As soon as you are alerted to your upcoming PCS move, you can start getting your house and family ready. Clean up and get rid of junk. Hold a yard sale or take serviceable items you no longer need to a thrift shop or donate to charity. Get important family records together in one place. You can even check your allowances and estimate the weight of your household goods before you start to set up your move.
You should begin to plan what items you will take in your unaccompanied baggage, in your household goods shipment, and what might need to go into permanent storage.
Some other things to consider:
Tour length and storage needs: Depending how long you plan to be overseas, you may want to bring family photo albums or framed pictures. If you put them all in storage, you may wish you had some if you end up extending. If you have a favorite hobby with lots of supporting equipment, but put it all in storage, you may wind up paying for it again. Think carefully about what is important to you. Also keep in mind your kids’ ages when deciding what will move with you and what will go into storage. If you have very small children and put lots of toys and clothes in storage, they’ll have out-grown them all when you return.
Appliances: Keep in mind that electrical power is different in Bahrain and runs on 230v/50hz power (standard power in the US is 110/60). If you want to bring your U.S. appliances, transformers are available for sale on base and through several Facebook resale pages.
Home size needed/wanted: Another thing to consider is the size of the home you want to live in. The housing market throughout the country is very diverse. Villas and apartments are within walking distance to the base/port and those with waterfront views are often smaller. Villas and apartments can be rented both furnished or unfurnished.
The following are some helpful links that will help you with your Household Goods (HHG) shipment:
Schedule Your Move
What to expect with a DOD civilian move
NAVSUP – Household Goods and Personal Property
“It’s Your Move” Dept. of Defense (DOD) Civilian Employees
Managing your household goods (HHGS) move
PCS Overview
Storage of your Personally Owned Vehicle