PCS questions

[iluvmytxrgr]

Everything I've ever learned about PCS-ing, I've learned from you ladies.  However, we've never had to PCS.  It's now our turn.  Luckily, our move will only be 4 hours away.  We are thinking of doing a partial DITY, mainly a small truck load of our expensive items, a couple of mattresses, kitchen items and clothes.  Does this sound like a good idea?  We aren't trying to make any money off of it.  We just want to take some items for comfort while we wait on our HHG and items we can't replace if damaged.  

For those of you with experience with shorter distance moves, what is a "typical" wait time for your HHG to be delivered?  We have about 9 months before our move, I just want to get as much info as possible to be prepared and to plan ahead since my husband will be gone for the majority of the time before we go.  
Thank, Ladies.  

[meltoine]

Our last move was further than yours, but our experience was the same as ojo's. They loaded the truck on Friday, we left Monday, we all arrived late Tuesday and the delivered Wednesday.

[pennylane]

Yeah, I'd do the partial DITY, just for the valuables and basic household stuff you'd need if it takes a little while to get your stuff delivered. Our last PCS was about 6 hours, so we stuffed both cars with some kitchen stuff, cleaning supplies, the food stuff they won't take, important papers/photos, the laptops, etc. If I remember correctly we had a couple days of sleeping on an air mattress before they delivered our HHG.

[sushi]

All my moves have had a large body of water we had to cross, so I have no help there. But I know I'd never to a full move on my own. What a PITA.

[iluvmytxrgr]

We are headed to Benning next spring/summer. He's being promoted up to a regimental job. He's hoping to push it back until after the kids get out of school. They said they don't see an issue. We just have to hope it works out that way or we'll be sleeping in my brother's living room until the last day of school. I think we are of the mind we'll pack a couple mattresses, some pots and pans, valuables, linens, clothes, cleaning supplies and food with us and let them have the rest. I was figuring on enough stuff to get us through a week or two, just in case.

[iluvmytxrgr]

Aug 3, 2013 9:15:03 GMT -5 Stan said:

Aug 2, 2013 20:34:02 GMT -5 iluvmytxrgr said:

We are headed to Benning next spring/summer. He's being promoted up to a regimental job. He's hoping to push it back until after the kids get out of school. They said they don't see an issue. We just have to hope it works out that way or we'll be sleeping in my brother's living room until the last day of school. I think we are of the mind we'll pack a couple mattresses, some pots and pans, valuables, linens, clothes, cleaning supplies and food with us and let them have the rest. I was figuring on enough stuff to get us through a week or two, just in case.

Well hey, I expect to be there for a bit in the near future. Congrats to J on the promotion!

Well, I expect to buy you a beer when you are finished.  

[amaristella]

We did a CONUS move last year that was about 4 hours between places. Our stuff arrived before we even had a place to live. Actually all of my CONUS moves have been mostly that way with our stuff arriving on nearly the same day as us. You have to figure the transport companies are making money per job, not by the hour so the more jobs they do the more money they make therefor expediency is good for business. I wouldn't expect it to take more than a couple days or a long weekend to get your things provided you have an address to deliver them to when you arrive.

I prefer not to rent a vehicle if I can help it. We load our cars down with essentials (Bath towels, shower curtain, trash bags, kitchen in a bag, entertainment for kiddos). You can buy twin size air mattresses pretty cheap ($10/ea) if you look around and we've always found those to be sufficient for a few days and we were given an electric air pump by a family member several years ago that makes the air mattresses really easy. Bring or borrow some folding tables and chairs if you can. Sitting on the floor gets old quickly. You can still do a partial DITY this way although I don't think we bothered to even submit a claim for 4 hours worth of mileage. It just wasn't worth the effort for us at the time.

[VillainV]

Definitely do partial DITY.....in fact, you should ALWAYS do partial DITY (except for maybe overseas) because you are always going to take important things in your own car/trailer so you might as well get paid for it. I think a small UHAUL of stuff that's important to you is fine as long as the numbers work out and you won't be out-of-pocket for it. Otherwise, take what fits in your car.

For such a short distance, it shouldn't take more than a day or so for your stuff to make it to the new location. Do you know where you're living at the new location? If possible, I recommend doing a house-hunting trip so you can give the movers an exact address to take your household goods to...it's called a "door-to-door" move. Door-to-door moves make it MUCH less likely that your stuff will get damaged. Otherwise everything has to be unloaded from the truck, loaded into temporary storage,then loaded back on a truck and taken to your new place when you finally get one, which means lot d of opportunities for your stuff to get dropped/dinged whatever. Also, door-to-door moves are way easier on YOU because your stuff arrives the same time you do (or close enough) so you don't have to worry about sleeping on an air mattress or cooking everything in one pot:-). It means less you have to bring with you on your partial DITY, which means you can probably get away with just what fits in your car and not have to get a trailer.

Hope this helps!!

[meltoine]

We've always done partial DITYs (except our OCONUS moves). You always bring stuff with you anyway, might as well get paid for it.

[iluvmytxrgr]

Thanks, ladies. We have a bit of time before we go. The kids will be able to finish out this school year that is about to start. I just want to be as prepared as possible. We still have to make some minor repairs to our current house and find a renter. I am also researching areas with the best schools. If any of you have experience with Ft Benning, I'd be grateful for insight.