As all military spouses know, moving every 2-3 years can be a total pain. I haven’t been through an entire PCS yet. My husband was already stationed here when we were married. So I packed up my worldly possessions and drove to the East Coast. We will be PCSing together in September, though. The best way to prepare oneself for anything military-related, including a move, is to do your research ahead of time. I spent countless wasted hours looking for our Old, Weird Townhome before moving out here. That’s why I’m happy to announce Our Military Home’s partnership with ApartmentGuide.com, a website dedicated to helping you move.
Not only does Apartment Guide’s website contain pictures, floor plans, apartment features, community tips, school listings, etc. about thousands of rental communities, it also offers a Moving Today blog which features helpful tips on living in your new home, finding a place to live, moving your own stuff, etc. I’ve checked out these resources myself and found the following five articles and tips most helpful for military spouses who are preparing to move.
1. This tip may seem kind of strange since most of my readers (and myself) are married and are probably not hunting for roommates anymore (thank, God), but I include it because I know of plenty of single Navy friends of ours who are constantly trying to find good roommates to live off-base. Apartment Guide has a great roommate finder resource that is searchable by city, town, and college.
2. You know I’m all about making my Old, Weird Townhome rental a home. That’s why I love that Apartment Guide’s Moving Today blog features DIY tips specific to rental housing like this “Fall Decorating for Your Apartment” blog post. They even have tips on making a DIY Fall Jack-O-Lantern window box {I need one}!
3. On a more practical level, I have been thinking about all the people/companies/agencies we will have to notify when we move. What a tremendous source of anxiety this will be. I was pleased to find this article on Who to Notify When You Move, which provides a link to a moving checklist. I’ll definitely be utilizing this when we move. Goodness knows I’ll have enough to worry about at that time.
4. Don’t forget to notify your landlord well in advance of your move (if possible). Here is a sample letter to a landlord you can utilize.
5. Finally, Apartment Guide’s Moving Today blog put together a list of ways to begin your apartment hunt. If you’re a military family like us, you often need to find off-base housing on very short notice. The resources at Apartment Guide can help you search for apartments near your base in an efficient manner. Start this process well before your PCS date if you plan on living off-base. I really, really wish I would have had access to something like this article before we moved, especially since I was randomly researching housing in a state on the East Coast from AZ with no real way to actually see the area in which I would be living.
In my opinion, the Moving Today blog is like a great, free magazine with practical tips for the transient military lifestyle. Go ahead, check it out! This company is way tech savvy. “Like” Apartment Guide on Facebook at Facebook.com/apartmentguide or follow them on Twitter @AptGuide for real-time tips and updates on making the most of your space. You can search for available apartments right within Apartment Guide’s Facebook page on the Search AG tab, and search for apartments with your Facebook friends by using the Search with Friends application on ApartmentGuide.com. You can also use the #OfficeHours hashtag on Twitter and Apartment Guide can help you narrow down your apartment search.
Now, one number is probably floating around in your head right now, that is, $100. I am pleased to announce that Apartment Guide is going to give one lucky Our Military Home Reader a $100 American Express gift card! WHAT???!!! Yes, it’s true. I’ll be using my beloved Rafflecopter for this giveaway as well, y’all know what to do.
Apartment Guide is owned by Consumer Source, Inc. Apartment Guide partnered with bloggers such as me to participate in its “Military Housing: Home Base in Any Place”Blogger Challenge. As part of that program, I received compensation. They did not tell me what to purchase or what to say about the products used for the “Military Housing: Home Base in Any Place”Blogger Challenge. Apartment Guide and Consumer Source believe that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words. Consumer Source’s policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations.
Links and Additional Information: Apartment Guide provides an array of tips and ideas for people in any sized home that are ideal for military spouses and their families. You can find the full list at MovingToday.com.
First, do your research. Find out all you can about the new area, the schools, the housing situation. Then when it comes to packing, try to get relatives or hire a babysitter to watch the kids. It is VERY stressful to pack with the kids getting into everything.
Good tip! Moving can be crazy!
