Any tips on moving with movers?

[j.griff]

We will be moving across the country in a few months, (it's hard to believe, hard to imagine, and I know none of it will feel real till we've gotten settled there). When we moved out here, the movers moved us too, but we didn't have nearly as much stuff (there were only 3 of us then, now there's 6 of us LOL). We haven't had a major move since then, just small moves where we rented a U-Haul and moved ourselves. I would like to get as organized as possible before the move, and I'd like to do as much preparation as we can to make things go smoothly emptying this home, and moving into our new home. Any tips, links, advice, etc. is MUCH appreciated. TIA

[Claire]

My only tip is to be *sure* you carry all personal items yourself -- photo albums, family video, memorabilia, keepsakes, etc. I still remember a tv documentary about a couple cross-country move. The moving company stole everything they had, and the mother had allowed them to take the family photographs. Many people pitched in to replace their furniture, etc., but photographs of the maternal grandmother were irreplaceable.....

[stephanie]

We will be moving across the country in a few months, (it's hard to believe, hard to imagine, and I know none of it will feel real till we've gotten settled there). When we moved out here, the movers moved us too, but we didn't have nearly as much stuff (there were only 3 of us then, now there's 6 of us LOL). We haven't had a major move since then, just small moves where we rented a U-Haul and moved ourselves. I would like to get as organized as possible before the move, and I'd like to do as much preparation as we can to make things go smoothly emptying this home, and moving into our new home. Any tips, links, advice, etc. is MUCH appreciated. TIA

 

We just moved my momma today about 20 miles from her home. She didn't have much of her own, but there was still a lot of stuff. She rented an 18 foot Budget truck and hired 2 moving men ($15/hr) to come move the big furniture. My dc and I went over and loaded all the boxes that we could to help cut back on the time the movers were there. I understand your move is across country so that may not work for you. I can say; however, that it would have not been so overwhelming if she would have started packing sooner. Maybe packing just a box a day, or a room/week. Also, I was thinking that when I move I'm going to rent a big dumpster to throw all the old things away, or have a garage sale, or bring to Salvation Army. When your moving is the best time to really start over and get rid of all those things that tend to clutter your life. Get lots of boxes, markers and tape. My momma got her boxes at a local grocery store for free, and they worked great. They were actually banana boxes so they were easier to carry. Also, the wardrobe boxes were a blessing. She just hung her clothes and lived out of the box. These are just a few ideas. I hope your move is smooth!

[Tess in the Burbs]

we have done this twice, once out west with no kids, one east with young child. Obviously we couldn't take all our personal items with us(like photo albums). But the idea of some isn't bad. We had good experiences both time.

 

Are they packing for you? I didn't like them doing it, but both times it was only $100 more for them to. The truck guy prefers it actually(better idea on weight apparently). But if you pack yourself, pack tight and don't worry about heavy. They prefer heavy over volume. And throw out all trash/food so it won't get packed. yes, they packed my bathroom trash!

 

I do suggest having one of you around if they pack for you. Just to keep checking on them. I actually packed my jewelry box in another box beforehand. They just put it into a larger box with more stuff. :-) So anything personal was 'hidden'. I made sure it was taped up well so they had no reason to unpack and repack it for me ;-)

 

And I suggest someone be there when they pack the truck. Obviously my dh got the job both times and I had to entertain an 18 mo old allllllllll day twice, lol. he swears I got the easier job. But as they load you want to see how it's going in....we had golf clubs not packed in boxes that never made it out west. My dad had actually cut them and put the handles on. so it was special clubs, not store bought. I think they put a wrap of tape around them. SO they went in the truck loose and never showed up. Try to get all items packed in boxes if physically possible. our next move my dh was cutting their boxes to shape around odd things in the garage so nothing went loose.

 

DO count boxes and look over their lists before signing.

 

Do count boxes and mark off the list when they unpack it.

 

Do tip your driver some when packing ;-) He's your lookout as his teams unload/reload at each stop. every stop has local guys. So make sure your driver has your interests at heart. Tip him again when they unload. It's worth a few hundred for some peace of mind that someone cares about your stuff.

 

Have a set price. in writing.

 

We never paid anything upfront. I had my copy of the quote with me at unloading and paid exactly what they wanted. one move was company paid.d have your company contact person # handy if the company is paying. the driver is not always aware!!! I paid after everything was unloaded and I signed off the manifest list.

