Moving to a new duty station—especially overseas—can be equal parts exciting and daunting. Shipping or selling cars, managing kids’ emotions (and your own!) in empty houses, researching new schools, relocating pets, painful phone calls with SatoTravel, selling a house or finding tenants, and scouting housing sight unseen at your next duty station all add up to a logistical nightmare. The lag time between receiving verbal orders and the hard copy orders that allow you to finally act can be particularly frustrating. It’s a “hurry up and wait” game until the gun fires, and then you’re racing to your next station.
Among the many decisions you’ll make during a PCS, preparing your Unaccompanied Baggage* – sometimes called an express shipment – is one of the most important. This small but essential shipment is designed to bridge the gap between your arrival and the delivery of your main household goods, helping you create a comfortable and functional living space from day one. UB is one area where you can plan ahead—creating a list and organizing items in Sterilite bins or totes to ensure a smoother transition. By thoughtfully selecting what to include in your UB, you can ease the transition, ensuring that your temporary lodging feels more like home while you wait for the rest of your belongings to arrive.
1. Setting Up the Basics: Organization and Comfort
Start with items that will help you create a comfortable and organized space, whether in a hotel room or an empty, new-to-you home:
- Hangers, Collapsible Laundry Basket, Command Hooks, Over-the-Door Hooks, Shoe Rack or Collapsible Bins: These essentials will help you keep your space tidy and organized, allowing you to hang clothes, towels and other items without damaging walls.
- Sterilite Bin with Drawers for the Bathroom: Keep your toiletries and bathroom essentials neatly stored, so you’re not fishing tweezers and dry shampoo out of the pedestal sink whilst brushing your teeth.
- Extension Cord & Small Toolbox: Handy for setting up electronics or addressing minor fixes in your hotel room or mostly empty house.
2. Kitchen Essentials: Eating Well on the Go
To avoid over-packing, consider calling your hotel in advance to ask what kitchen items are provided. Keep in mind that the quality of these items can vary and may not always be great. To make meal prep easier and more enjoyable while waiting for your full kitchen setup, here are some things to include in your UB:
- Air Fryer (with liners, for easier clean-up), Crockpot, and/or Rice Cooker: These compact kitchen appliances can help you prepare a variety of meals with minimal effort and without relying on a Polly Pocket Kitchen burner or hot plate.
- Paper Plates, Disposable Utensils, Plastic Cups, Basic Spices, A Good Knife, Pair of Scissors: Our advanced apologies, Mother Earth, but sometimes washing dishes in a one-room-mini-kitch-3-by-5-inch sink is just no fun at all. Keep it simple but functional, with disposable dishware for easy clean-up and a few cooking basics to prepare meals.
- Tupperware: Perfect for storing any leftovers from your takeout (thank you, per diem) or home-cooked meals, making it easier to save food and avoid unnecessary waste.
- Water Bottles: Ensure everyone stays hydrated – especially if you’re still unpacking or exploring your new environment – without so much reliance on plastic bottles. See, it’s about balance.
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3. Leisure: Operation ‘Keep Everyone Entertained’
They say idle hands are the devil’s playthings and while I find that to be a little much, I can agree that bored children are more likely to find some way to entertain themselves and it might not always be your first choice method:
- Entertainment for Kids: Bring along toys and games your kids genuinely enjoy (this isn’t the moment to hope your kids will suddenly become Puzzle People). Include age-appropriate favorites whether that be Legos, Uno cards, art supplies, your go-to screens, and a Firestick or projector for movie nights.
- Bikes/Scooters and Helmets: If you’ll have the opportunity for outdoor activities, packing bikes and helmets can provide a great way for the family to explore your new surroundings. Don’t forget bike locks for outdoor storage!
4. Basic Office Supplies: Stay Organized
While everyone knows you’ll be in transition, it’s still mind-blowing that people expect TLA folks to still manage mounds of paperwork and ‘personal admin.’ Keep your essential paperwork and tasks in order with:
- Clipboard, Paper, Folders, Notebooks, Envelopes, Stamps: Handy for jotting down notes, sending mail, and keeping important documents accessible.
The Empty House vs. The Extended Stay Hotel
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You’ll always encounter families on both ends of the PCS spectrum when it comes to temporary lodging. On one side, some firmly believe in cramming the whole family into a hotel room, enjoying the comforts of a provided bed and fresh towels. On the other side, you’ll find those who swear by moving into an empty house, arguing that extra space—despite limited belongings—beats hotel living any day.
During an overseas move, the time spent in temporary lodging can vary greatly depending on when your household goods arrive and when you secure housing. For example, Navy personnel are entitled to up to 60 days in a hotel, providing ample time to find a permanent residence (sometimes). However, this timeline doesn’t always align perfectly with the arrival of HHG.
Some may find their household goods arrive well before they’ve secured housing, resulting in the entire 60 days being spent in a hotel. Conversely, others might move into their assigned housing quickly, only to find themselves living in an empty home for weeks until their HHG catches up.
In either scenario, packing your UB wisely is crucial. To ensure comfort, whether you’re in a hotel or an empty house, consider including the following essentials: sheets and other linens, towels (don’t forget kitchen towels as well!), shower curtain liner(s), travel cots, sleeping bags, broom, vacuum cleaner, a cookie sheet, and a casserole dish.
Take a Peek at the Calendar
Finally, when packing your UB, consider any special holidays, events, or milestones you’ll be celebrating while in temporary lodging or with only your express shipment for company. For instance, if the first day of school is approaching, pack any specialty uniform items, new shoes, or a chalkboard for that classic First Day of School photo[shoot]. If a birthday is on the horizon, include any gifts you don’t want to risk ordering at the last minute or a favorite birthday plate or banner. Additionally, if you anticipate sneaking in a PCS staycation, consider packing beach gear, tennis racquets, golf clubs, or other long weekend-style paraphernalia to make the most of your downtime.
Happy Planning!
A final word of advice that’s easy to give but hard to take—you can only do your best, and it’s impossible to anticipate everything you may need and running to the Exchange for the gaps you discover is why the Dislocation Allowance exists. Hopefully, this guide has started getting your wheels turning as you prepare for your next PCS. Remember, flexibility and a bit of planning can go a long way in making the transition smoother. Good luck, and see you on the other side!
*What is Unaccompanied Baggage?
Unaccompanied Baggage (UB), sometimes called an express shipment, refers to a small portion of your household goods shipped separately during a PCS move, most commonly used for OCONUS (Outside of the Continental United States) relocations. It typically includes essential items you’ll need immediately upon arrival to help you settle in while awaiting the arrival of your main shipment of household goods (HHG).
The weight allowance for your Unaccompanied Baggage (UB) depends on your overall household goods weight entitlement. The weight of your UB is deducted from your total household goods allowance, covering all items you can ship during a PCS move.
You can make multiple UB shipments based on weight, though this option isn’t widely advertised due to the potential cost. The exact details can be found in the Joint Travel Regulations (JTR) or by consulting with your base’s Transportation Office, which provides guidance on specific entitlements and restrictions for your move.