Post your PCSing/pack-out tips!

Mereou12 · May 2011

It's been over 3 years since our last PCS, and this'll be the first one with a kid (and pregnant -- yahoo, double the fun!), so I'm looking for your best PCS tips! Anything from prepping for the pack-out, the day of the packing/loading, and arrival at the new place.

The one thing that I *know* we'll be doing is buying breakfast/lunch for the movers...in our experience, they treat our things infinitely better if they're well fed and treated well!

TIA!

Brit242 · May 2011

Leave out at least one baking sheet and one sauce pan to put in your suitcase. You can cook tons of different meals with just those. If you have room for a boilng pot and frying pan, even better.

beloved09 · May 2011

This may be old news to you, but EMPTY your garbage cans, especially the bathroom ones. I've known people who have been greeted with 3 month old bathroom trash at their new duty station. EW. Think about it- what do YOU keep in your bathroom trash? (Though I suppose that would be less likely for us pregnant ladies!)

Also, if you are intent on keeping your kitchen spices, they will pack them if you have them sealed away in ziplock bags inside closed containers, like a little storage bin. That can save you big bucks when you arrive! I am still buying spices nearly a year after I got here.

Temp76535187505890 · May 2011

Gather all documents you might need to get utilities started at your new house (old utility bill, etc) if you're not living on post.

designate one closet (or your car works too) for all of the items you don't want packed. Let the packers know AND mark with tape or a sign since not everyone gets the message or remembers half the time.

Don't be shy in telling them how you want stuff packed. Ie: demanding they use hanging clothes boxes and NOT stuffing the bottoms with shoes, etc (we had this problem and had to dry-clean or press 100% of our closet items)

Tell them not to use your clothes and linens as packing material for other boxes. Some people put their clothes in bags or suitcases so they don't have movers hands all over their stuff thus making them need rewashed when you unpack.

GreenFlamingo7 · May 2011

This was new to us on our PCS packout last week- absolutely no liquids of any kind whatsoever. Not even lotion in a plastic bottle. They wouldn't pack deodorant either- even though it was the stick kind. No canned goods. Craziness. We ended up having to do a partial DITY move with a small Uhaul trailer so that we could bring stuff from the kitchen and bath with us. No way was I tossing half the pantry. I suggest checking with your moving company for a list of the things they won't pack so that there are no surprises.

Mereou12 · May 2011

Yeah, we ended up with a box full of empty Wal-Mart bags when we unpacked our shipment in Japan. Oops. Definitely taking the trash out before they arrive!

GreenFlamingo -- that's crazy that they wouldn't pack any liquids or canned goods! You always read that on the list of things they won't pack, but every mover we've had (or heard about for that matter) packed them anyway. When we left Okinawa, they packed absolutely EVERYTHING but spray paint and our fire extinguisher. All canned goods, all lotions, and even most of our cleaning supplies. They're coming Monday to survey the house for packing estimates, and that's one of the FIRST questions I'll be asking. Fortunately our PCS is crazy short (less than 3 hours away), so we're hoping they'll be a bit more leniant.

Temp76535187505890 · May 2011

I think it's the gov't cracking down on reimbursements for damages stemming from liquids/wax/etc and not necessarily the moving companies. They're just passing on the liability.

When I PCSed from Germany the movers were even willing to pack up my wine but when we moved last year from NY to VA the movers were very strict on what they would and would not pack. We also had a few boxes full of cleaners, bathroom items, etc that we moved in my husband's vehicle and then claimed via partial DITY. I suppose we'll do that next time too since I get so tired of having to rebuy things like finger nail polish remover.

proudarmywife08 · May 2011

Get a sitter for your LO on packing and moving days. Its too hard to keep an eye on the movers and packers and your LO. We've done it the other way and things got broken and screwed up. If you have anything in boxes, tell them to keep them in boxes instead of dumping them into new boxes. They literally dumped our boxes out into their boxes and screwed up a lot of my crafting stuff (scrapbook papers, etc). If you have original boxes for anything, have those out for the movers to use and INSIST they use them. We had our original tv boxes and the movers took the styrofoam out of the boxes and PACKED it in a separate box and then put the tv in the box. Um, really?!?

ac5008 · May 2011

I have no idea how to do it, but if you can figure out how to organize your house so that there is SOME reason to how they pack it up that would be so helpful on the other side! I just figured theyd pack a room in a way that made sense, but Im opening boxes at our new duty station and they have things like one pillow, one picture, a cup and some shoes!

animalcrckr · May 2011

I like to be as organized as possible. I wash all towels/bed linens a couple weeks ahead and pack in those large ziploc storage bags and have them all lined up and ready to go. We also have alot of the original boxes for our kitchen appliances that we store in the attic. I pack these myself into those boxes.

I also like to "eat down" the pantry items in the couple months leading up to the big move.

I would also recommend setting aside an area or even room to place items you do not want the movers to pack. It helps make sure something that shouldn't does not get packed.

One more anal thing that we do is try to keep a personal inventory of all our stuff. We have had items go missing and there's really no way to prove that you owned it unless you have original receipts/photos/video - even then it can be difficult.

Good luck. We go again in 12 months and I am already starting to mentally prepare:)

1momma · May 2011

animalcrckr:
I like to be as organized as possible. I wash all towels/bed linens a couple weeks ahead and pack in those large ziploc storage bags and have them all lined up and ready to go. We also have alot of the original boxes for our kitchen appliances that we store in the attic. I pack these myself into those boxes.
I also like to "eat down" the pantry items in the couple months leading up to the big move.
I would also recommend setting aside an area or even room to place items you do not want the movers to pack. It helps make sure something that shouldn't does not get packed.
One more anal thing that we do is try to keep a personal inventory of all our stuff. We have had items go missing and there's really no way to prove that you owned it unless you have original receipts/photos/video - even then it can be difficult.
Good luck. We go again in 12 months and I am already starting to mentally prepare:)

Ive never PCS'd before but it was suggested to me to make an excel file with the serial #'s of all your valuables and have them checked off and signed by whoever is in charge of the movers, and you.

gigismomma · May 2011

We have never hired movers/packers or used TMO but only because I like to do it myself, I was never pregnant though.

I would label all the boxes clearly, if you have time in advance print off labels to stick on the boxes this way the movers, packers, and you are all on the same page.

I found moving with a toddler to pack stuff for them to be occupied with, a puzzle, some crayons, their own checklist so they think they have a 'job' in the move. This way they can focus on something besides you.

Also in the new destination I never put ANY boxes in my bedroom, it is the one place for my and the DH to go and not look at any boxes.

I also always pack a overnight bag for the family so we have necessities in the new place. Never forget to pack some kind of relaxing shower gel something or another for you. I found this is helpful when I finally reach the new place and we are getting ready to go to bed not only do I have no boxes to look at n my room I have a relaxing shower.

Good luck to you and try to relax and look forward to the new adventure for you and your family.

MrsS2203 · May 2011

Double check the packing lists. I suggest doing a partial DITY(well ok full DITY,but that's just us) move for the things they won't pack/move.

Get rid of/ donate the items you just don't use or want. As I'm sure you know there is always a family in need of that item.

soldierswife · May 2011

We emptied out one room in our house and moved in everything that we were keeping with us (my purse, paperwork, stuff for our dog, etc.)

The mover's didn't go in there and we knew that things we needed wouldn't accidentally get packed away...which I have heard nightmare stories about!

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