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Moving A Family

How Does Moving a Family in the Military Work?

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Any time you prepare to move, things can get a little dicey without the proper information and planning. Therefore, if you happen to be on active duty and are also preparing for a move, the military has all the hard stuff taken care of for you. This isn’t to say that you won’t have to put your end of the work in as well, but they help make the overall transition a little easier. This is how moving a family in the military works for those in the military curious to know before their first move. (Or simply for others who’re interested.)

Restrictions Overseas

The military is chock-full of restrictions on what you can and cannot do and moving is no exception. Generally, when moving, you can take everything with you—but if you’re moving overseas things tend to become complicated. There’s a limited amount of items and specifics on what you can take when traveling overseas. The military will step in to put your things in storage during your entire time overseas at no cost to you. As a bonus, they’ll pay to have everything shipped. Make sure to take precautions before things start happening.

Filing Claims

It’s never ideal if something gets lost or broken during a move. Some things are priceless, so you should be careful of what you choose to have moved in bulk and what you decide to take with you personally. Otherwise, the military will reimburse you for issues like this. It is up to you, however, to make sure to file your claims with your command wherever you end up. You have a limited amount of time to do so before it’ll be counted as void.

Finding Your Footing Afterward

For military members, moving is just another aspect of the job. But for the spouse, it’s more of an intricate situation. They have to uproot themselves from their lives every few years. This can be a complicated process, so the military has assistance programs for them during and after moves. One thing military spouses worry about is how to continue with their normal lives when they must constantly move. The government has programs in place to help them if they’re seeking to further their careers when their spouse is on active duty.

Moving doesn’t have to be as complicated of a process as people tend to imagine. If you have the proper plan and strategy in place, it can make for a very simple procedure. So, if you’re wondering how moving a family in the military works, then it’s as easy as referencing this article. Alternatively, you could ask a military service member what their experience was like. You might be surprised to hear how effortless it is for them.

Essential Questions for Moving Companies Before Your Long Distance Moving Adventure

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Long distance moving seems to be a straightforward process, but in reality, it is actually complicated. As such, you’ll have to depend on a moving company to handle and move all your belongings. Unfortunately, choosing the right moving company can be challenging, especially as there are so many movers to choose from in the country. So how do you make sure that you have the best moving company that you can trust to handle and move all your belongings?

It all comes down to asking the right questions. Be sure to meet them and ask them the following essential questions if you consider hiring the services of a moving company.

1. What kind of moving services they offer?

You must always ask the moving company what kind of services they offer to their clients.

  • Keep in mind that not all moving companies provide the same services. So if you have a particular item like a grand piano that needs to be moved, ask them how they will be able to pack and unpack it.
  • A moving company should provide services which include packing, wrapping, loading, moving, unloading, and unpacking.

2. What kind of equipment they use?

You want to feel confident that the moving company should be able to transport all your belongings safely, especially if you are looking to move at a long distance.

  • A moving company should always be complete with equipment for transporting your belongings safely.

Here’s a list of equipment that a moving company should use for transporting your precious belongings.

  • Dollies
  • Handcarts
  • Protective blankets
  • Furniture pads
  • Shrink wraps
  • Heavy-duty boxes

You also have to make sure that the moving company has a moving truck that is capable of load and transport all your belongings in one go.

3. How much will the move cost you?

You want to be clear with how much the move will cost you especially if you are moving long distance. This will also prevent you from having last minute surprises from your moving expenses.

  • Most residential moving companies will charge you on an hourly basis with added mileage fees. So if you’re moving long distance expect for your overall bill to be high.
  • Different companies have different pricing for their moving services. So choose a moving company that will only charge you based on the mileage from the pickup location to the final destination.
  • It’s also important to ask the company if there are any additional fees and what you can do to avoid incurring them?

Knowing how much the move will cost you beforehand can help you avoid confusion if, for some reason, there’s an additional fee added to your final bill.

If you’re preparing for a long distance move, it’s important to ask the essential questions above to a moving company. Talk to at least 2 or more moving companies and ask these questions before you choose to hire one. Trust your instincts too, especially if you are meeting these moving companies in person. You’ll certainly get a good feel for a moving company, especially if you ask them these questions.The best moving companies should be able to make you feel comfortable as they give you answers to your questions.

You may also want to use an online tool like the MyLongDistanceMovers.com.  MyLongDistanceMovers.com can help you find the best moving company to help you with your long distance move that offers high-quality moving services for a very good price.

A Step-By-Step Guide To Moving With Kids And Pets

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Moving into a new home can be one of the most stressful situations of your life. You’re not just relocating all your belongings, you’re changing your life. It’s no wonder that some people believe moving into a new home is more stressful than getting a divorce. As stressful as moving can be, preparing kids and/or pets could make it even more stressful — as the emotional burden they carry throughout the process can be even greater.

For young children and pets, routines are very important. Children experience constant changes as they grow and develop, so the security of familiarity — such as bedrooms or backyards — provides some much-needed stability in their lives. For pets, any changes to their routines and surroundings can be upsetting. In both cases, moving to a new house can throw their lives into upheaval. Unless you pay special attention to their needs before, during and after the move, children and pets could become withdrawn, scared or depressed.

Fortunately, there are some steps you can take to make the moving process potentially less stressful for your children and pets. For example, you can help kids adjust to the idea of moving by letting them choose the color of their new bedrooms. With pets, you can help them adjust by taking them for long car rides (if you’re moving long-distance). Packing your children’s favorite items in the same box can help them feel more comfortable by knowing where they are, not to mention easily accessible after the move. Leaving pets with a sitter could help to keep them occupied. Once you arrive at the new house, you can help kids and pets settle in by arranging their belongings as similar as possible to the layout of the old house.

These and other tips for all stages of the moving process can be found in the guide created by University Moving and Storage below.

A Moving Checklist for Every Smart Dad

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Moving into a new apartment with your son or daughter can be stressful.

It’s a huge change that might even feel a bit overwhelming. Couple those feelings with taking care of your kids, and you’re practically setting yourself up for a breakdown! How do you prepare to move? Simple. A moving checklist.

The stress of moving can turn your mind into a pretzel, and cause you to forget a few things. Trying to remember every single thing you need to get done from, from checking out schools to furniture shipping can be impossible, which is why it’s important to be proactive.

Our contributors at Transit Systems have put together a great moving checklist including everything from planning ideas to packing materials in order to make sure that your move is as easy as possible.

Moving Checklist from Transit Systems