The military
is full of surprises, especially when it comes to moving or in this instance
PCSing. It can be even more stressful when you do not have a home to go to at
your new duty station and this can cause so many uncontrollable emotions and
feelings especially with all the horror stories of previous moves from other
service members and their families that just makes you go NOPE I am moving my
own house. I’m here to tell you that it’s okay, this is temporary, we can find
solutions to every problem, even this one that may feel impossible to handle.
You don’t want the military to move your household goods (HHG)? No problem!
Research -
Look into storage ahead of time, ones that can
hold your entire house in one unit and with no long-term contracts, as you’ll
be needing the unit temporarily. You will have peace of mind knowing exactly
where your things are all times and not constantly wonder where on the road the
truck may be with all of your precious cargo. Make sure to get a storage
unit that has climate control to avoid your belongings from possible damage
such as humidity attacking your things with mold.
Packing –
It’s a good idea to plan the packing materials that you’re
going to need. For moving your items into a storage unit you’ll require varying
sizes of packing boxes, marker pens to label your boxes, bubble wrap, tissue
paper or newspaper, packing tape, protective coverings, and dust sheets. Please
Avoid plastic bags as these can increase your cahnces of mildew in storage.
Inventory-
Keep an inventory of your items; As you’re packing your
items, keep an inventory sheet of everything that is being placed into storage.
This will help you to keep track of all your belongings, as well as keepings
everything packed in their proper boxes. Going through your household goods
will also allow you to declutter your home, it will reduce the number of items
that are needed to be packed making the process easier; hazardous items are a
big no when putting things in storage, make sure you contact the storage unit
to be aware of the things that are prohibited to avoid any issues.
Clean –
Clean items before packing them into boxes. If you’re
keeping your items in storage for a while, it’s a good idea to clean them
before you pack them away. This helps to remove any dust, dirt or grime,
ensuring they’re in a relatively clean condition for storage. When the time
comes to collect them, they’ll still look spotless!