Managing editor

Everyone who has ever donned a military uniform has gone through this process. Whether you are a “one enlistment and done” or a 30-year veteran, you will make at least one Permanent Change of Station move — some of us, quite a few more.

I was lucky. After talking with other Soldiers, my eight PCS moves pale in comparison. I have actually met an individual that claims to have made 11 moves in 22 years — that’s a lot of packing and unpacking.

It’s about this time of year that the PCS system really starts to get cranked up. When you think of it as a pure mathematical formula, there are a whole lot of Soldiers moving every year. Take the average length of tour being three years. If that is somewhat true, it means that roughly one-third of the active force is on the move each year.

If you’ve never done this before, forgot what an event it can be, or just want to make this move a little smoother, remember these tips on moving.

Start early.

One cannot emphasis enough the need to start this as early as possible. If you’re a single Soldier and everything you own can fit into the backseat of a Toyota, then your early start is different than the Soldier with a wife, three kids, two dogs, eight rooms of furniture and a garage. Don’t wait until the week before your new report date to schedule packers and movers — you will be disappointed. Use the website at www.move.mil, or visit the post Transportation Office as soon as you get orders.

Downsize.

Regardless of the size of your move, determine if there is anything that doesn’t need to be moved.

Personally, I have moved several boxes of toys my kids outgrew, curtains that only fit the government quarters at Fort Knox, Ky., and a broken Christmas Santa more than once. If you don’t need it, get rid of it. Have a yard sale; use the Thrift Store; donate to Goodwill, but just get rid of the stuff you are never going to use again.

Make a list.

We all want to be organized, but if you try to do everything without a list, you’re bound to forget something. Movers and packers may take care of your furniture and dishes, but they won’t help you to remember to pick up your kid’s school records. Lists are available from a variety of sources, but the best ones are the ones you combine to meet your individual needs. Getting Fido that dog crate early on can keep you from a late night scramble the night before your cross-country drive in the morning.

Keeping a small notebook with you to write down items when you remember them can greatly reduce stress. For the electronic generation, a smart phone can help. There is actually an app for that called Moving Van. Moving Van will keep track of the contents of every box right on your iPhone and there are at least a dozen “to-do list” apps available for Android and iPhones.

It’s in the mail.

Make sure your bills get forwarded, and the services you no longer need, like trash and cable, get cancelled before your move. Online accounts make paying most bills easier for the nomadic family, but remember to include the bills that still require an old-fashioned stamp. Magazines need to be suspended or moved to a new address early on, as it may take one or two issues for the process to catch up with reality.

Ask for help.

If you still aren’t sure of what to do, contact the Transportation Office personnel. They can help guide you through this stressful part of military life.

Moves are part of the military life, but when you get down to it, very few of us stay in the same home for decades, anyway. Moves, whether military or civilian, are part of our lives — like’em or not — but with a little planning, you can make that next PCS a little less stressful.