Military Moves: A Family's Guide
Military families move, on average, every 2.5 years. After several years of this experience, it can feel like you've gotten used to this frequent uprooting. Still, military moves come with many emotional and logistical challenges.
Notably, this constant moving can create personal difficulties, and any move is an enormous logistical undertaking. Packing up an entire home for several family members and arranging a move is a lot of work. Once the family is moved, getting fully set up again takes even more work, including registering for daycare, forwarding your mail, setting up utilities, and more. But a move can be a good experience. If you focus on preparation, you can be resilient and have your next move go smoothly. This guide provides essential tips and strategies to help your family navigate the complexities military relocations.
Understanding Military Relocations: What You Need to Know
Relocating while in the military is common, and military families quickly get used to the mandatory relocation. However, the impact on family life is still there. Friends are left behind, school is disrupted, and favorite activities are lost, like moving from a house with a pool to an area without one nearby.
Military moves come with some unique logistical differences compared to civilian relocations:
- Short Notice: Military moves don't always come with much notice, sometimes making the process feel rushed. Short notice can mean families have less time to prepare for the change emotionally, may have to pay more for hiring last-minute services, and can experience feelings of loss of control. A rushed move also doesn't provide much time to research the best neighborhoods and schools.
- Diverse Locations: Military moves can require a family to move from one extreme climate to another. Imagine relocating to a new base in Alaska when you lived in Florida.
Relocating to areas with different temperatures can be costly if you buy equipment and clothing for this new climate and leave many of your old possessions behind. Of course, the most obvious difference is the financial implications. Small moves for the military cost money, and a civilian family typically only has to handle these costs a few times a lifetime. In comparison, a military family may pay thousands of dollars moving around the country every few years.
Luckily, the military and other organizations provide benefits and resources to help military families handle this added cost. However, it's up to the family to research and apply for these benefits. Check out the Military One Source for more information on military relocation benefits.
Packing and Shipping Strategies
Packing and shipping look a little different for military families because you know this move isn't your last one. Here are some tips for a military family move:
- Choose experienced help. Use a moving company experienced in cross-country moves.
- Prioritize packing efficiently. The more you bring with you, the more you'll have to spend on moving costs. Evaluate what you'll use in the new space. Account for things such as the new climate and spacing. For example, moving from a low-cost-of-living city to a high-cost-of-living city probably means you'll have less space.
- Protect your valuables. Wrap them carefully, marking them as fragile, and always track their location. Consider purchasing insurance for any costly items that are packed for the move.
- Focus on inventory management. Create a list of what you're packing and label all boxes. Taking the inventory is crucial for quick and easy unpacking. After all, you'll likely need to jump into your new life immediately, so you want the unpacking to be as efficient as possible.
Mastering Long-Distance Moves
A long-distance move comes with some extra challenges, but with proper preparation, it can go smoothly. Here's how to master a long-distance move:
- Plan the route ahead of time. Research where you'll stop for food and overnight accommodations.
- Use your GPS. Keep your GPS app open to help you avoid traffic slowdowns.
- Start early. Aim to pack the day before and leave first thing in the morning. The faster you can get on the road, the more progress you'll make that day.
- Arrange travel conveniences. Keeping family members, especially children, engaged and comfortable during long journeys helps things run smoothly. Pack many snacks, plan at least one fun stop daily, and buy new toys. Adults can take turns playing their favorite playlists for everyone in the car.
One of the challenges of a long-distance move is handling house arrangements remotely, such as securing accommodations and scouting neighborhoods. If you know friends or family who have lived in your new destination, ask them for suggestions. Otherwise, you can go online to read reviews on the best neighborhoods and how to secure housing.
Downsizing and Organizing for a Move
Your move will be a lot smoother if you focus on downsizing. Packing and shipping furniture is challenging and costly; decluttering and using a small mover can reduce stress, reduce moving costs, and simplify the packing and unpacking process. As you sort through your items, make three piles: keep, donate, and toss. If you don't use something regularly and it doesn't hold sentimental value, ask yourself if you really need to keep it.
You can quickly sell some of your items on Facebook Marketplace and earn some cash to offset the costs of the move. And donating to local charities is a great way to give back to the community you're about to leave. Research which charities are accepting donations close to you and opt for the one with the cause that resonates with you most.
Maintaining Family Relationships
One of the most challenging emotional aspects of moving is leaving friends and family behind, but you don't have to see this as an ending. If you promise to maintain open communication, the relationship can continue to thrive.
Ask your loved ones to get involved in the moving process. Including your friends and family helps in a few ways:
- It can save you time and money, so you don't have to hire helpers for packing.
- It allows you to spend time with them before you move.
- Loved ones can be a voice of reason when evaluating items you should keep, donate, or toss.
Moving to a new location is an opportunity to create a new community. You can build a support network in your new home by connecting with other military families, joining local clubs, and bonding with neighbors.
You Got This! Your Next Move Will Be Easy!
There's no denying that frequent moves are hard on a military family. The more you do it, however, the more efficient you become! If you have an upcoming military family move, focus on preparing ahead of time. Your move can go smoothly if you can downsize, get loved ones involved, and handle housing beforehand. Frequent moves can bring a family closer and allow for unexpected adventures, expanded opportunities, and new relationships. If you have a military move coming up, Ship Smart can help. Call (866) 333-8018 today and benefit from a 10% discount for your next move.