 

Be available after the truck leaves. We were told 7 days for our east coast move. So we weren't even in town when they called to say they would be at the apartment after only having our stuff 4 days! I don't ever want to know how they got cross country in 4 days with 'other stops' but I was lucky to only be 3 hours away and able to get there literally when they arrived to unload. You have to be there!!! be available no matter when they say they will be coming.

 

Make friends with the office you contract with. The gal who sets up quotes seems to be the one who knows the most and can find your driver for you ;-)

 

And by all means write a letter when done if they did a good job!!!

 

hope this helps.

[j.griff]

It's a military move, they will be packing for us (thank God, but then again it won't be organized the way *I* would do it). Sorry, I forgot to specify that in the original post. The military will "hire" the company, we just have to give them the dates that will work for us, they pay them, etc. Our stuff is supposed to be arrive in our new location 2 weeks after they take it, and then it will be stored until we call the military folks at our new base and give them our new address, etc. We will have to find a new place when we get there (YIKES!), and we will have about 30 days to a. have our stuff packed and shipped b. clean our current home and turn in keys c. drive across the country and briefly visit family d. find a new place to live and arrange for our stuff to be delivered.

I'm a little anxious about it all, LOL.

[WTMCassandra]

I moved with movers for the first time on a cross-country move in Fall 2006. I made sure I was there the whole time everything was packed, and I ran around putting room stickers on all of the boxes. I asked them to label the top, one end, and one side, and they usually did. I tried to be really, really nice yet really, really present.

 

I recommend that you check the company's "prohibited" list and purge your house of those items before they arrive. Also, before they arrive, designate a room or a closet off-limits and put stuff in there that you plan to take with you. Anything not going with you that can't be moved easily needs to have a big sign on it that it is not going.

 

What we took with us: CPUs/hard drives from computers (we let them take monitors), glass heirloom Christmas ornaments, clothing/suitcases/toiletries, an "arrival box" or two, photo albums, jewelry, CDs and DVDs, etc.

 

Watch to make sure they don't mark something as owner-packed if it isn't true. Some companies have been known to do that to cut down on costs if something goes wrong. If they put some kind of code or designation on the box that you don't understand--ask.

 

Your two new best friends need to be the guy doing the inventory on your end (the supervisor of the packers) and the driver, when he arrives. Be really, really nice to them.

 

Hope all goes well! We got moved 3000 miles with North American with no major damage and no lost items.

[Mary in NJ]

We have moved many times, and the Army pays for movers to do the job for us. At first I did not like the idea of someone else packing my things. They do not have any emotional attachment to the items they quickly pick up and wrap for the box. Once I got over that, I was just fine!

 

Here is what I do:

 

School Room - Books - I put a large paper number on each individual bookshelf. Then I take a picture of the bookshelf. When the packers come, I tell them that every book from shelf 1, needs to have this written in a large bold form on each box that comes from shelf 1. On the other end when the boxes arrive, I can quickly look at my camera (guess you could print them out) to find the bookshelf with the number 1. (I tape the number on securely, but sometimes it falls off in the process.) Then I know that all of the boxes labeled "1" go on the "1" bookshelf, all of "2" boxes go on the "2" bookshelf. This saves a lot of time. As a side note, the moving company will have their own numbering system and slap a mini number on the box, bookshelves, etc.

 

School Supplies - I have a small pantry type cabinet that holds all the school supplies. So, I put a large sign on this cabinet with "School Supplies." I ask the movers to please put "School Supplies" on the outside of the box. Again, they will put some tiny little labeled number on the box. Sometimes I have had them rip the sign off and tape it to the box! Fine with me. I usually have a stack of miscellaneous school stuff that does not fit into the cabinet or on the bookshelves. I stack it together and put a sign on it "School Room". By now, they know what to do with that sign!

 

This certainly helps with putting the school area together quickly. I have always needed more time putting the school things toghether than any other room in the house, so I spend more time organizing in this room than in any other area. I hate it when they do not take notice of the numbered bookshelves and they throw books in any which way. You just have to watch them carefully.

 

//Electronics When it comes to the electric piano, computers, televisions, etc., I label the cords. So, for the electric piano, I use one of those label makers and type "piano". I print it out and double it over the end of the cord. I do this to all of the other power cords on the electronic items. Too often we have arrived at our new house and found a box of all the cords thrown together. If it will disconnect from the electronic item, they will pull it off and throw it in a box. It helps to have all the cords labeled. You will be able to set these things up quickly.

