The Great PCS Purge
By Danielle Keech, MilitaryByOwner
The most humbling part of a PCS is standing in your home with all your stuff exposed. The clutter in your junk drawer sitting out for the world to see. The clothes that ‘you might fit in again someday’ piled in the corner. When it’s all brought out from the depths of your house, it becomes much harder to justify why you still have it all.
But you’re not the only one to experience this kind of vulnerability. My little family of three recently moved from California to Hawaii, and I became painfully aware of things we don’t need. A lot of our stuff is packed into storage tubs. So, I have to ask myself, if it’s sat in a tub for the past three years, do I still need it? Probably not.
Whether you’re still getting ready to make a PCS move or you’re already at your new duty station, now is a great time to sort your stuff to donate, sell, or toss.
The Great PCS Purge List (And a Few Things to Toss Today!)
№1 — Imagine your ideal lifestyle.
One of the first steps in the Konmari Method is to visualize what you want your clutter-free life to look like. It’s far more abstract than picturing your overflowing closet empty, though. It requires thought into what you want your days to look like. Do you want to make more time for gardening, refinishing furniture, baking, or hosting milspouse gatherings? None of us are without ambitions. Just think about how much of your day is consumed by picking up around the house.
The goal is to minimize your clutter so effectively that it’s not something you have to think about every day. When done correctly, purging things you no longer need will not only free up space but also time.
№2 — Keep only things that spark joy.
If it doesn’t make you feel anything, why keep it? We don’t exist in a lifestyle that makes it easy to hoard. Between the struggle to stay within weight limits and the fluctuating size of houses we call home, it’s not worth the inconvenience to hold onto everything we own.
№3 — Treat your things as if they were alive.
This step is also from the Konmari Method, and is by far my favorite. The language comes across extreme, but it’s a great way to expose how well you care for your things and therefore value them.
Think about how often you take off your clothes and drop them to the floor. How many pieces of clothing have you banished to the back of your closet? How about your previous hobby items that are sitting around collecting dust? Chances are, there’s someone out there that will get more use, more enjoyment, and find more value in your dusty golf clubs than you do.
Now that you’ve established a new perspective, here are a handful of things to toss to help you get started on your new, clutter-free lifestyle.
Old magazines. Stop telling yourself that you’re going to go back and read them because you probably won’t. Instead, toss them and treat yourself to a new one from time to time. Read it, then give it to a neighbor or a friend to enjoy.
Plastic bags. Those wispy grocery bags you’ve been hoarding to collect your pup’s droppings won’t take long to reaccumulate.
Old clothes. When you meet your fitness goal, you’re going to want to treat yourself to a fresh new wardrobe. Let your old clothes be a thing of the past and donate them to people who could use them now!
Expired coupons. Why must we insist on hanging onto old coupons? Maybe they were tossed in a drawer and forgotten. Toss what you have and start a habit now of only clipping ones you’re sure to use. But don’t put them in a drawer where they’ll be forgotten. Try pinning them on a cork board in the kitchen or by the garage door.
Expired medications. Every six months or so, sift through your home pharmacy for out-of-date medications — they’re no good!
Expired lotions. Raise your hand if you’ve gone into Bath & Body Works and purchased excessive amounts of lotion during one of their sales. Sure, we’ve all done it. But did you know that they expire? If you don’t use them within a reasonable amount of time, they start to smell funky. No need to keep them after that.
Old, extra, or stained linens. Sure, keep a couple old towels to use when you bathe the dog or decide to change the oil in your car. But you don’t really need a closet full of stained towels.
Decluttering certainly isn’t the most glamorous process. While humbling and emotional, it’s ultimately rewarding. When you’re all done, you’ll feel a huge sense of relief and freedom — plus, you won’t have to worry about the weight of your household goods!
In 1999, the owners of MilitaryByOwner Advertising, Inc., David (USMC, Ret.) and Sharon Gran, were stationed in Germany faced with a move back to the states. This move triggered the idea of linking relocating military families. In 2000, MilitaryByOwner was launched. Our website offers advertisements of homes for sale or rent near U.S. military bases. Our home advertisers connect with other families in need of living near a military base. Our business advertisers provide valuable resources to help make a PCS move a smooth one. We strive to provide superior customer service by being available for questions through our live chat online, email, and office hours. The majority of our staff are either military spouses or dependents who can relate to the joy and stress of a military move. Don’t hesitate to contact us by phone, email, or live chat!
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