Webinar: Just Tell Me What to Do When I PCS!

Our Guests: 

Tim Helenthal, Chairman and CEO of National Van Lines I’ve been working with National Van Lines for 27 years. I didn’t know about the moving business until I got into it, and it has been fun to work with people all over the world!

Sherrell Byrd III, Driver for National Van Lines I’ve been driving for them since 1997, starting in 1994 when I saw an ad in the paper and signed up to have something to do for the summer. It’s now been 28 years with the company, and I just love it. 

Watch the full interview here:

How should military families prepare for a PCS move?

Tim: There’s no “easy button” to make your move stress-free. You need to prepare by watching webinars like this, get yourself a good checklist from PCSgrades or from your moving company. 

Also, book early! The summer is extremely busy with kids getting out of school. The earlier you make a request, the more options you have. Whether you are booking us through the base for a government-funded PCS, or hiring your own movers for a PPM, then do your research and book early because everyone is at full capacity. 

What should you expect from the initial survey?

Tim: This may be the most important part of the move for the customer. When you first get an email that your shipment has been awarded to a Transportation Service Provider, then it will have your single point of contact, so establish that communication, and then set up that initial survey.

We can either come to your home or do a virtual tour, but this is where we need to know what items will be packed, if special packing materials are needed, anything that is important or valuable to you. Think about what is in your attic basement, garage, storage areas, etc. That will help them accurately calculate your weight. 

Moving Company Reviews

Access moving company reviews by and for military families. Want a chance you share your opinion about a moving company? Leave a review! Each review helps military families with an upcoming PCS.

Review a Moving Company

What do you tell customers to purge before PCSing?

Tim: You kind of have to go through everything! Go through closets and anything you have outgrown or won’t use, go through books and school books. This is important to make sure you don’t go over your weight limit with things you don’t need during a PCS.

Just tell me what to do with my stuff when I PCS!

Tell me what to do with weight equipment when we PCS-- Pelotons, ellipticals, weight benches, etc.

Sherrell: Depending who you book with, they will arrange a third party to help prepare. Other times, it is the service member’s responsibility. If you wait until pack and load day, this is always a mess and they are in the way and may not be labeled correctly. So if there is a Boflex or a weight machine--especially if it is upstairs or in a basement, then it should be disassembled before the move, before the movers arrive at the home. 

The third party can be handled through the booker, like Suddoth, so they will disconnect washers and dryers, disassemble weight equipment, and have some large items crated before movers arrive. 

Tell me what to do with alcohol when I PCS!

Sherrell: It depends on the driver. If the alcohol is listed on the inventory and manifest, then it is legal. If it is a door-to-door move, I can take it. But not every warehouse will accept it, so this does depend on the company and the driver policies. 

What should I do with my spices when I PCS?

Sherrell: For the most part, the packers can handle them. Most spices are no problem. A good packer will make sure the container is secure and the lid is on tight. We wild raw arrows to make sure they are packed upright both in the truck and the warehouse. 

Spices are a good thing to purge before the move too, because you want to get everything that is expired out of the house before the move. You should be able to pack spices overseas as well. 

Can I pack canned goods during a PCS move?

Sherrell: Yes, as long as the can is not damaged or dented. The packers should check the integrity of the can first. And again, they should be packed upright and labeled as canned goods. 

If it’s flour or cereals that are perishables, they can’t go to a warehouse because they will spoil. 

What are the regulations for moving with liquids?

Sherrell: It really depends on the crew and the situation. Most crews want to protect themselves, and will not take liquids because it is a liability to them. Other times, if it is a door-to-door move where the same driver is handling the entire move, they may feel more comfortable packing certain items. They can sometimes place them in the “belly box” of a truck. So different companies will give you different answers to this and different policies to protect their companies. 

You should expect to purge all these liquids from your home before you move.

What is a belly box on a moving truck?

Sherrell: Not all moving trucks have them. Usually the passenger side is reserved for the long ramps. Some drivers will keep their driver’s side empty and available for things like liquids, cleaning supplies, or other items that you don’t want to spill or damage the rest of the shipment. You could reach out and contact the driver in advance. Not all drivers have them, and it will be on a case-by-case basis what items they allow in the belly box. I usually don’t have any problems with my own oils or cleaning liquids in that location, even going through mountains. 