 

Kitchen I completely go through the kitchen and have everything organized in the cabinets. So, all the pots and pans will be stacked together with the lids on them. When the mover picks up the pot with lid, they will wrap the item together and put it in the box. On the other end, when you unpack the box, the pot with lid will still be together. I rubber band the measuring spoons together, put the corn on the cob holders in a miniture plastic bag, rubber band the cooking spoons and spatulas. If you have a junk drawer (don't we all!) Completely bag up (use one of those big bags) all your items in one bag, and then just put the bag back into the drawer. Our movers will usually pack canned goods and dry food. You may want to have a particular order in this area. They will not take perishable foods, so make sure you sort thorough everything. You do not want an old rotten potato that has been mixed in with everything else! Remember to dump all your trash out and have your trash cans cleaned out. I have a friend who was surprised to end up at her new destination with a trash can still full of old moldy trash. The packers just wrapped it up in paper and loaded on the truck!

 

Bathroom - They will usually not take lotions, etc. If you still have boxed soaps, etc., just stick all of it together in an area and mark it "bathroom". They will put all this together and hopefully not mix it up with the school books:) The towels, wash cloths, etc., they just throw in a box.

 

Bedrooms - They usually leave the clothes in the dresser drawers. This is always my preferred method. They will take the clothes out of the closet and sometimes leave them on the hanger and put it in a upright wardrobe. Other times they will take everything off the hanger and put the clothes in a flat wardrobe and throw the hangers into a separate box. I hate this. Ask if you can have the wardrobes that stand up.

 

A couple of weeks before they come, I take all the wall hangings down. I clean them and put them in one area. Usually on the dining room table. I like for all of these to be specially wrapped and together in boxes. Makes it easier on me.

 

Linen Closet- All linens are cleaned and stacked in the closet with notes on each shelf. For example: Bed Linen, Curtains, Tablecloths.

 

Kid Bedrooms - We keep their toys in the Rubbermaid rolling carts. The packers come in and wrap each drawer in paper and pack them this way. It is so easy on the other end! Just unwrap the drawer and slide it back into the cart. Toys are ready to go!

 

I have a "First Night" box. In it contains all the bed linens, pillows and a blanket for each bed. I take note of the small sticky number they assign this box, and put it on my list of things to look for. It will be easy for you to get the beds ready to sleep in on your first night in the new house. Also, ask them to write "First Night", or any other phrase you come up with! I have had some funny looks. Let me know if you come up with something else! We move again in May.

 

Take a photo of any high price items or antique furniture. Keep it for records in the event it is damaged.

 

I could continue with each room, but I think you get the idea. I would be happy to help if you have any specific questions. The Army pays for insurance to protect against damage to our furniture. I don't know how much it costs, but you may want to look into it. Our last move resulted in a very large piece of marble broken into two pieces. Very expensive, but the insurance kicked in and covered the cost for a new one. Make sure you are in the rooms where they are packing. We have never had anything stolen, but other military members have. Make sure they copy down the serial numbers on your high priced items onto their inventory sheets. This prevents them from "replacing" your very nice television with something they found on the street curb! A TV is a TV on an inventory sheet! When it comes to your DVD's, type up an inventory list of all the movies. Ask them to attach this to their inventory log. They will probably want to view each title to make sure it is there, but that is OK.

 

Well, this is probably enough for now. Take care, moving can be a good thing:) It is all in how you look at it.

 

Joyfully,

Mary

[8filltheheart]

We actually had 2 different sets of movers here this week and each came with its own driver/packers.

 

The first crew were amazing. I didn't feel like I needed to supervise them at all. They were thorough (more so than me when we have moved have moved ourselves.) The second crew had me cringing and feeling sick to my stomach. :eek: They were just plain awful. They were both from the same company, but totally different locations. The first crew were from their corporate location, the second crew was from somewhere in NC.

[Guest oncenow34]

We will be moving across the country in a few months, (it's hard to believe, hard to imagine, and I know none of it will feel real till we've gotten settled there). When we moved out here, the movers moved us too, but we didn't have nearly as much stuff (there were only 3 of us then, now there's 6 of us LOL). We haven't had a major move since then, just small moves where we rented a U-Haul and moved ourselves. I would like to get as organized as possible before the move, and I'd like to do as much preparation as we can to make things go smoothly emptying this home, and moving into our new home. Any tips, links, advice, etc. is MUCH appreciated. TIA

 

 

I found iMove.com before my move. It gave me moving companies in my area and other useful moving resources.

