I hate clutter.
I start clearing out the second the mention of orders reaches my ears. With so many military moves, it’s easy to gather excess clutter at each new home. Being deliberate with our things and ruthless with excess has made all the difference when it comes time to PCS.
Eliminating clutter has taught me about the value of my things. It’s taught me that the things filling our home are just that—things.
But even I have items I take with me to each home.
7 Things that should always make the PCS decluttering cut
My wedding dress
I married my husband two weeks after college after a long stint (almost five years, to be exact) of distance because of the military. I planned and prepped for a wedding out of state and moved shortly after to join him where he was stationed. My wedding dress is sentimental to me. My preserved dress remains sealed in a cardboard box, Sharpied with “DO NOT OPEN” for each set of packers and movers.
One box of my kids’ school things
Moving often means we can’t keep boxes of kids’ school projects and papers. Knowing this helps me to be ruthless with their artwork. While I’m not the most sentimental person, I do keep special cards, papers and projects. But I do so in one plastic box, separated into grade-level hanging files. In the future, I can gift them this box for them to do what they wish. This method also gives me the ability to reminisce before each move when I inevitably open it while organizing.
One Rubbermaid tub of cherished baby items
As with the treasured artwork, it’s hard to not want to keep every single special dress my daughter wore. Or every blanket I wrapped my babies in. But knowing whatever is kept must be moved from house to house helps to quell those desires—from a practical sense, at least. Each of my children has one tub of cherished baby items. Whether it’s a special first birthday dress or a handmade wooden teether, these items come with us each move and hold enough sentimental value to make the cut.
Photo albums or digital backups
If you have movers, this might be something you want to carry with you on your person or in your car. Photo albums or digital backups like hard drives or SD cards are invaluable regardless of how many times you move with the military. I’ve made some albums of our times in each state that my kids love looking through and take those with us each move.
Family heirlooms or special jewelry
Family heirlooms and special jewelry are something I move with during each PCS. I have pearls I wore on my wedding day, as well as a few other special family gifts. These items may not mean much to others, but they hold meaning to me. So even though I declutter often and purge the heck out of my house before final orders drop, they are not among the list of vulnerable items.
Holiday items
No matter where we’re stationed or how long we’ll be there, holidays are special in our family. We have traditions or items we bring out year after year that hold meaning to us. Stockings, ornaments, baskets, or decorations give my kids a sense of stability despite holidays looking different some years. I love knowing that someday I’ll pass down those same decorations to my kids along with the memories these items hold.
While we don’t have a lot of these items and extra decor still feels cluttered to me, what we do keep is intentional!
The memories of friends made and good times had at each base
Yes, it’s cheesy—and not exactly tangible, (though there are mementos like Christmas ornaments, handmade cups, or tokens from friends!) But there’s no denying that with each PCS, I’m not just carrying physical items. I’m bringing memories and emotions with me as well. While these things don’t take up physical space, they come with us from place to place.