Government movers move your things; we make them make sense
On a government-arranged move, contracted packers typically box up the household and a carrier transports it. What usually is not included is deciding what should go, keeping categories together, or putting things away thoughtfully at the new home. Delivery crews generally place boxes and furniture in rooms and leave the rest to you.
That gap is where we help. Before pack-out, we sort and edit the house so the packers box only what you want moved, grouped sensibly. After delivery, we unpack and organize so the family can function, often while the service member is already reporting for duty.
Before pack-out: sort, separate and set aside
A few days of preparation make pack-out day far less chaotic. We work room by room to help you decide what to keep, donate, sell or discard, and we set aside items that should not go on the truck.
Weight allowances are a real consideration on many military moves, so letting go of things you do not want before the packers arrive can matter. You make every decision. Your transportation office is the place for questions about entitlements and rules; we focus on the physical organizing.
- Separate a do-not-pack zone for suitcases, documents, medications, laptops and valuables
- Group professional gear and equipment together so it can be packed and listed as your move requires
- Clear out the garage and closets of things you no longer want
- Consolidate kids' toys, school items and comfort objects so they can be found quickly
- Make sure your first-night items are packed separately, see our moving day essentials box
After delivery: from a house full of boxes to a working home
Military families often unpack alone, with the service member in training or already on long days. We unpack, put items away and set up the kitchen, beds, bathrooms and kids' rooms first, then closets, the pantry and storage. Packing paper and empty boxes are removed as we go.
If you are moving into base housing or a rental, we use removable organizing products wherever possible, such as freestanding shelving, drawer dividers and over-the-door storage, so nothing needs to be drilled or left behind. Our unpacking services page covers the process.
Las Vegas details for families arriving at Nellis
Many families PCS in summer, and that means arriving in some of the most intense heat in the country. Boxes waiting in a closed garage can get hot enough to damage photos, candles, electronics and food, so we unpack those categories first and bring them inside. Our guide to moving in summer in Las Vegas has more tips.
Off-base families often settle in North Las Vegas, Aliante, Centennial Hills or northeast Las Vegas for the commute. Garage organizing runs mid-October through April, so a summer arrival may get the house set up first and the garage in fall. See our North Las Vegas home organizer page for more on the area.
Leaving Nellis on new orders
On an outbound PCS, we prepare the home before the packers arrive and help you plan donations. Before you clear Nellis, up to a carload of donations can leave with us at the end of a session; valley options include Goodwill of Southern Nevada, the Salvation Army and Opportunity Village.
If you are doing a personally procured move instead of a government-packed one, our packing services can pack and label everything by room and category for you.
Cost of organizing help for a military move
PCS organizing sessions start around $600 for four hours. A typical full day of PCS packing or unpacking starts around $1,800, and a whole-house unpack often takes one or more full days with a team.
Organizing help is generally a personal expense rather than part of a government-paid move, so we plan to the scope you choose, whether that is just the kitchen and kids' rooms or the whole house.
