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Winter moving tips

  • Published
  • By Joint Personal Property Shipping Office
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  With the winter moving season approaching, the Joint Personal Property Shipping Office would like to pass on some key moving tips.

Everyone moving during the winter months should be aware snow and sleet storms may delay pickup and delivery of household goods.

To minimize inconvenience should a storm occur, plan an extra day or two between a scheduled pickup and departure date. Be sure to leave phone and other utilities connected until all property has been picked up. It's the individual's responsibility to clear driveways and walkways of snow and ice, this includes outdoor storage sheds. Failure to do so will delay moves.

Although the commercial mover can be controlled, the weather cannot. Prepare for unexpected happenings by allowing some flexibility.

Some things to take into consideration on moving day: 

· Get up early and be ready for the movers. 

· Get pets under control before movers arrive; see if they can stay with a neighbor. 

· Make sure cash, jewelry, important documents (passports, birth certificates, airline tickets) and valuable items are secure. 

· Verify the mover's inventory is detailed, complete and accurate. Don't accept any "miscellaneous" labels or entries, especially for valuable items. 

· If inventory is inaccurate, tell the carrier's representative and write down any disagreements at the bottom of the inventory in the space marked for exceptions. 

· Disconnect electrical appliances (washer, dryer, stereo components). 

· Ensure any outdoor items, i.e. play equipment or lawn furniture has been disassembled and is free of snow and or ice. 

· Ensure all overseas shipments have seals applied to the container and are recorded on the descriptive inventory prior to removal from the residence. 

· Do a final walkthrough prior to the carrier departing to ensure all inventoried items have been removed from the residence and loaded on the truck. 

· In case of problems, call JPPSO at 800-235-7776 between 8:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. After those hours call 978-987-6546. Standby personnel will answer the phone, or callers will be prompted to leave a voicemail. Leave complete phone numbers including area code and the call will be returned as soon as possible.

Numerous resources that may assist throughout a move can be found via the AF MOVE website at: http://afmove.hq.af.mil.