Can we move with plants?

Sherrell: I’m probably an exception, but I will sometimes take them. I will tell my customers that I don’t water plants. I’ll take them, depending on space, but there is a chance they will die. I can take a few small ones in boxes, but they are hard to load with because you can’t stack anything on top of them. 

Tim: Our policy as a carrier is that we can’t take live plants, and we can’t care for them on a hot or cold trailer, and there are some states where you can’t bring any types of agricultural products across state lines--especially California and Florida. 

Researching Your Next Duty Station?

Access FREE resources and reviews about on and off-base housing, cost of living, local events, and more.

Access Area Guides

What can we do with propane tanks or fuel tanks when we move?

Sherrell: You can’t take them, so you have to find friends to give them to, or just have a big cookout and use up all the fuel. The same goes for empty gas cans or containers. Years ago, we used to be able to take them if they were certified as being purged of fuel, or if they had never been used. 

Tim: The DoD has changed their policy a few times. They were prohibited, then they were allowed if they were purged, now they aren’t allowed again. So the current policy is no propane tanks at all. 

What should we do about moving with antiques?

Tim: First, you need to define, what’s an antique? There are some legal definitions. If you have something that you feel is an antique, then document what you have before we ever see it, touch it, or transport it. Documentation is important. Electronic inventory helps us document everything. Ideally, it should be documented as an antique. 

Sherrell: As a driver, we are taught not to use that term and not to inventory anything as an antique. Just because something is old does not make it an antique. 

What should we do with electronics when we move?

Sherrell: Packing them is not an issue. If you have a nice home theater system, we recommend that you unplug and label and document it all yourself. Take pictures of the setup as you disassemble it so you know which cords go where. If we unplug it, we will just take all the cords out and throw them in a box without labels, which of course makes it harder to set up after delivery. Some people save TV boxes to reuse, but we can provide them too.

How do I protect large, bulky items during a move?

Sherrell: A good mover should be able to protect those items for you. You should have a pad-wrapped service to make everything safe before it comes out of the home. We will disassemble large pieces, and use stretch wrap to protect fabric or upholstery couches inside the house. If it’s leather, we will use paper padding first, then wrap with stretch wrap. You don’t need to do anything with these pieces before moving day.

How do you protect paintings or large photographs during a move?

Sherrell: If it’s oil paintings, there is something called glassine that we put down first. It’s like wax paper--it won’t stick to the painting, but it prevents it from smearing during packing. Otherwise, we use brown paper pads and mirror cartons to protect them. It’s not a requirement to use a separate box for each painting or frame, but it is the smart thing to do. 

Tim: If you are prepping paintings before a move, we are going to inspect and open up every package on pack and move day. So it’s better to let us do that service, don’t do extra work if you don’t have to. 

Can we move with snow globes?

Sherrell: Depending on the time of year, you may want to take them yourself. I have had them freeze before and break. Trailers aren’t temperature-controlled, so if it’s cold outside, then the water can freeze, which makes it expand and break the glass. 

What do different-colored moving stickers mean?

Tim: If the mover has been hired for you, it’s their responsibility to provide you with new material. They shouldn’t have any used boxes with previous stickers from another move. 

Sherrell: It’s possible to use different colors within the same move. Sometimes, different colors can be used for indoor and outdoor items, or to distinguish different things. 

What do we do if walls are scratched or damaged during a move?

Sherrell: A lot of us carry quality control forms, so at the end of the move, we walk around with the customer. We can take care of small things and minor repairs if the customer is okay with it, but if it’s something more major, then we have a claims adjuster who will handle it.

Tim: That’s right, sometimes drivers have the ability to do minor repairs. We are responsible for making sure that your home is in the same condition when we are done as it was when we got there. You can contact your carrier or your TSP (your move management company) and they are responsible for making sure your home is put back in order. The time limit is 180 days from delivery, or 9 months to file a claim (for damaged goods delivered). We can get someone out to do repairs to resolve what we need to do. 

