to review our inventory, fill out the HV inventory, and double-check each bedroom and closet to ensure everything was packed. As a commonly asked question each year in the social groups, we did provide lunch to our crew each day.
Pro Tip: Don’t forget to use a custom stamp or address labels with contact information on the boxes as well in case one goes missing. Review the inventory and take your time to make sure it is legible and accurate. You do have the right to note on the inventory anything that you do not agree with. Take Your Time!
Destination Location Experience
We had our delivery set and coordinated prior to loading since we knew when we would get the keys to our house. I kept in contact with our driver to let him know of any changes that might have happened along the way, as well as our move coordinator. On delivery day, we again had a crew of 6 to unload everything. I placed corresponding room labels on each door so the crew would only need to match the colors to know where everything went. My children helped check off inventory numbers, while my husband and I made sure furniture went to the right rooms and was placed in the right spots. We again fed our crew lunch.
In the end, we did a partial unpack to open some of our kitchen, all our wardrobe boxes, and our HV items. It was helpful at the end of the day to have some boxes out of the way, and some things unpacked and together.
Pro Tip: Make sure you check off all inventory numbers as they come off the truck to ensure that each line item shows up. You can also note any damage noticed and anything missing on the “notification of loss/damage at delivery” form. If you want an unpack, make sure it is requested in advance so your delivery can be staffed accordingly. Also, unpack your HV items on the day of delivery.
Other Tips to Pass Along
- Home Inventory – Have your own home inventory in the event of a catastrophic loss
- Insurance – Keep your renters’ insurance policy going to cover your items in transit and in storage. If you do not have this coverage you should shop around for a policy that includes it.
- Budget – Take the time to sit down and figure out your budget. Some of the entitlements/reimbursements you will know ahead of time. Having a budget can help prevent the PCS debt from piling up.