[Jennifer in MI]

Others seem to have given you very detailled responses, so I'll just say that our movers (all three times!) have greatly appreciated the pizza, soda, and coffee we had set out for them all day. Gotta say, it was nice for me to grab a bite too!

[Shelly in VA]

The suggestions you've gotten so far are great!

 

Remember, especially, to designate one area of the house off-limits to the movers, so you can put things there you are taking with you.

 

Either take with you or CLEARLY MARK a box with things you'll need right away - bedsheets, a set of towels, basic kitchen items, so that you can set up a place to sleep when you arrive!

 

2 moves ago, we had the packers in the kitchen individually wrap each plastic cup and plastic food storage container. The number of boxes (and amount of wasted paper) was staggering! Yet they put all my good china in one stack in a box without even paper between the plates... go figure. So now, when I move, I purge a lot of the plastic stuff before they arrive, and I pack a medium-sized box with all of it before they come. No reason to waste that space with the non-breakables!

 

I pack book boxes myself, just because it's easy to do over the course of a few nights, and it saves a little bit of $$ on the packing side of things, but you wouldn't have to do that.

 

I also let each kid pack up some of their own stuffed animals, books, etc., and they mark the box with stickers and colored markers. Especially for my younger ones, they have a feeling that they know where their stuff is, and they will be able to find it at the new house.

 

Empty the trash!!

 

That's all for now; have to run. I'll post more later if I get a chance. Good luck!

 

Shelly

[TwinMominTX]

Have extraordinary low expectations and be pleasantly surprised when your items show up at the new destination.

[Christine]

It's a military move, they will be packing for us (thank God, but then again it won't be organized the way *I* would do it). Sorry, I forgot to specify that in the original post. The military will "hire" the company, we just have to give them the dates that will work for us, they pay them, etc. Our stuff is supposed to be arrive in our new location 2 weeks after they take it, and then it will be stored until we call the military folks at our new base and give them our new address, etc. We will have to find a new place when we get there (YIKES!), and we will have about 30 days to a. have our stuff packed and shipped b. clean our current home and turn in keys c. drive across the country and briefly visit family d. find a new place to live and arrange for our stuff to be delivered.

I'm a little anxious about it all, LOL.

 

Well, you could do a permissive TDY to find a place before you ever move. (Where are you moving to?)

 

You can tell the movers to pack some stuff by location. (pack all of "A's" room and all of "B's" room) They will generally try to keep it as seperate as possible.

 

Watch items like "piggy" banks. My husband had a nice bank, and he packed some memorobilia in there. They broke into it. The bank was worth more than all the combine junk it contained, and it's busted (all cuz it was heavy).

 

Some movers know their stuff, like oil paintings should not be packed face to face or in the same carton as a mattress. Others are drunk Joes hired for the day off the street.

 

The military will give your spouse a number in case of problems. Keep that paperwork readily available.

 

Generally, we offer them lunch (unless they are bad). Ensure you have paper cups / plates, etc. on hand (not to be packed) because it's good to take care of them, as well as yourselves.

 

If you have little ones, please try to get someone to watch them. I know there's a desire sometimes to not do so, thinking you'll just leave your spouse in charge of the move and you'll take care of the kids. . .tends to get VERY stressful. It truly helps to have both of you there to watch movers without the distractions of kids. (Especially as a couple of movers will "work" different rooms.)

 

Anything electronic, unplug it before they ever get there (toaster, coffee pot, computer). Ensure your coffee pot (if you are packing it) is clean and dry. . .otherwise you'll be doing the "heeby-jeeby" dance on the other end. The trash (diaper pail), etc.

 

Now, way back when they really didn't want you to do pre-packing, and wouldn't except responsibility for any items pre-packed. I do not believe that is true any longer. Last move we had they allowed us to pre-pack, but not tape shut.

 

I'm the type, the more I can do, the more comfortable I feel.

 

OOOH! Have a permanent marker for both you and your spouse. When they pack boxes they say somthing like "liv rm". It's so helpful on the other side if you add "wall hangings" or "books", etc.

 

Have a movie collection (cds or anything else)? Type it up, print it out (at least two), slide them right on top of the box(es) they are packed in. (Amazing what a deterrant that is.)

