When Ryan moved from Laughlin AFB to McChord, I got lucky: I wasn’t officially a wife, so I didn’t technically have to help with anything, but I did anyway, so I got my feet wet without all the pressure of actually having to figure out ALL the move stuff. I was extremely thankful for that with our move from Washington to Texas because we only had 5 weeks of lead time. Since then, we’ve moved six more times (in four years) and every time, I’ve fine-tuned my process to be an extremely well-oiled machine. First on my to do list every time, ironically, is to start more lists for my PCS moving binder. The PCS checklists are the single most important piece of ensuring our move runs perfectly.
Now, I’ll be the first to admit that I’m Type A, and definitely a checklist fanatic. I get it from my mom, and Ryan LOVES to point that out, but hey, who can argue with a system that works? I like starting them as soon as we find out we’re leaving so that I have plenty of time for things to pop into my head that we might need or want (like Christmas stockings for an over-Christmas move!). Also, it helps me stay organized over the course of the move if I already have lists going.
If you’re looking for what all needs to go into a moving binder, make sure you check out this post or just check out my quick links Moving Binder Kit here. Plus, scroll to the bottom of THIS post to get your FREE printable version of my checklists for yourself!
My PCS Checklists
- Documents to Hand-Carry: All of the important paperwork I need to put into a binder long before we leave so that they don’t accidentally get sent with our HHG (household goods) shipment
- Before leaving our current duty station: All the things I need to either change the address on (credit cards, magazines, vet records, etc.), cancel (trash, electric/gas, water, Internet, etc.), or that need to be updated (car registration)
- DITY List: All the things I want/need to take with us (laundry items, kitchen necessities, bathroom must-haves, fragile/important items, etc.)
- Arrival at our next duty station: All the things I need to do when we get there (set up utilities, contacting different offices on base, finding a church, choosing a new doctor, vet, pediatrician, dentist, school, etc.)
- Packing Checklist: All the stuff you’d normally put in a suitcase (have one for Ryan, one for myself, one for the kids, one for the dogs, and one miscellaneous)
[…] moving checklists can help immensely as well, and I’ve given you a jumpstart on those, too, in this post (with FREE […]