I appreciate the fact that this blog post may only be pertinent to a portion of my audience, but nevertheless, y’all asked so I am delivering!
I asked on my Instagram a few weeks ago WHAT the heck to include in our UAB. For those of you who are not military and are reading this, I’ll try to explain. The military splits up the shipment of your goods into 3-4 different categories. The first shipment to go is your UAB (unaccompanied baggage) or Express Shipment. This small chunk of stuff (1,000 lbs.) goes by air and should theoretically get there the earliest and have things for you to survive until your next shipment arrives. It’s nice that they offer it! But from what I hear, it doesn’t always work out as nicely as it does in theory.
The next shipment is your HHG (household goods). The bulk of your stuff. Furniture and everything else you didn’t try to squeeze in your suitcases. We have an allotment of 14,500 lbs.
You’ll also have the previously mentioned stuff you tried to squeeze into your suitcases. Since we are moving on military orders – we each are allowed to check 5 suitcases (at least with Delta airlines) So that is 25 suitcases – do you think we will bring that many?? Stay tuned!
The 4th “shipment” is the stuff we plan to store during our tour overseas. At first I thought we wouldn’t honestly have much to store – but the more I go through our stuff I am realizing we will definitely take advantage of the storage! Appliances that would be a pain to use with a transformer in the UK, camping gear and Champ’s hunting gear, memorabilia stuff that lives in our attic and never gets opened. All that crap gets stored here and then when we move to our next location after England, they will take care of moving it for us.
Now, my stress is over that UAB shipment. The first one that will hopefully arrive around the time we are moving into a home! I have struggled to know WHAT to send in that shipment. I asked on IG and my fellow military ladies and gent came through! Here are their answers!
After going through all the responses and thinking on it for a few weeks – her is my list (as of now). We will see what I ditch at the last minute and what I decide to add!
- Shower ring and shower curtain
- Pots and Pans (Bialetti Pot w/ built in strainer)
- Kitchen utensils
- Cutting boards
- Knives
- Can Opener
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Mixing Bowls
- Instant Pot
- Baking Dish
- Cookie Sheet
- Silverware
- Paper Plates
- Sippy Cups
- Bottle Brush
- Tupperware
- Trash Can
- Oven Mitts
- Spices
- Ziploc Bags
- Garbage Bags
- Toilet Paper
- Paper Towels
- Laundry Baskets
- Toolbox
- Extension Cords
- Storage Baskets
- Under Bed Storage Rollers
- Air Mattresses
- Foldable Table
- Camping Chairs
- Bed Sheets
- Blankets
- Pillows
- Dyson
- Games
- Toys
- Yeti Coolers
- Printer
- Ukulele
- Books
- Craft Supplies
- TV
- DVD Player
- DVD Cases
- Medicines
- Bikes
- Madsen Cycle (eek! So excited for mine to get here)
That’s my list as of now. Please let me know if I forgot something! I am all ears!! This move has been so stressful but hopefully it helps someone now or in the future with their own OCONUS PCS!