Avoid PCS Move Wipeout! TIPS FOR THE DAYS AND WEEKS LEADING UP TO YOUR MOVE! Table of Contents 1. Get Ready to Move 2. 3 Months Before the Move 3. Should You Move Yourself? 4. Helping Military Kids Cope 5. One Month Before the Move As you begin to plan your upcoming PCS, many questions will begin to pop up. Whether it’s your first move or you’ve got many moves under your belt, you may be asking questions like the following: •Should I move myself? •How can I help my kids cope? Get Ready •What can I be doing now to prepare? to Move! You don’t have to figure it out alone. Let us help! As your military relocation experts, MilitaryByOwner can help make the pre-move weeks and months easier and less stressful. In this resource, you’ll find checklists for the months leading up to the move, tips for helping your kids transition, and information for conducting a Personally Procured Move, also known as a DITY (“do it yourself”) move. Image from myguysmoving.com Here’s hoping that you have orders several months before you PCS, but no matter the time frame, there are a few things to pay attention to as soon as those magical orders are in hand! Take a look at your finances and 3 Months create a budget. Learn more in our post, “Don’t Forget These 5 Before the Expenses in Your PCS Budget.” If you’re currently renting, notify Move your landlord of your upcoming move. But don’t do this until your orders are firm, as orders can change and you don’t want to be without a place to live. If you own your home, begin preparing your house for the market. Our free ebook, Quick & Easy Steps to Prepare for Your PCS Move, gives you more details about that process. Read on for more tips! See More PCS Move Resources Tips to Prep for Your Move Research the new location. ● Check the installation’s website and social media for information on schools, jobs, and more. ● Take a look at our series of free military installation guides! ● If you’re PCSing overseas, your sponsor will be an invaluable resource. Decide how your vehicle will get there. Depending on the type of move, you may need to ship or store your vehicle. Begin the purge. Go through your belongings and start getting rid of items you haven’t used in a while. Donate or pencil in a date on your calendar for a yard sale. Keep reading for more helpful resources! Get the Most Bang for Your Buck Out of Your Pre-PCS Garage Sale 12 Steps to Your Best PCS Move Yet 6 Ideas to Cut the Clutter and Organize Your Home PCS Move Checklists Start creating a PCS binder with important papers, copies of orders, and other moving documents. This will be your “brain” for the remainder of your move! Schedule any necessary medical or dental appointments. You’ll need medical clearance for an overseas move or if a member of your family is enrolled in the EFMP (Exceptional Family Member Program). Image via luke.af.mil Schedule vet appointments for your pets, and ensure they are up to date on their vaccinations. They will also need medical clearance if moving overseas, or you may consider leaving them with your family or friends for a time. Overseas PCS Survival Guide Heading overseas? Get the ins and outs of all you need to know from our free ebook: moving with pets, what you can ship, downsizing, and much more! Click image to learn more. Personally Procured Moves (PPMs) are authorized military moves allowing the service member to pack and transport their household goods (HHGs) in a manner they chose. Alternative transportation Should You options typically include rental trucks and trailers, portable Move storage containers, privately owned vehicles, and hired Yourself? commercial carriers. The service member is then reimbursed the majority of money the government would have paid for a contractor to conduct the move. This voluntary program was previously referred to as Do-It-Yourself (DITY) Moves. A Partial PPM allows the military member to pack and load a portion of their HHG, leaving the rest to be moved by a government procured move. Pros & Cons of a Personally Procured Move (PPM) Did you know? For most branches of the military, it’s possible to request an advance payment of up to 60% percent of the estimated amount of your move’s operating costs. Benefits of a Personally Procured Move Added flexibility. A busy PCS season often leaves moving dates restricted. Choosing dates that suit your schedule can ease the transition. Additional TDY may also be available. Extra money. If done correctly and without exceeding allotted weight limits, there is a high likelihood of making some extra money. PPMs are authorized to receive 95% of what it costs the government to transport your HHG. Control. Property owners have more control over how well items are prepared, boxed, loaded, and unloaded. A partial PPM may be a good choice! If a vehicle has to be driven to the next duty station anyway, it makes sense to fill a truck with goods you might want on hand immediately at the destination. Precious items that cannot be replaced are also suggested for a partial PPM. Disadvantages of a Personally Procured Move A PPM requires extreme attention to detail, patience, and hours of hard work. Securing moving rentals such as trucks or storage facilities are just the beginning of the process. Proper documentation of allowances and many other items are required to be reimbursed. Some expenses such as a tow dolly rental, auto transport, and gas for a second vehicle are not covered. However, they may be tax deductible. It will be difficult to travel leisurely if worrisome trucks or trailers are in tow. Navigating tourist attractions and parking while traveling can become a nuisance. Securing lit and visible overnight parking is vital to avoid break-ins and theft. How to Plan Your PPM 1) Make an appointment with your installation’s transportation office. You may be eligible to complete this counseling online through the DOD website move.mil. This meeting will help eliminate costly errors and provide exact details regarding weight limits and which forms are required to make the move. 2) Decide which rental equipment and packing materials will be needed and plan for pick up dates. Schedule and secure moving companies if they are an option to help pack, transport, or unload items. Typical forms processed for a PPM: · DD 1351-2: Travel Voucher · DD 2278: Application for DITY Move and Counseling Checklist · Copy of PCS Travel Orders · Certified Weight Tickets, one for Gross (full) weight and one for Tare (empty) weight · Copy of Paid Rental Agreement · Copy of vehicle registration for POV and/or boat/trailer Professional companies often offer partial moving assistance. Determine if temporary Pro tip: storage is required at either end of the trip. Compare 3) Update your insurance policies. PPMs prices and require up-to-date insurance policies for negotiate vehicles, trailers, and accident coverage. between rental truck 4) Get accurate vehicle weights, fully companies to loaded and unloaded. This is crucial for secure the reimbursement. Follow all instructions from lowest price! Move.mil and your transportation office. 5) Assemble all necessary receipts in one folder to submit for reimbursement. Costs that are paid include: · Payment for rental vehicles and packing materials · Moving equipment such as hand trucks · Gas and oil expenses · Weight tickets and highway tolls Take a look at this DITY Move Calculator. Note: There is a window after the move to submit paperwork for settlement, so check with your transportation office. The claim must be complete and correct in order to receive a full payout. A detailed description of a PPM can be found at TRANSCOM’s “It’s Your Move.” Moving is an inevitable part of military life. In the middle of all the activity that goes along with a military relocation, it can be easy for kids Helping to feel lost in the shuffle. If a move is stressful for adults, it is even Military Kids more so for children, who may not fully understand everything that’s Cope with going on. PCS Here are some tips to connect with your children, keep the lines of communication open, and help make the transition easier during this time. Take a look at some of MilitaryByOwner’s posts created to help guide military parents guide kids through this time: ● Help Your Military Kids Through the PCS Transition ● 7 Tips to Help Your Kids Cope with PCS Image from defense.gov ● Ease the PCS Transition with the Youth Sponsorship Program Before the Move Let kids help. From separating belongings to packing up a few boxes and choosing items to donate or sell, let kids have a say in what is happening. Keep talking. Some children may ask a lot of questions; some may not. Whether it’s their first move or their tenth, be available and willing to answer their questions about the impending move. Check in with your child often to have a gauge for how they’re coping. Be honest and open about what is happening (i.e. don’t promise they will come back to visit if you’re not able to follow through). Encourage them to say goodbye. Realize that some children may not wish to go through yet another round of goodbyes. Take photos of them in front of their house, with their friends, in front of their school or other favorite places.