PCS ing: Tips to Remember

I had moved many times in college, approximately twice a year for 6 years. I am generally good at moving, packing, prepping, stressing, and playing car Tetris. With that said, prepping for and going through a pcs move is something entirely different.

Our first pcs move was two weeks after our wedding, and as you can imagine, extremely stressful.  My husband had pcs-ed before, but not with me, two cats, and a fully furnished house. So there was a learning curve for both of us. And with our most recent pcs move now behind us, I thought this was a perfect time to compile this, both for you and as a reminder to myself.

So here are a few things that I wish someone would have straight out told me about prepping and moving for a pcs move. These are numbered but not in any particular order.



1. ORGANIZE

What I like to do is sort items by category.
     All the books go into the master bed room.
     All quilting, sewing, and painting items are sorted and condensed.
     All picture frames are on the dinning table.
     All pillows, linens, and bedding in one area.
     All candles in one spot.
     (You get the idea.)

This type of organizing can help you sort through everything in a way that refreshes your memory of everything you have, throw out /donate things you don't use or need, and photograph items.



2. PHOTOGRAPH

You should have photographs of everything in your home, incase anything gets damaged while in transit. Larger items may require multiple shots like the TV or couch, but it is so very worth it when filling claims. I've heard horror stories of everything from a couch being broken to the majority of glass items being destroyed. So take the move as a time to reflect on how blessed you are and write / photograph your items. Documentation is key.



3. TALK TO YOUR MOVERS

If you do go with a moving company talk with the movers. Usually you'll get the number for the driver and / or a representative and they can answer a lot of questions. Get a conversation going. Find out their plan of attack for your house and answer any questions they have while packing your items. Remember to be polite and courteous. You may be stressed, but there's no reason to not be polite and speak your mind. Also, if you go with movers, they will send an estimator by before the actual move. Their job is to go through your house with you and, you guested it, get an estimate on how much stuff you have, usually by weight. This is a good time to tell them things that the movers will not be taking, i.e. things you will be taking. As well as if you have any concerns for certain items, like your high value items.

Bonus: You will soon know how much your possessions are by weight. It won't be by truck load or box numbers. Weight. This is weird initially, but let it happen, it's part of the pcs process.



4. KNOW WHAT THE MOVERS WILL NOT TAKE

If you go with movers, make sure you know what they will not move for you, so you can plan ahead. Usually these items include: food, liquids (including soap, paint, glue, etc.), fire works, ammunition, batteries, etc. The estimator and / or representative will have a list for you, and if you're not 100% sure, it is ok to ask.  (I had my husband call once or twice with several questions on our first pcs move.)  This makes moving interesting as you try to minimize toiletries and pantry supplies as the moving day(s) draw closer. 



5. DECIDE WHAT ITEMS YOU WILL BE TAKING WITH YOU

And stick to that. No more. Don't add items to what you'll have in the car or suit case with you. If at all possible have the bare minimum with you. It adds up quickly, trust me.  Last pcs our car was so packed we couldn't move the seats. With that in mind, the hardest part is you need to simplify your belongings into essentials that you'll have with you whether the movers have been by or not.

What I had wished on our first move was that someone would share their list of must haves with me. These change with each move but these are generally what's on the list. So hopefully this gives you an idea of what will work for you in your situation.

     -Air mattress and pump (Yes, we invested in both of these for when we have no furniture so that we don't have to sleep on the floor. I highly recommend it. Most people we've met have these as well. It's not glamorous but it's better than sleeping directly on the floor.)

     -Sheets, blankets, pillows, woobie. (The woobie is warmth, the woobie is wonderful, the woobie is life.)

     -"PCS ing utensils" gallon zip lock bag; includes old mismatched silverware from college, plastic silverware paper napkins, paper plates and wet wipes. (This always lives in my pantry.)

     -Cat items: food, bowls, treats, calming treats (for moving day / when movers come), litter box, litter, one blanket per cat, toys, and a few cleaning / old stained towels in case the worst happens.

