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The needs of pets are often overlooked when families have to move.  They are low on the huge list of priorities that have to be taken care during moving.  Pets do get anxious when the boxes come out and the packing begins.  Adding some line items for your pet to your moving house check list can help make sure you are taking good care of your pet during the transition and will make it easier once you move in.

Moving House Check List Items for Pet Owners:
1.  Decide how your pet will travel to the new home.  If you are flying, be sure to book arrangements with the airlines.  Pets cannot always fly on all planes and there are some restrictions on layovers and times of year.  There are services that will walk, feed and give water to your pet during layovers.  Add those reservation numbers and other details to your moving house check list so you have them handy.
2.  Arrange for boarding after you arrive at your destination, if necessary.  Add the contact numbers, cost and dates of the reservations to your moving house check list.
3.  Make sure you have the appropriate carrying kennel for your pet at least a month before you move, so he or she can get used to it.
4.  Find out what vaccinations and records will be needed by the airline and for the location where you are moving.  It is much easier to take care of those things with your current veterinarian.  Add those to do items to your moving house check list.
5.  Make an appointment with your current veterinarian and take care of all necessary vaccinations and prescription needs 2 weeks to a month prior to your move.  Pick up a records transfer form for your new veterinarian. 
6.  Add any details you might forget to your moving house check list. For example, you may need to give your dog food and water no more than 6 hours prior to his flight.  Or you may need to give a cat a prescribed tranquilizer at least 1 hour prior to an international flight. 
7.  Assign one person in the family the task of taking care of your pet on moving day.  This helps eliminate confusion and assures that the pet will not get lost in the shuffle.  Make sure that person has his or her own moving house check list specifically for your pet. 
8.  Take some time to give some love to your pet in the ramp up for your move.  Take your dog out and play fetch.  Snuggle with your cat.  It will be good for both you and your pet.  (It seems silly, but you can put this on your moving house check list as a reminder to simply take time out from the stress of moving.)

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When you are in the military, you become very good at moving.  Most families make a permanent change of station (PCS) every 2 to 3 years, depending upon their branch of service and specialty.  And storage and moving seem to go hand in hand when you are moving with the military.  If you take an overseas assignment, you often store furniture and other belongings that either might not survive a long trip or will not fit into the quarters where you will be living.  Taking a remote assignment is another common reason to combine storage and moving.  Your maximum allowable weight limit for household goods may require that you store a great deal of belongings stateside.  Deployments also create a need to combine storage and moving for many families and individuals.  Regardless of the reason, portable storage units offer military members and their families a convenient and stress free solution for storage and moving.

You can utilize portable storage units for both your storage and moving needs, if you are doing a DITY move.  Or, if the government is handling your move or you are using a full service moving company for your actual move, you can utilize portable storage units for only the belongings you wish to put in storage.  The units are delivered to your curb, driveway or parking lot.  You can take your time loading your belongings into the units.  They are weather proof, secure and easy to load and pack.  Once you have loaded everything, the storage and moving company who provided the units will pick them up and transport them for you.  You do not have to unpack anything that is going into storage.  Your portable storage units will be placed in the storage facility just as you packed them.  When you no longer need to utilize storage, the storage and moving company will deliver your units to your desired location.  The convenience offered by portable storage units give military families and individuals a stress free solution at a time when there is enough stress in their lives. 

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When people have to relocate, it is very common to combine storage and moving. They may be taking a short term job that requires that most of their big furniture be put in storage and moving only a small shipment. Or they may be moving to a small apartment for a few months until their new home is ready. The reasons for combining storage and moving are endless, but having to prepare and pack groups of items for both storage and moving can be arduous. In fact, many people concentrate on the things that are going to be moved and pay less attention to the way the things going to storage are packed. Taking the time to be thorough and organized when packing your belongings that will be stored will make your life easier in the long run. Here are some tips for preparing things that will be going to storage:

1. Get rid of anything you do not need. Sort through things for storage and moving. Donate everything else or have a yard sale.

2. Pack only clean items. Use cedar blocks or balls in clothing boxes or containers to ward off pests. By the time you are finished with your storage and moving adventure, your belongings will be in storage a while. You do not want to have moths, soiled food or dirt caked onto or munching your clothing or furniture.

3. Try to put everything in small boxes or containers that are all the same size. This will help keep your storage unit organized.

4. Label everything clearly and on all sides of the containers or boxes. This will be invaluable, should you need to access anything while it is in storage and also when you unpack after not having seen your belongings for a while.

5. Number your boxes and keep an inventory list of all your belongings. In all the chaos of storage and moving, it is very easy to forget what you put in storage. Having a list that you can easily access is extremely helpful.

6. Plan for all conditions. If moisture gets into your storage unit, you want to make sure your belongings are protected. If possible, do not have boxes resting directly on the floor. This will prevent mildew or moisture from seeping into your boxes. Put them up on a pallet so air can flow underneath or put them on top of plastic containers.

7. Do not forget to call your insurance company to make sure you have a policy that covers your belongings while they are in storage.

Having to prepare things for storage and moving can seem overwhelming. But taking some time to take care of the things that will be in storage will save you some stress and money in the long run.

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