After you’ve set up your move, you obviously have to move. Packing is always a challenge. Again, a few things to keep in mind.
1. If you can drive. OCONUS moves really limit what you can take with you because (unless you choose to haul through Canada to Alaska) you have to fly. Driving, you have as much space as your car(s) allows.
2. Extra bodies. This go around, Mac and I are driving in one car with the cat. Her carrier and litter box take up a good portion of the back seat, so we can’t fit too much other stuff in the back. Kids and other pets really aren’t optional, so you have to plan with them in mind.
3. Trip length. Clean underwear is a good thing. Save your quarters for toll roads.
Personally, I make two lists: what must go and what can go if I have space. Tomorrow, I’ll post a more detailed list. But here are some ideas of what goes on each list.
What must go: important documents, orders, medicine, contacts / glasses, clothes, pets, kids, significant others
Extra space: more clothes, case of water, air mattress, cleaning supplies, snacks
With this move we drove both our cars and it made it nice having the extra space since Kyle’s car was full of the stuff that counted for our partial dity.
A must go for me is also jewelry. You’d think it would be a “duh,” but I let them pack it on my first move and there was missing stuff when we unpacked.. Jerks.
After two OCONUS moves in a row, the idea of packing up the car with all the important stuff sounds so convenient! For this last move I packed one small rolling suitcase as a carryon with all important documents, external hard drive, computer, camera, and my jewelry. And I never let it out of my sight!