To DITY Or Not to DITY. That is the real question

We are all quite familiar with the phrase: "There are only two certainties in life.  Death and Taxes." If you're a Military family, you  can quite safely add "moving" to the list.  It's inevitable.  Do you cringe when your PCS orders arrive?  Do you dread the thought of packing and moving again?  Do you look around your home and feel helpless?  All of these feelings are absolutely normal and reasonable.  Especially since there's a good chance you'll be doing the work without the help of your man.  There's also the time old question: "To DITY or not to DITY?"  There are certainly advantages to both.  On the one hand, who doesn't like saving money? On the other, it's so wonderful to see someone else pack, ship and load/unload your belongings.  So what do you choose?!  Trust me, there is no wrong answer!  If you choose to have the Military move you, you have little work to do, outside cleaning your home.  My personal favorite option is a partial-DITY move.  I like to pack up and clean but let someone else do the heavy lifting and driving.  I like it because you still get paid for the work you saved the moving company (here is a great website to aid you in making the decision that is best for your family).

This post was inevitable, but I'm writing it now at the request of someone who likes our facebook page.  She asked: "Dear Jane.  I would love to see some information about moving...especially things we can do in between moves to make the next one easier."

What a fantastic question, Jennifer!  And I have some solid ideas and suggestions for you :)

Above all else, first and foremost, you should take the time to think about the specific problems you encountered from your last move.  Why were they problematic?  What could have been done differently and what was out of your control (i.e., gas prices, timeline, etc.)?  Then, go about fixing them!

John and I have been married for 5 years this December.  In that time, we've moved a grand total of 7 times (and only one of those moves was across town...).   My advice is based upon the last 5 years of moving experience:

START AS SOON AS YOU CAN
If you plan to do a DITY move, or a partial DITY, begin as soon as you can (like 2-3 months prior to the big day).  Slowly buy boxes.  There are a few ways to do this:
       * I recommend buying from Home Depot or Lowes because you can use your 10% Military Discount).    
       * You can also store the boxes used from a previous move (we've done this a couple of times, and it
          has been very successful).
      * Ask for boxes from your local businesses or search Craigslist for people who need to get rid of theirs.
         If you're on/near a Military base, there's always someone moving in that is anxious to part with their
         boxes.  Personally, I would rather just buy and keep my own boxes, because there are a lot of gross
         people out there with gross possessions and cockroaches and other pests... but if you want to (or need
         to) save money, then this is certainly the most economically sound option.
Once you begin to stockpile boxes, use them!  There are so many non-essential items that we have in our homes.  Simply go through a little each day or a few weeks at a time, and begin to box up those items you don't foresee needing in the next few months (i.e. books, pictures, decorations, camping/yard gear, etc.).  You'd be amazed at how much work this saves down the road.  It also helps to not get burnt out on packing in those last few weeks and days.  If space is an issue, have the boxes hug the walls in your home, or store them in your garage or basement.

CONSIDER SELLING POSSESSIONS
Again, just as you're moving off base, someone else is moving in.  Each house is different, so sometimes your furniture or decorations don't quite fit in the new place.  Consider selling them on Craigslist and local Facebook yard sale pages.  There are so many advantages to selling as much as you can before a move!
      * You'll have extra, unexpected cash in hand for your big day.  Moves have a lot of expensive surprises.
         It's nice and comforting to have a little padding in the account before, during and after a move.
      * Every little thing that someone carries out the front door, is one less thing you have to put on a moving
         truck.  This saves both time and money.
      * My favorite reason of all, you get to go shopping to decorate and furnish your new house!  Look on
         the positive side of moving every 2 to 5 years.  You can completely change your style every time you
         move!  You could even take the money made from your previous items and put them in a fund to
         replace them.
There's an art to selling your items on Craigslist.  I will be writing another post in the near-future about how to do this successfully and how to get top dollar for your things!

BUY AND STORE CONSCIENTIOUSLY: TUBS, TUBS, TUBS!
There will always be those sentimental items that people will ask "Why do you keep moving this?"  As a girl, we discovered trunks full of photographs, letters, clothes and uniforms, war medals, etc. from my Grandparents' youth.  It was thrilling to see yearbooks from their junior high days and see clothes my grandma wore when she was my age.  I vowed then that I would work to keep my very own "generation trunk" and I have.  It is full of letters, photographs, memories, report cards, essays, mementos, etc.  These are those priceless items that I insist on moving every time.  It's OK to have "useless" items with which you don't want to part.  However, storing them smartly is vital to a stress-free move!  I prefer to keep my memories in chests and trunks.  They're pretty and can hold a LOT of memories.  They can also serve double duty.  These can be at the foot of your beds, nestled under windows, or at the top of your stairs landing, used as a coffee or side table, this list goes on. Be creative!  Ask yourself what you don't want to part with, and then ask how you can use the storing of those items to your advantage.
  In the same vein: Holiday Decorations.  Who doesn't love them?!  Those are not generally the things we care to part with.  I recommend storing them in color coordinated tubs with pictures and labels on all 4 sides so they're easily spotted in a pile of storage and gear.  Invest in good, solid totes/tubs and take care to buy straight-edged ones, as they are stackable and moving friendly.
  Color coded and labeled tubs are not only useful for storing decorations, but also gear, workshop tools, Military essentials, camping supplies, etc.  They move well, won't break down over time like cardboard boxes, and the color coding is so incredibly helpful when you're moving and storing.  For example, John puts all of his Army things in Gray tubs.  Christmas Decorations are in bright red and dark green tubs, Halloween/Fall decorations in Orange tubs, Spring in a light green, Workshop in dark blue, etc.  It's all about saving time when you're looking for items and also when you're deciding what goes where when you're unloading a truck.
  Also, even if your tubs are stacked inside one another and stored until the next move, it's so wonderful to have designated tubs for your items so that you easily know where to find things and how/where to pack them when it comes time to move again.  When you purchase furniture for your home, ensure what you're bringing into the home is functional.  Our sofa table doubles as as a storage center for the toys (purchased fro Costco for only $129).  At our last move, the movers simply shrink wrapped the entire piece of furniture, so we didn't even have to pack or unload the toys!  Our nightstands are small dressers which hide clutter and can hold possessions as we move.  Always seek furniture which can serve you in both your home and your move.

