Ways to make a military relocation easier

As a former wife of a military Sargent, I can tell you how to make your moving easy. It is something that you do get use to, but it takes organization, patience and rank. Yes, that is right, the higher the rank is, the better the treatment is. I remember when my husband was a private and the kind of treatment we received compared to complete satisfaction when he was a Sargent. I will give you some of the easiest ways to move.

Tips From an Expert Mover:

1. Preparation is the key. Visiting the office to request movers is the first step. You must complete all the paperwork and then you are assigned a date that they are suppose to pack you. The packers will come and pack one day and then the next day, they will remove all the boxes and furniture.

2. Kindness is the second key. If you want the best and the easiest, move then make sure you are "sweeter than pie." Keep in mind, their main concern is the military man, so the wife needs to be cooperative. Needless to say, many times they will break the appointment, not show up at all and yes, not do what they promised.

When anyone is moving overseas, they have a limit on the amount of pounds the government will pay for, depending on rank. So the furniture and boxes must be packed in huge crates.

3. Clean before they come. When the packers come, they will bring many packers and they will pack literally everything in sight. So if you have dirty paper towels in the kitchen, they will be packed. Dirty glasses, trash, broken glasses and yes, even dirty underwear. As a bit of warning, be prepared with what you want them to take.

4. Have someone there to help you. It is literally impossible for one person to watch all the movers. So have several friends come and help you. You need someone in the kitchen, one in the bedroom and another friend or relative in the living room. Talk nicely to the packers and make sure they are taking care with your valuables and that each box is marked carefully and placed on the inventory.

5. The day they arrive to pick up the boxes and furniture, make sure furniture pads are placed properly around the furniture and that books are packed at the bottom of the pile and dished on top. Make sure pictures and mirrors are in boxes and sealed and not just wrapped. Note that everything is included on the inventory and count each box.

Transitioning to Your New Home:

No matter how you try, it is impossible for the both of you to travel on the same day. It was a lot easier for us to plan to travel separate. I would leave around a month early to go and look for a new home. By the time my husband arrived, I had a home and all the furniture was placed in the new home.

It worked out much better this way. I also had time to find a job and get settled with the children and all. The husband very rarely wants to be involved in such chores anyway. So he is delighted when the wife takes care of everything.

Military Housing:

If you choose to live in military housing, then going early will not work. The husband must check into the base and be a member of his unit before they will assign housing. So there is no need for the two to arrive separately.

When the packers arrive at the new location with your boxes, they will give you an inventory list. This list needs to be checked thoroughly by you as they unload each box. It is great with Military movers as they will unpack everything for you. They will also lay the rugs and carpets and place the furniture.

Make sure you follow the rules of Military Housing, no furniture of curtains too close to the heaters. The inspectors will come later to see if you comply with the placement of everything.
If anything is broken or missing, you need to note it on the inventory sheet. You may make a claim for any damage, but things are not so easily replaced, such as pictures and mementos. In the end, moving is made very simple, by being careful and examining all steps of the process.