So, this one is for any of you who have yet to or are about to embark on the joys of a PCS. There is a seedy, dark underbelly to this PCS business. No, it isn't smarmy movers and no, it isn't the boatloads of paperwork, and alas, no, it isn't how the Transportation Office will do everything in their power to avoid having to pay you money for your damaged stuff.
Its about the Hangover.
See, when you get to where you are going, you are super excited and giddy about the possibilities of your new place. You are thrilled to have cable and internet and a sofa and you are all fired up about getting your place set up. You are ready to rumble.
And then you start. And then you are doing it for 2 days (if you are lucky, with help) and you are still up to your eyeballs in cardboard and packing materials and you have 5 loads of laundry and need to wash every piece of dish/bake-ware you own and all of your clothes are wrinkled and you can't find your new sheets and you still haven't really made any headway, or at least that is how it seems. And your place looks like something from that show Hoarders (which, I cannot bring myself to watch). At this point, if you are undertaking this alone, it is my experience that you start looking around and think 2 things: #1- The hubs better damned well appreciate all this freaking work and how awesome the house is going to look when he gets home because MAN did he ever get over on not having to do any of this, and #2- Do you think we could leave it this way and just watch HGTV and eat bon-bons?
I was at #1 this morning, shortly after the drains clogged and I broke two platters. Now I am at #2 after hanging up, shelving or folding at least 400 items of clothing this afternoon. But hey! I found the lampshades! In a box labeled "Clothes and Shoes"! I also discovered just how poorly the majority of my items were labeled. Apparently "Clothes" means any box with at least 2 items of clothing in them regardless of the other contents. Also, "Art Supplies" means yes, art supplies, but also 45 lbs. of Pro-Gear. Hmph. Oh and "Clothes" also means "Laundry supplies", "Sports Equipment", and "Pictures" in case you didn't know.
So, with this being said, let me offer you one piece of advice for those of you about to embark on a PCS: It is ALL about the labeling. If you are doing it yourself, be anal retentive and write everything that is inside on the box and where it is going to- not the room it came from (BIG difference when you are moving to a place without a basement/attic from a place with one!). If you are having someone move you- make them mark the boxes well, mark which room they are going to, what is in them, and don't let them get away with labels like "Supplies" and "Clothes". You will be SO much happier when you start unpacking because you will actually KNOW what is in them!
Anyway, I suppose I have shirked my unpacking duties long enough. I'm off to fold Swiss' t-shirts #105-263 (I wish I were kidding) and find a drawer big enough for all of my socks, which seem to have humped like bunnies while in storage. And with any luck, tackle the other 4 boxes labeled "Clothes". It'll be like a treasure hunt! HA!
1 comment:
Just got finished unpacking, and my socks seem to have done the same thing. I broke down and used two drawers--one for athletic/normal socks and another for boot socks. Oh, and a third for mine. :)
Post a Comment