Welcome to PCS Week, a weeklong series of guides and resources for the 2025 PCS season.
With peak PCS season on the horizon, military families are planning and purging and prepacking their household goods. Whether you're putting together a personally procured move (PPM) for your permanent change of station (PCS) or letting the government supply your move, you should know which items you can't pack with the rest of your belongings and the other items you might want to consider keeping out.
Remember that your results may vary. I've seen movers pack things that shouldn't be sent, and 99% of the time, it's no problem -- but the other 1% of the time, it's a big problem. Some of this is dictated by regulation, some by company policies and some is just being smart.
Related: Checklists for Your PCS Move
Hazardous Materials and Batteries
Don’t pack anything that could be hazardous, either generally speaking or if subjected to extreme situations such as high temperatures. This includes paint; most chemicals, including lawn treatments; propane tanks; fireworks; and aerosol cans.
A newer set of rules applies to lithium batteries. You can ship lithium-ion batteries with a rating of less than 100 watt hours and lithium metal batteries with two grams or less of lithium content.
Anything bigger can't be shipped via a government contract. This likely includes any electric lawn machinery, electric scooters and e-bikes.
Appliances
You can typically ship small, non-electric items in government-contracted shipments if you first drain them of gasoline. This includes gasoline lawn mowers and generators. Check with your shippers to see whether they require specific documentation.
Make sure clothes washers are thoroughly dry before they're packed. If you own a front-loading washing machine, you'll need to have the original stabilizer bolts and wrenches that are used to secure the machines for moving. If you don't have this hardware, check with your machine's manufacturer or talk to the moving company in advance of your move. Refrigerators should be unplugged several days before shipment, and you might want to put odor absorbers or socks full of coffee grounds in each compartment.
Firearms
Technically, you can pack firearms in your household goods shipment as long as they have a serial number and are disarmed, and if you file any applicable paperwork to move them from location to location. However, you can't put ammunition in your shipment. From a practical standpoint, most people don't want to put firearms in the hands of the movers and prefer to take them in their vehicles or leave them with family members when appropriate.
Things that Might Leak
Most moving companies will not pack anything that might melt or leak. These include candles, cleaning supplies and toiletries. Sometimes you can double-bag and include them, but consider the potential downside of a leak. A bottle of heavy-duty cleaner in a box on the top of the truck could ruin a lot of items.
Live Plants or Animals or Yard Debris
The movers won't take live plants or live animals because they can't care for them. Depending on where you're moving, you may need to make sure that your objects don't have any soil or natural debris on them. This may mean that you have to scrub down your outdoor furniture and items stored in a garage or shed.
Food
Food is a gray area. Most packers will agree to take unopened packages of nonperishables, and some will even let you pack spices. Whether this makes sense is a whole different question. It might be OK to send your spices (double-bagged!) if you're doing a door-to-door move from Hampton Roads, Virginia, to the Pentagon area.
But if you're doing a longer or overseas move, consider the impact of time and temperature on food items. I've seen some people say it is OK to ship canned goods, but imagine what a can of vegetables looks like after sitting on a hot ship for a couple of months.
Official Documents and Small Valuables
For security, hand-carry important documents such as birth certificates, passports, medical records and financial documents; plus jewelry, cash, prescription medications and other small valuables.
Knowing what can and can’t be shipped, and what probably shouldn't be shipped, can make your move easier.
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