Plan ahead to make a Smooth Move this “Peak Season” Published May 30, 2007 92nd Logistics Readiness Squadron traffic management office FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- Are you permanently changing station, retiring or separating this spring or summer? Of all Department of Defense personnel, 65 percent initiate moves between April and July each year. The following are a few tips to help make your move less stressful. Important things to keep in mind: - Visit the traffic management office in Bldg. 2249 with orders in hand to set up the mandatory counseling appointment at least 30-45 days prior to the day you want your property stored or moved. - Plan on separate dates for each type of shipment such as household goods, baggage and non-temporary storage. Once a date is established it cannot be changed unless there is an emergency beyond the member's control. Moves are booked 30 days in advance making it almost impossible to change your moving date. So please plan your moving dates carefully. If an emergency arises and you need to change or reschedule a moving date, you will need to bring in a written request with a valid reason. - Estimate the weight of your shipment. Plan on approximately 1,000 lbs. per room. Approximately 4,000 lbs. can be packed per day, and extra days should be planned for each additional 4,000 lbs. Exceeding the weight allowance will result in additional costs. - You'll need to physically be home between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on packing days. Also, do not plan to have your shipment moved and vacate your residence on the same day, as weather or emergencies can cause a delay. It would be logical to include an extra day for planning purposes. - Do not leave cash, jewelry or valuables unattended. Required items such as airline tickets, passports, checkbooks and any other important materials should be kept separate and safe to avoid being packed. Put them in your personally operated vehicle or an empty room during packing and moving dates. Things to do before the packing day: - Remove articles from crawl and attic spaces if they are not accessible by a permanent staircase. - Defrost and wash the inside of your refrigerator and/or freezer. Leave the doors open for 24 hours to dry out. Also, placing unused coffee grounds in an appliance can reduce odor. - Remove window air conditioning units, satellite dishes, television antennas and other similar items from the home. Dissemble any outdoor play equipment, sheds and playhouses. - Disconnect all stereo components, computers, VCRs, and appliances. If you have the original boxes the company will re-pack the units in them. Plasma televisions require a special box, so if you have the original container, please make it available to the packers. Also disconnect the hoses and drain the washer, and clean the drier prior to the packing day. - Dispose of any unsealed or perishable food items and unserviceable or unwanted items. Purge all gasoline from power-driven equipment and let the fuel tank air out, however draining oil from motorcycles, mopeds or riding lawn mowers is not necessary. Remove batteries from equipment. - Physically separate and identify on the inventory list, all "Professional Books, Papers and Equipment" as they are a free allowance and not counted against your net total weight of items. Ensure all major items appear on the inventory and verify inventory accuracy. Properly annotated inventories reflect what is shipped and the condition of your items at time of pick up. If you feel your inventory is inaccurate, annotate any exceptions in the remarks area on the bottom the inventory sheets. - Most importantly, do not argue with the carrier company representatives. If problems arise, call TMO's quality control section immediately at 247-8248. Any questions can be referred to 247-5815 concerning your move.