Pre-deployment preparation covers a lot of ground: legal documents, financial arrangements, family care plans, and mission-specific gear. Storage often lands at the bottom of the list and gets rushed at the end.
Getting the belongings piece sorted early — before the final weeks of pre-deployment crunch — reduces stress on you and on whoever is managing things at home while you’re gone.
This checklist covers the key decisions and steps, including where Ship2Storage fits in.
Step 1: Decide What Comes With You vs. What Gets Stored
Start with the honest inventory. What are you taking on deployment? What stays behind? And of what stays behind, what needs active management versus what can simply be stored?
Most service members deploying for six months or more find they fall into one of two housing situations:
- Keeping their off-base apartment or house: Rent continues, a family member may be staying there, and belongings stay in place. Storage in this case is minimal — perhaps a few boxes of items a family member doesn’t want in the living space.
- Vacating off-base housing: This is where Storage becomes a full decision. Everything in the apartment or house needs somewhere to go. Furniture may go to family or storage. Personal boxes go to Ship2Storage.
Get clear on which situation you’re in before the pre-deployment timeline compresses.
Step 2: What to Do With Your Apartment or Housing
If you’re in an off-base apartment, your options during deployment are:
- Keep the lease and pay rent. Makes sense if a family member is staying, if the lease is hard to break, or if your deployment is short.
- Sublet if your lease allows. Some leases permit subletting with landlord approval. This reduces your out-of-pocket rent during deployment.
- Break the lease under SCRA. The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act allows service members to terminate a lease with 30 days notice and a copy of deployment orders, without penalty. If you’re vacating, do this early.
If you’re in barracks or on-base housing, coordinate with your installation housing office about your room or quarters assignment during deployment. Policies vary by installation and situation.
Step 3: Setting Up Storage Your Family Can Access
If your family member — spouse, parent, or designated contact — is managing things at home while you’re deployed, your storage setup needs to work for them, not just for you.
Ship2Storage is designed to be managed remotely by a single person. The account is online. Delivery requests are submitted online. No trips to a facility. No physical key or access card. Your designated person can handle everything from their phone or laptop.
Set this up before you leave:
Make sure they know what’s in storage and what to expect.
Create your Ship2Storage account.
Share account access with your designated family member or POA.
Walk them through how to request delivery and update the address.
Step 4: Ship Your Boxes Before You Leave
Aim to have your boxes shipped at least one to two weeks before your deployment date. That gives you time to confirm everything arrived and to adjust if anything went wrong.
- Pack your boxes with personal items, off-season gear, valuables, and anything you don’t want left in an unoccupied space.
- Generate prepaid labels from your Ship2Storage account.
- Drop at any UPS or FedEx location near your installation.
- Confirm receipt in your account within a few days of shipping.
You don’t need to store everything you own. Most service members store five to fifteen boxes of personal items — the things that matter but don’t need to travel with them.
Step 5: Plan for Your Return (Your Situation Will Change)
Deployment changes things. You may return to the same duty station or have follow-on orders. Your family situation may have shifted. The apartment you vacated may have a different tenant. Your homeport or installation may look different.
The most important thing about your Ship2Storage plan is that it’s flexible. Your delivery address can be updated any time, to any U.S. location, until the moment we process your shipment. Plan for the most likely return scenario, and know you can adjust.
Common post-deployment delivery scenarios:
Separating from the military: Deliver to your first civilian address, wherever that is.
Returning to the same installation: Deliver to your new on-base or off-base address.
PCS orders after deployment: Update delivery to your new duty station.
After Deployment: Getting Your Boxes Delivered to Your New Location
When you’re within a few weeks of returning, log into your Ship2Storage account — or have your designated contact do it — and enter your post-deployment address. Set your delivery date for a few days after your expected return so you have time to settle before the boxes arrive.
If your return date slips — which happens — your boxes stay in storage. Nothing moves until you confirm.
The Full Pre-Deployment Storage Checklist
Housing
- Decided: keep lease, sublet, or break under SCRA
- Notified landlord with appropriate documentation if breaking lease
- Coordinated with installation housing office if in barracks or base housing
Storage Setup
- Created Ship2Storage account
- Shared account access with designated family member or POA
- Walked family member through requesting delivery and updating address
Packing and Shipping
- Packed personal boxes with inventory lists inside each box
- Generated prepaid shipping labels
- Shipped boxes at least one to two weeks before deployment date
- Confirmed receipt in Ship2Storage account
Post-Deployment Planning
Communicated plan to designated family contact
Identified most likely return address
Set tentative delivery date in account (can update later)
FAQ
Can a family member or power of attorney manage my storage?
Yes. Your account can be fully managed by your spouse, parent, or any person you designate. They can request delivery, update addresses, and manage your boxes while you’re deployed. No physical access to a facility required.
What if my return date or location changes?
Update your delivery address and timeline in your account. Changes can be made any time before we process your delivery request. Your boxes stay in storage until you confirm.
What items should not be stored?
Ship2Storage cannot store hazardous materials, perishables, live ammunition, weapons, or items prohibited by shipping carriers. Contact us if you have questions about specific items.
How much notice do I need to get boxes delivered after deployment?
A few days is typically enough. If you know your return date in advance, you can schedule delivery ahead of time so your boxes are there when you arrive.
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