You can read more tips and tricks from moving companies in our interview here.

What do I do with pets on moving day?

Sherrell: A lot of customers will have pets secured in a specific area, like the guest bedroom, and will make it clear that no one should go in there. A backyard is also a good idea. We don’t want to hurt your pet and have an animal dart out between our legs and hurt someone. And we don’t want the guys to get distracted playing with pets either.

Help Military Families

Leave a review about base housing or your off-base neighborhood to help other military families make informed decisions about where to live.

Leave a Review

Can we pack nail polish for a PCS?

Sherrell: We are told not to pack it. I’m not sure if that is United policy or a DoD regulation, but we can’t take nail polish. It’s liquid and hazardous. 

Tim: The DoD policy has literally hundreds of pages on items that are prohibited or restricted. And at one point I read them all, but they also get changed and updated. So I would have to check the DoD policy on that again to know how it impacted other moving companies.

What is the most unusual thing you have been asked to pack?

I moved a geologist in the late 90’s in Ohio, and he said he had these poison-tipped spears from the Amazon. I thought he was joking, but he insisted they were real! So I had to tell him that me and my crew couldn’t touch them. He got mad, but he had to handle them himself. 

Will the movers pack weapons or ammo during a PCS move?

Sherrell: We can’t take ammo. If you have a certain amount of ammunition, we would need a hazmat (hazardous material) sign for the trailer, and that’s an endorsement we won’t get. Weapons we can take. (Guns, longbows, arrows). We record the serial number and model number on the inventory. A smart driver will also pack weapons deeper in the truck, not right by a door, so it’s less likely that they will be stolen. The boxes should not say “guns” on them. They should be purposely mislabeled as sporting goods or sporting equipment, for everyone’s protection. But all the details should appear on the inventory. 

Can you pack seeds on a move?

You can’t transport any live plants or animals across state lines. So if they are in a sealed package, not opened, I can take them. But for California and Florida I wouldn’t bother, because I would want it to hold up the shipment and see the entire trailer go into quarantine. 

Tim: It probably isn’t worth it. If you have some kind of heirloom seeds from the plants in your garden, it is better to carry them with you than to pack them in your shipment. 

Can you transport an urn with ashes inside during a PCS move?

Sherrell: Yes, you can do that, and we can accommodate that, but we would want to make sure it was properly secured. But in all my years I have never hauled one to my knowledge. 

Tim: My personal recommendation would be not to have that shipped. You always need to consider that something can go wrong. Most of the things we ship can be replaced. But something that is truly irreplaceable, it’s better to keep it with you in your own control. We can move those items, but I recommend taking it on your own if you can. From a claims standpoint, the legal value is really just the value of the urn, which is nowhere near what you are suffering or what you have lost.   

What about taxidermy items, can they be packed in a PCS move?

Sherrell: These are usually crated. If they can’t be crated by the government movers, then some service members take care of it themselves. But they should definitely be crated so they can ship properly without being damaged. 

How do you handle packing and labeling name-brand clothing or shoe collections in a PCS move?

Sherrell: It goes back to purposely mislabeling collections of shoes or handbags sometimes. The box should be generic and just say “shoes” or “purses.” But the inventory sheet should have the exact details of clothing brands or models. You don’t want a box sitting in a warehouse to be labeled as a name-brand item. 

Tim: High-value items can be determined by the packers or the customer. If you know you have name brand shoes or clothing, then take pictures ahead of time to document it, and to prove their exact value. It should be noted prior to pick-up, because for a claim later they will want you to document that. The customer is an expert on the value of their own property, so if you think it’s important, then tell us and we will make it important to us. 

Sherrell: The summer can be really crazy and busy, with multiple people handling a shipment or unpacking something in a warehouse, so you don’t want a box sitting around with an expensive label on the side. There’s just no guarantee that it wouldn’t go missing with so many people involved, so it’s safer for the customer to give a generic label like “shoes” or “clothes” on the actual box, but make sure that those details appear on the high-value inventory sheet.