You know you’re moving… but you’re not sure where or when.
Are there still things to do this far in advance, despite not knowing the details? Yes! Even without orders in hand, you can still prepare for an upcoming PCS!
Declutter, declutter, declutter
You’ve heard it before: purge all the things! If you don’t have hard orders yet, just start decluttering. After all, whatever is in the home will be packed and moved to a new one. So try to really evaluate the things you need and the things that could get purged.
Decluttering tips:
- Start with small spaces. Don’t get too overwhelmed tackling large areas first. Try a cabinet or closet and then go from there.
- Decide what to do with your decluttered haul. Choose somewhere locally to sell or give away what you’ve decluttered. Pass on outgrown clothing to a friend. Donate everything to a local halfway house. Make a plan for whatever you’re going to do with the items you declutter.
- Clear the trash first. There’s likely some trash to clean out before getting to the treasures. Old papers, files, broken toys and clothing with holes or stains. Clear those items first. This allows you to have momentum to get to the things that may take some more brain-power.
Prep your home for sale
Selling a home is a complicated process. There is a lot of preparation and planning that goes into it, even weeks or months in advance. Depending on how far out you are from your move, you likely won’t be listing your home on the market anytime soon. But that doesn’t mean you can’t prep some things ahead of time.
Some things to do to prepare your home for sale:
- Contact a realtor and do a casual walk-through. Discuss anything major that might need fixing or changing before listing. This will give you some extra time and hopefully cut down on stress leading up to a big move.
- Patch holes or find paint colors needed for touch-ups.
- Discuss major repairs and possibly get a few different quotes.
- Start purging clutter or trash.
- Organize areas that aren’t as frequently used, such as the garage or storage areas.
Have open (but casual) conversations with your kids
As military families, kids typically know moves are inevitable. But depending on their ages, you may want to prepare them for an upcoming move ahead of time. Older kids are usually more aware of what’s happening. Or have moved a few times already. Younger children may have a harder time processing a hypothetical move. Decide what plan of action is best for your children.
Some ways to begin introducing your children to the topic of moving:
- Read books about moving to encourage open and spontaneous conversation
- Discuss past moves. Talk about the new and fun things they were able to do.
- Encourage your child to look at moving as something exciting and positive, even if they don’t remember it much.
- Always present moving positively to children. Yes, moving is extremely stressful. But be careful what tone you portray moving in when having conversations with your kids.
Consider what type of move you’ll do (PPM/HHG)
The choice to do a personally procured move (previously called a DITY move) or not, could change the way you prepare ahead of time. Deciding if you will move or have the military move you (or something in between) makes the difference in how you prepare your things, your family and your home.
Be sure to have these conversations with as enough time as possible.
Make lists
Last but not least, make lists. Even if you don’t consider yourself a highly organized person, lists help a lot when you move. But especially, already having these lists when the time comes.
Some things to think about before PCSing and create lists for:
- Things to get rid of before you move (anything from larger furniture to smaller items!)
- Home projects to do before listing your home
- Things to bring with you when PCSing
- What to put in a “Do Not Pack” room for packers or movers
- Paperwork to have before moving