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Four homes since 2014 (Utah, Hawaii, South Carolina, and now Virginia) means we’ve packed and unpacked a lot of boxes. Even when the government movers do the packing, there are a few supplies we always keep on hand, and a few tricks that save us hours.
Nothing fancy, just the supplies that work for us. Each link goes to the product on Amazon. For the full timeline of what to do and when, see our PCS checklist, from orders to delivery day.
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Labeling and packing
- Color-coded moving labels. Give each room a color, then put a matching sticker on that room’s door at the new house. Movers can sort boxes without asking you where everything goes. This set covers 12 rooms and includes fragile stickers.
- Tape gun with packing tape. A heavy-duty tape gun plus 6 rolls, for anything you pack yourself, like the “open first” box and the hand-carry bag.
- Thick permanent markers. Big chisel-tip markers that are easy to read from across a room. You will lose at least three during pack-out.
- Small zip bags for furniture hardware. Bag the screws and bolts from every piece of furniture you take apart, write the furniture’s name on the white label block, and tape the bag to that piece.
Our trash-bag trick for hanging clothes
This one saves us hours every move. Leave your hanging clothes on their hangers. Grab a bundle of them, pull a big, heavy-duty trash bag up from the bottom over the clothes, and twist-tie it closed around the hooks. Everything stays clean, and at the new house you just hang the bundle in the closet and pull the bag off. No folding, no re-hanging.
Electronics
We self-pack our TVs. Keep the original boxes and foam, then repack each TV the way it came, with a towel in front of the screen for extra protection. If you’ve already tossed the boxes, an expandable TV moving box with foam corners is the next best thing. It fits most flat screens from 32 to 70 inches.
Important documents
Your orders, IDs, passports, birth certificates, medical and school records, and pet papers should never go on the truck. Ours travel with us in the hand-carry bag.
- Accordion file organizer (a 2-pack with 13 pockets each) or sheet protectors for a 3-ring binder for orders, receipts, and records.
- Fireproof document bag for originals like birth certificates and passports. It has a shoulder strap, so it doubles as your hand-carry document bag.
Inventory day: what we check before we sign
The movers write up an inventory of everything they pack, and it’s what any claim for damage or loss is checked against. A few minutes here can save a lot of hassle later.
- Photograph or video high-value items and furniture before pack-out, including serial numbers.
- Read the inventory sheets before you sign. Make sure they describe your furniture’s condition accurately.
- Photograph each room after it’s packed, and the empty house.
- At delivery, check items off the inventory and note anything missing or damaged before you sign.
For the full routine, what to photograph and the claim deadlines if something breaks, see our PCS inventory guide.
Every step, from orders to arrival, is on our PCS checklist. Military OneSource’s PCS move management guide covers the official side of the move.
Storage and the “open first” box
- Heavy-duty storage bins with lids. Sturdy, stackable 27-gallon bins for garage gear and anything you’d rather not pack in cardboard. Label each lid so you know what’s inside.
- Moving blankets for anything you move yourself in a personally procured move, plus padding in the car.
Other things that helped
- Ship the motorcycle with your household goods if you can. On our moves, it could be packed right in with our HHG. Ask during counseling.
- Declutter before pack-out. PCS season is the perfect excuse to go through old toys, clothes, and kitchenware.
Moving with kids? Our travel day kit for flying and driving with kids covers getting everyone there in one piece.