CLEAN DAILY
I get it.  Cleaning is not exactly the most glamorous or enjoyable part of maintaining a nurturing and loving environment.  I'm sure you've all seen this:
Does this sound familiar?  You can get a lot of cleaning done in those 10 minutes, can't you?  It actually doesn't require much effort or time to keep your house looking clean and great all the time!  My secret, is a daily work chart.  I have a piece of paper on the fridge which correlates certain chores with the day of the week.  The whole purpose of this daily cleaning, is so that when the time comes to leave a home, we're not spending an exorbitant amount of time cleaning before we leave.
   Now, I don't work outside the home, so my list of chores may allow for more than others.  That's not the point.  The point is to do what you can!  Below is an example of what my week looks like:
MONDAY: Laundry (whites) Vacuum whole house, clean windows.  I also try to squeeze in a Legs workout and go swimming.
TUESDAY: Laundry (darks) Sweep/Mop whole house, yard work. Exercise: Arms & Spinning Class
WEDNESDAY: Laundry (colors) Bathrooms, Dusting. Exercise: Butt & Running
THURSDAY: Laundry (whites) Bedrooms, vacuum whole house. Exercise: Abs & Spinning Class
FRIDAY:  Laundry (darks) Kitchen, sweep/mop whole house. Exercise: Legs and Swimming
SATURDAY: Laundry (colors) wipe down walls, wipe baseboards and clean lights, odds and ends.  Exercise: Yoga and a family run or walk

By doing laundry, sorting mail and washing dishes on a daily basis, it doesn't get piled up.  A day-long chore becomes a 10 minute one done every day.  If you have children that are old enough to help with the chores, use them!  My oldest is 2, and he "helps" me with wiping walls, dusting, cleaning windows, and he helps me to unload the dish washer as well as setting the table at mealtimes.  I believe it's important that your kids know that taking care of a home requires their efforts too.  It will also help them to feel included in the family, as an important and vital piece of the family unit.  It will also cut down on your cleaning to-do checklist as you prepare to move, because you've been cleaning the house really well all along!

FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH THE REQUIREMENTS YOUR LANDLORD HAS PRIOR TO THE LEASE TERMINATION
There's nothing worse than being hit with unexpected surprises from your landlord as you prepare to leave. Be sure you understand your lease, and that they understand you're in the Military.  Generally, even in Military housing, it's required to provide a written 30 day notice prior to the move-out date.  However, orders are orders.  If push comes to shove, throw down the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act.  Ultimately, it says that no one can deny you services or discriminate against you due to your Military service.  I had to use this at my last place of residence as well as my current one.  It's a handy piece of information to know really well.  Don't be afraid to use it!

SET MONEY ASIDE
There will always be unexpected things that happen during a move which can be quite costly.  Perhaps your car breaks down as you're traveling to your new duty station.  Perhaps you have to pay for a hotel along the way.  Restocking a fridge and pantry is a costly business too, as well as inevitable.  There are an infinite amount of variables which can devastate the pocket book.  Set money aside long before your move so you're not stuck with a financial situation that will ruin you.

KNOW WHAT YOU'LL NEED UPON ARRIVAL, THEN KEEP IT WITH YOU!
John and I have a little portable file cabinet with all of our necessary and vital documents.  This also includes our dog's health certificate and paperwork.  This is one of the very last things loaded into the car, and it is with us at all times.  We also keep (or have money set aside to buy) with us some cleaning supplies, toilet paper,  paper towels/Clorox wipes, soap, disposable plates/bowls and silverware, towels, and basic toiletries.  If your items are on a truck, and you move in before they arrive, you want to be able to prepare for the arrival, and function at a basic level until you're settled.

TRAVEL SMART
Don't be a hero!  Take your time and stick to the Military's allotted 8 hour/day rule.  Especially if you have children!  I would recommend tentatively planning at which hotels to stay along the route.  I would recommend purchasing an RCA, Double screen DVD player for your car.  You can purchase them for under $100 and they can be a life saver with young kids when you're all stuck in a car for several hours over several days.  Also, consider purchasing a GPS (we bought a basic Tomtom for under $100).  Not only will this help you to not get lost, but will be vital to learning where things are when you arrive in a new town and on a new base.