Moving OCONUS is a whole new experience, especially if you haven’t done it before. When moving your entire family, you have three separate shipments to plan for: Express or Unaccompanied Baggage (UAB), Household Goods (HHG), and Non-Temp Storage (NTS). Let’s explore what to pack in your Express Shipment when PCSing to Okinawa.
As of the writing of this article, you are allotted 100% of your weight to be shipped OCONUS…but we don’t recommend it! The houses here in Okinawa are small and storage is lacking. You will want to put much of your household items into NTS.
As of the writing of this article, you are allotted 2,000 lbs to be shipped in your Express shipment. Many people feel like it’s not alot of weight, but it’s more than you think!
Your Express shipment is the shipment of items that you will want as soon as possible to make your life as comfortable as possible before your HHG arrive. The Express shipment can take 4 to 8 weeks to arrive, so you will want to plan accordingly. Depending on your family’s needs, you can send your Express shipment earlier than your HHG, ensuring their arrival shortly after you get there (in fact, our Express shipment arrived before us!).
Unfortunately, some of the items you’ll want right away like your beds or furniture are not eligible to go in Express shipment. You are allotted baby cribs, though, and one small television (42 inches or less).
Most experienced OCONUS PCS-ers will tell you to pack your entire kitchen in Express, and it’s probably a good idea to do so. As mentioned above, 2,000 lbs is alot more weight than you think it’s going to be and most families have found that they don’t even get close to that.
Here is a comprehensive list of things to pack for your Express shipment:
- Uniforms needed soon after arrival
- As much clothing as you can
- Anything that you don’t need now or for the trip should go
- As much small decor as you can
- A small television (must be under 42’’)
- Your pots, pans, glasses, dishes, and utensils
- Appliances like Air Fryers or Crockpots if you can
- *Sheets, towels, blankets, pillows, and any other bedding
- Any bathroom items- pack medicines and under the sink items!
- Curtains and curtain rods
- Broom
- Smaller vacuum like a stick vacuum- they may tell you you can’t because of the battery but the battery is small enough that it is actually allowed!
- *Toilet paper
- *Paper towels
- *Cleaning rags
- *Hangers
- Non-perishable American snacks
- *Air mattresses if you can
- Raincoats, rain boots, and umbrellas- it will be rainy season so pack prepared
- *Activities for the kids like coloring books and crayons, puzzles, or other activities that they like
- *Stuffed animals and other toys the kids can go without for awhile
- Rugs (you will want to purchase rugs ahead of time if you can- there is no carpeting here and rugs are expensive to purchase and most do not ship)
- Books
- Any light items you can fit in there!
- Toolbox
- Bikes and scooters for kids
*Whatever you think you may want right away should go into your Small Package Shipment if you decide to utilize that. You have to estimate weight ahead of time, so nothing too heavy! This is a little know option for ANY PCS (not just OCONUS) so check it out if you haven’t heard about it. You can read more about it in detail here.
Your Express shipment can be anything on the small side that you just want right away or as soon as possible. Loan Locker items are limited so many families focus on packing their kitchen and additional clothing and comforts in their Express shipment.
You can download our full Express Shipment list and information in our PCS Guide. Grab it below!
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