Valued Tips from MilSpouses Who've PCS'd (Over and Over and Over Again)

Mention the topic of moving among a group of military spouses and you'll wind up with more helpful tips and horror stories than you'd hear from moms swapping birth stories! We recently asked Military Spouse magazine's Facebook fans to share their best moving advice. Though my own family has moved 18 or so times now, including six overseas moves, I still came away with fresh ideas (and a few more "bad move" stories!). I hope that, whether you've PCS'd once or a dozen times, you'll find some practical help here for your next move.

BEFORE THE MOVE: TIME TO PLAN

1) To DITY or not to DITY, that is the question...

While this isn't practical for some moves (i.e. overseas), it can be a valid choice, with the military reimbursing you the amount the move would have cost them. (DITY = Do-it- yourself.) The draw is that you can make money this way and it puts you in complete control of every aspect of the move. The downside: this puts you in complete control of every aspect of the move! You'll be responsible for everything: packing, loading, transporting your household goods, and unloading. And think through how that last part will go when you roll into a brand new location, not knowing a soul.

SPOUSE TIP: Melissa Graves of Virginia advises: "When doing a DITY move, contact a local moving company at your new station for some cheap muscle for unloading your truck."

2) Organize it!

The weeks preceding the move are the time to deep clean, hold a garage sale, and donate extra items. (It's a running joke in my family that the only reason my drapes are ever cleaned is due to moving every year!)

a) Create a "PCS binder" with important moving papers, financial documents, school information, employment certifications, schedules, and notes all in one spot.

b) Place junk drawer items, puzzle pieces, and other small items into zip-top bags. This works for silverware and utensils too, which will stay clean and un-handled till you open them on the other end.

c) Cover open baskets of toys or craft items with moving wrap from the home improvement store or place in plastic bins.

d) Group items how you'd like them packed-i.e., artwork and wall hangings, bathroom towels, rugs, waste baskets together.

e) Contact local utility companies for rates and deposits so you're not caught off-guard when you arrive.

f) Take photos and consider appraisal of high-value items.

3) Check it out!

Build excitement by looking at websites and social media from the new assignment together- school, extracurricular, and spouses' groups.

4) Take care of yourself.

While it's important to stay flexible, familiar routines are also important. Get enough sleep; keep exercise routines going. And maintain connections, even though the goodbyes are looming (though I prefer to say "see you later!," because truly you just never know)

(continue reading for moving day tips )

MOVING DAY: DO OR DIE!

The toddler is fussy, your middle-schooler seemed to think one final sports-injury- related ER visit was needed, and your husband is laid out flat on the floor of an empty room, dehydrated from the stomach flu, while you waddle around eight months pregnant. Yet moving day is here! Perhaps you're moving from one overseas location to another while your spouse is deployed (or several of the above-I've been there, too!). Some spouse-tested ideas to make moving day easier:

1) Keep your sense of humor.

The best-laid plans will come unglued. Best to expect it and then laugh!

SPOUSE TIP: Bette Sedona says: "Murphy's law may very well come into effect-'if something can go wrong, it will'... it will all pass in time and you will soon be laughing about the stress of the move."

2) Create a "don't pack" room or space.

Clear out a room for luggage, papers, jewelry, medication, purses, electronics; mark it "DON'T PACK" and shut the door. And on that note...

3) Mark an "unpack first" box.

Pack together and clearly mark a box or two of necessities you won't want to hunt for in the new house. Include whatever you'll need for sanity: shower curtains and rings, broom and dustpan, towels, sheets, air mattress, coffeemaker, paper towels and plates, plasticware, a couple of pots and pans, and wine glasses-I mean, the baby's sippy cups.

4) Color code it.

Use color- coded labels or tapes to mark boxes. On the receiving end, use the same labels to mark rooms to place boxes/ items. This will reduce a lot of the "Where does this go?" questions.

5) Feed your movers.

A fed mover is a happy mover! We provide pizza or big sub sandwiches and a cooler of sodas and water bottles.

6) Keep a watchful eye.

While you can't be everywhere, walk around and keep an eye on packing as it goes. Speak up if you don't feel items are being handled correctly. You might avoid having heavy weights packed in the bottom of an antique china cabinet or glassware thrown in a box with no packing materials (now that was fun to unpack after said box wended its way across the Pacific Ocean). Empty your trash cans and don't leave dirty laundry in hampers! Some movers will quite literally pack everything. Remind me to tell you the story sometime of friends whose pet turtle was accidentally packed...

7) A place for everything.

Screws and bolts for beds, cribs, shelves: ask movers to tape hardware to the piece of furniture it corresponds with.

8) Pack the beds and blankets last.

A must if packing will take several days-even one last night in your own bed is a godsend. I also request that a couple of chairs be left out till the end so I don't have to stand all day.

9) Take a picture in front of your old house.

Make time for closure for your family, whether you loved the station or not.

(continue reading for tips about settling in at your new location )

WHEN THE DUST CLEARS: SETTLING IN

You've arrived at your new location, the moving truck just pulled away, and you're faced with a mountain of boxes...where to begin?

1) Unpack the bed and couches first!

You'll be ready to fall into your own bed. Unpack the kitchen and living areas and set the rest in the garage to deal with later.

2) Enlist children's help in unpacking.

This gives them something practical to do and helps them feel ownership in the new place.

3) Create a keepsake.

Wrap moving stickers on a clear ornament. Each PCS will provide a unique holiday decoration!

4) Attend newcomer briefings.

Even if you're a seasoned spouse, these can spark ideas for plugging into your new community.

5) Breathe.

You did it! You're a pro. And I bet you now have a new story or two to add to your own collection of moving memories.

This article was originally published in our March print issue. To subscribe and make sure you don't miss out on any of our great content, click here.

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