 

These are off the top of my head. . .

 

I believe we have done our last military move. . .

[Jenny in Atl]

Just so you all know, Jenn's move was a success and completed last summer. She sends her thanks...

[Starr]

We get quotes from 3 companies, pick one and then negotiate final price. I didn't realize prices can be negotiated down especially in the off season. Once we asked them to throw in packing and they agreed.

[Aggie]

We've had a few military moves.;);)

 

If anything gives you pause that day, call your rep right away.

 

Don't be afraid to question how they are packing. Our last move, one of the men grabbed 6 plates of my china and wrapped them in a bunch, not individually. I was shocked, but he explained why and he was right!

 

If you have antiques, they must be appraised before the move or they aren't covered by insurance.

 

Don't go over your weight limit. :glare:

 

We've had really bad moves and really good moves. It's all in how they pack.

[Barb_]

.

 

Empty the trash!!

 

 

 

Yes, because if you don't, they *will* box it up and move it for you. Ask me how I know :o

 

Barb

[Barb_]

Just so you all know, Jenn's move was a success and completed last summer. She sends her thanks...

 

Duh-oh! I just realized the OP was from last January! :lol:

 

Barb

[Jennifer3141]

Just so you all know, Jenn's move was a success and completed last summer. She sends her thanks...

 

Whatever happened to your tampons?

 

:D

 

Jen

[MgoBlue]

Didn't read all the responses, be when we were moved 3 yrs ago, dh's boss advised us to feed the movers. It puts them in a better mood. We did feed them...moved w/o a hitch. Keep a good list of damaged stuff. We didn't have much damaged, but a few things & they were really good about the insurance/repair/replacement costs.

HTH, paula

[Jenny in Atl]

Whatever happened to your tampons?

 

:D

 

Jen

 

She's gone Diva and threw them out.

[rafiki]

.

[Jennifer3141]

She's gone Diva and threw them out.

 

You are very, very naughty. I like it! ;)

 

Jen

[Tammyla]

Flylady has a great moving section. Check out her web site or the back of the book. (It's available at many libraries.) She has check lists!

[Guest Jeff M]

like Cassandra said earlier, go with North American. they're a big mover so they have all the proper insurance and are accountable for what happens to your belongings. here's a blog i found where people post their reviews of North American: NAVL Mover Reviews

 

good luck with your move!

[lynn]

Having done this 8 times this is what I learned.

 

1. clean out every closet, cabinet, drawer etc and get rid of what you do not want. Don't worry about having a garage sale or ebaying unless you love it and have the time.

 

2. put everything back in the room it needs to arrive in so there are no suprises when you open a bedroom box and find the living room magazine rack in there.

 

3. Have one place marked VERY clearly DO NOT PACK! Be sure to show every packer and mover who comes into your house and tell each one DO NOT PACK so there's not question.

 

4. Ask the packers to leave a couple extra boxes, tapes, and paper for things that may have been forgotten to pack....it does happen even after you walk through.

 

5. Ask the Driver and loaders leave the vaccum cleaners andmops for last and vacuum each rooma nd close it off as it empties out.

 

6. Have a cooler of drinks for the movers on both ends. We also budgeted buying lunch for the movers.

 

7. Count the boxes with the driver and count again if you fall short or numbers do not match up.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

We will be moving across the country in a few months, (it's hard to believe, hard to imagine, and I know none of it will feel real till we've gotten settled there). When we moved out here, the movers moved us too, but we didn't have nearly as much stuff (there were only 3 of us then, now there's 6 of us LOL). We haven't had a major move since then, just small moves where we rented a U-Haul and moved ourselves. I would like to get as organized as possible before the move, and I'd like to do as much preparation as we can to make things go smoothly emptying this home, and moving into our new home. Any tips, links, advice, etc. is MUCH appreciated. TIA

 

We have done a bunch of military moves, seemingly each more complicated than the last.

 

Think about where you are going and if long term storage is something you should do. For example, we will be moving into a high rise apartment building on this move. No need for a lawnmower, 75 ft ladder, step ladder, wheel barrow etc. On the other hand, don't store stuff that isn't worth keeping for a long time. I knew one lady who had stored clothes from her oldest son, expecting to get them out in a couple years and use them for her next kid. Seven years later, the clothes were still taking up weight in storage and the younger kid was much too big for the saved clothing. You don't know what the next tour will bring.