Start packing early to have everything ready on moving day.
Thanks for the comment!
Use large Rubbermaid totes as moving boxes…you’ll probably need them for storage once you get to the new place!
We ALWAYS move ourselves because we make a butt-load of money that way, like minimum $5,000… if you’re willing to do the hard work of packing, loading, driving, unloading, unpacking, it’s SO worth it. (unless moving overseas!) The extra money helps with those little moving expenses like utility hook-ups, deposits, stocking the pantry and fridge, getting curtains, etc…
We’ve had friends do DITY moves and they actually ended up spending more money than if they had just let the military move them. I recommend letting the military do it, unless you’re only going a couple states away (but then it’s ALL on you, moving truck, packing, loading, unloading, etc. +no insurance if anything is broken – we got $500 for stuff that broke en-route).
When preparing for the movers, take everything off the walls. We ziplocked/taped any hardware together (ie: curtain rods + their screws). We got mattress covers for our beds (allergy & bed-bug ones). For our clothes that weren’t going in our suitcases we placed them in spacebags to keep the dust/etc out, we also put a dryer sheet in each bag. Invest in a nice briefcase to use as a carry-on, if going on a plane… we put all of our important documents (birth certificates, passports, wedding license, my hubby’s coin collection, on & on…). Anything of high value- get it appraised and show the movers, they will mark the box and write a special note on the inventory list.
If you have any questions let me know… esp. if you’re coming overseas!
I also forgot to mention DLA (Dislocation Allowance) not many people know about it… you HAVE to ASK for it, they won’t just give it to you. It is the money to cover those extra costs mentioned above (utilities, deposits, etc). We got $2,000.
When packing label your boxes so when you need to unpack them there will be some organization to your unpacking.
Starting packing early! There is always much more than you think there is that needs to be packed!
my best piece of moving advice would be to ask friends and family to help with the move!
Find out what paperwork needs done way ahead of time and just do everything you can as early as possible. I had to go through EFMP and it ended up being last minute–it was AWFUL. Also, make sure if stuff is broken or missing when it gets to your new home to file the claims immediately.
organize! because if you’re anything like me you will lose half your stuff. i have no idea how it happens, but it does!
My advice is to make a list of items that you need frequently and keep them out so that you do not accidently pack them.
If you can do away without even some or all of your furnishings and other personal effects, consider having a moving sale if the landlord allows it and if so arrange for an available space to hold it. This allows for lower moving costs.
Make sure to back up all your computer files and have a special place for all important papers. Keep your valuables separate from the rest of the stuff and keep it locked up and safe!
I write a few key items in each box on the outside of the box and on a master list. Then if I need something specific I can find it fairly quickly.
do not procrastinate. start early and label everything. lots of little things come up and you run out of time.
My sure to have enough boxes and try to pack one room at a time, and make the boxes.
I tweeted again, but I can’t enter it for the giveaway?
http://twitter.com/#!/sarahruthtoday/status/128867311795970048
My advice would be to label boxes.
label everything and put “necessities” in their own box so you don’t have to dig through things when you need toothpaste and paper towels!
I would say to get plenty of rest the day before and never leave anything to the last minute. Always have plenty of all sz boxes and plenty of packing tape!
my advice would be to hire a mover! if thats not possible, then start early and take your time and soon you will be all settled in!
My moving advice is to make a packing goal and start early! Pack a little every day. Start with the little things that are barely used, like decorations or “those” kitchen appliances, then work your way room to room. But be sure to pack a bag of things you will need the day of the move and the first night in the new house. Nothing is worse than not having the things you need!
My best piece of advice is to label, label, label boxes and totes. Then keep a list (by label number) of what is in each box or tote. This helps keeps you organized when it comes to unpacking.
My husband was already here when we got married so I packed two suitcases and jumped on a plane. Eek! So, I don’t have any PCSing tips. But, ask me again in a couple years! lol
I’d research my destination and my route to reach it. I’d also research moving companies. But, probably what I think is most important is to get rid of stuff you shouldn’t bother with packing/moving!
Thanks for the giveaway.