AUGUST 23, 2023 – A military personnel’s family life often involves a lot of forward-thinking and organization. This is because they often have to move with little or no notice due to their service commitments.
Be it short-distance or long-distance; these moves can be stressful, requiring careful planning and execution.
However, we have made a comprehensive list of tried and tested tips to ease the relocation burden on your shoulders when duty calls.
Prepare for the Move
Transitioning from one location to another calls for detailed planning and tactical consideration. The act of moving demands structured actions to promise an efficient and coordinated shift.
Do Enough Research and Plan Ahead
You can liken a move to plotting a strategic journey. No one likes that last-minute rush and the chaos it can bring. A way to minimize this is through proper research and planning.
The best time to start planning your move is when you receive the order to move. Although it may be too early to set a moving day, you can set a moving week instead and work on that schedule.
Get an overview of where you and your family will be moving. You should understand schools, healthcare, housing, and local amenities to develop some sense of familiarity.
Create Your Moving Binder
Moving requires more paperwork than you would imagine, and you will need a binder to be as organized as possible.
Put together a binder that holds all the documents needed for the move. This includes copies of your relocation order, marriage license, birth certificates, new base contact information, car titles, medical documents, and insurance paperwork, amongst other things.
The organized file can also be useful when you want to re-register a car in another state or register your child at a new school.
Organize the Logistics of the Move
Figure Out Your Options
This step involves finding out the options open to you. Military personnel usually have various moving financing options due to their constantly moving lifestyle.
You could take advantage of military discounts, obtain PCS allowances, or use the relocation assistance program.
Other alternatives to the above options will be to either procure the services of a good moving company or move your load yourself.
Using a Moving Company
Although there is nothing wrong with you packing up yourself, it is always better to let the professionals handle it. This prevents any minor or significant damage to an item when transporting it.
It is advisable to shortlist companies that are popular in your intended state of relocation. For example, if you want to move to San Francisco, you can search for companies moving to or from San Francisco, CA.
Use Packing Strategies
Although packing can seem as easy as putting items into a box, there are more efficient ways to pack your load.
Moving companies usually store packed items inside a warehouse before they are transported to the desired location. Because of this, although unlikely, items can get misplaced in the process.
A way to prevent this is to inventory all your important items. This can be as simple as photographing all your items before packing and cross-checking them as you unpack.
Moving Day
Necessities and Final Inspections
You can help yourself with a kit of essentials like toiletries, medications, documents, and comfort items to see you through the process.
Before leaving your old residence, it’s important to do a thorough final walkthrough to make sure that nothing has been left behind.
After you’ve confirmed that everything is packed up, don’t forget to clean up your former home and make it look tidy for the next owner.