 

I would say that the preinspection is important (and it is), but my most unprepared packers have been the ones who made a big deal about coming and counting bookshelves (but still only brought 50 book boxes for 2000 books).

 

If your service has gone over to full replacement value on damaged/lost articles then look out for some form labeled High Value Item Inventory (or words like that). These seem to be forms made by the shipper (rather than being DOD or service branch forms). Any item that is over a certain value should be on this list (my forms said any electronics and anything with a value of more than $100 per pound, plus stuff like crystal/china). I got surprised by this and had to work to make sure that all my stuff was listed. The forms required that the box number that the item was packed into be listed, so it requires a bit more supervision. You can't just walk into the kitchen at the end and say, oh the china needs to be scheduled, because they may not know what box it went into.

 

I ended up segregating the high value stuff into certain cupboards or onto a specific counter. On the second packup this move, I had a preprinted list to hand to the lead packer when they arrived. I also had lots of digital photos of this stuff (taken with a high contrast ruler in the photo to illustrate the size of bowls, plates, etc). The photos are for my use later, not to give to the packers.

 

Think about where you want your kids to be. Mine are older now, so it is useful to station them various places as family eyes. Other times, it is good to have them be somewhere else (especially if a friend can feed them or put them down for naps). I had my mil come help on one move and she was great.

 

Remember that this is your move. If you are having an issue, get the QA person from JPSO/Personal Property on the phone or on his/her way to your home. Don't panic or lose your temper (try to be as reasonable as possible while still getting the end result of safely delivered property) and realize that you might be wrong about how things are best packed. If possible, schedule enough leeway that you can put a hold on the move for a half-day or a day if things go wrong. On the other hand, I have one friend who had a standoff with the packers for several hours when they dropped a roll top desk taking it out of the house. They didn't want to confess to breaking it. She refused to let them load it or to sign any paperwork until the QA rep finally arrived. The shippers can get away with a lot if they know that you have a plane to catch the next day.

 

On the other hand, don't assume that the packers are crooks. Do plan on giving them drinks and lunch (they may decline lunch if they are paid based on weight packed. Finishing your job and moving to another will get them more money for the day). I generally have a cooler with sodas and waters and point it out to the lead at the beginning and remind individual packers that it is there. I also have had a pile of the stuff that I can't move (batteries, candles, alcohol) that I'm giving away to neighbors. I let the movers have some of this if they are interested.

 

Some packers will try to downplay your concerns by saying that they've packed hundreds of houses. I point out that while that is true, I've now packed and unpacked my stuff almost a dozen times and I know under what conditions my stuff got damaged. Or I blame my concern on the "last movers" who did this or that crazy thing (packed my sofa in a crate on end for three years of storage being one of my favorites). I tell them that I'm sure they are great movers but that last bunch has me more on edge than I used to be.

 

If something was poorly packed despite your best efforts, then you can alert the packers at the delivery end and tell them to let you know when certain things come to light so you can take pictures before they are unwrapped. (My claim for the above couch had photos of it in the crate with no paperwrapping and on end.)

 

You should also segregate anything that can be claimed as professional papers, books, and equipment. These boxes should be marked as such (pro gear or ppb&e are common abbreviations) and they should be marked as such on the inventory (usually just listed on the same inventory with the same set of stickers and the notation in comments). Pro gear doesn't count toward your weight allowance. But it has to be labeled ahead of time. If you go over, you can't then go back and claim items were pro gear, even if they are.

 

What is considered pro gear depends on the military person's job and subspecialties. Uniforms, military books, plaques and professional equipment qualify. But if dh has a language qual, then the language books, tapes etc could count. If he were a food service specialist (or whatever they are called now) then things like knives or other specialty food prep equipment might count. For the Navy, there is no limit on weight for pro gear (thank goodness). But one piece of advice from a property office was that it was important to show a pattern of having pro gear, not just suddenly have thousands of pounds (I don't know if this is still valid advice, but it seems reasonable).

 

A friend of mine wrote a lot of the moving section for Military One Source. You might want to read there for more suggestions.

 

And when all of this is said and done, remember that it really is just stuff. Some of it with lovely memories attached. Much of it difficult or impossible to replace. But still stuff.

[Jennifer]

Our last military move we received a certain number of hours of free child care on base-either at the base day care center or at an in-home daycare. You can get it on both ends of the move.

Jennifer