     -Some high value items: laptops, camera, xbox, jewelry, original manuscripts of my writings, etc.

     -Keepsakes or super personal items: our collection of vintage military books, a small hand painted Japanese vase, an eagle feather, wax dino figure from the Field Museum, - basically small, fragile items that I don't want to be parted with that mean a lot to us.

     -Small camping / folding chair - this is my husband's must have (along with the xbox, let's be honest.)

     -Busy items: limited art items for me, xbox games for him, and movies, ipod, and head phones for both of us. Art supplies include: small box of markers or pencils, and one sketch book, two to three books, and my tablet. I usually try to keep items down to what can fit in my purse.

     -Electronics: chargers, phones, remotes to TVs and consoles (that way we know where they are when we arrive), batteries (I always try to keep fire alarm batteries on hand, it's better to be safe than sorry when the batteries unexpectedly die), etc.

     -Food. Including pantry items (depending on the move, this may be little to a lot) and snacks for the road.

     -Clothes: For me this usually is about a week's worth of cloths that can be mixed and matched, re worn and washed easily. For my husband, it's a similar but with the addition of his dress blues, uniform, and boots.

     -Basic cleaning supplies. These are for the space you're leaving, the new space you're moving to, and everything in between. I try to minimize this to disinfectant wipes and / or spray, hand soap, and a small amount of laundry detergent.



6. SIGNS

Put signs on every and anything that the movers should know or see so that you're not repeating yourself and they don't have to keep asking. For our moves this includes signs on appliances that we ARE NOT taking with us, a DO NOT ENTER sign on the room that the cats are in / the items that we'll be taking with us. You can also talk with the movers when they arrive and make sure the bedrooms are designated certain names or numbers, which can make moving into your new place easier. Typically my signs read "Please do not remove items nor enter" or "Please do not enter, cats inside."



7. PETS

This comes in two parts. One, I usually will have a bag (plus) for pet items. Food, dishes, toys, bedding, hygiene items (liter box / wee pads, shampoo, pills, etc.), documentation and health records, and crates to name the basics. Two, you need to move your pet(s) into a room or separate location when the moving team is at your house. This makes it easier on every involved. This way, both you and the movers won't have to worry about the pets being under foot or getting out of the house. The pets will be able to have their own safe space while the house is changing. We usually put our cats in the laundry room, a large empty closet, or bathroom with food bowls, liter box, and a sign on the door saying not to enter.



8. HIGH VALUE ITEMS

This was painfully obvious to me that I messed this up the first time we had a pcs move. So let me save you the embarrassment. With high value items such as antiques, paintings, or electronics like TVs, you need to have them documented. A simple list of the items and their description is a great starting place. What I originally failed to do, is to have the price or appraisal value of the item(s).  Some times the appraiser / estimator for the move will give you a form to fill out for high value items, when they do a walk through of your house. For instance in our first move we put items like our TV, my wedding dress, and my vintage sewing machine from 1914 on the high value list to name a few things. I didn't put the price that they cost on the list, so it was incomplete and I think technically invalid. Luckily our movers and driver were very kind and explained how I should fill out the sheet as well as have a second copy of it for our own records.



9. BOXES

Cardboard and packing supplies are an ever present item in our house. After each move, I try to save some of the smaller and medium sized boxes for our next move. Sturdy reusable bags and old duffle bags come in handy too, so don't rule them out. You'll be surprised with how creative you can get when stress and lack of sleep sets in.



10. YOU ARE NOT IN CONTROL

This is the hardest part. No matter how much you plan and prep, things can go wrong or right regardless of what you do. I just try to get to the point where I will be mentally ok if things fall apart or if things go smoothly.   That really is my goal when house hunting, researching the new location, and prepping the house. Things will get messy, lost, possibly broken, you might cry, you will be happy, you will be sad; it's alright, it's a transition, it's very normal.


I hope these things help in your first or next pcs move. Let me know some of your favorite tips, tricks, or mess ups, in the comments, twitter, or by email. I'd love to hear from you!



Happy creating, and happy moving!

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