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:

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. Also look at all your electrical items and observe whether they will run on 50/60 hertz power.

Below are some helpful links that will help you with your Household Goods (HHG) shipment.

Schedule Your Move

NAVSUP – Household Goods and Personal Property

“It’s Your Move” Dept. of Defense (*DOD) Civilian Employees

Managing a Government Move

PCS Overview

NAVSUP – 1st Time Movers Information

Storage of your Personally Owned Vehicle