Many PPM/DITY move options exist:
- Rental Trucks — the option most often associated with a PPM. You rent a truck, load it, drive it to your new home, and unload it.
- Rental Trailers — typically suitable for partial PPM moves or smaller amounts of goods.
- You-Pack/We-Drive — a company drops off a trailer or container, you load it, they do the driving.
- Full-Service Movers — a crew packs, loads, drives, and unloads for you.
- À La Carte Movers — pick and choose which parts of the labor you want handled for you.
- POV (Your Vehicle) — using your own vehicle to move goods, on top of whatever other option you choose for the bulk of your belongings.
- Small Package Shipping — a narrow option for shipping a handful of boxes via USPS, FedEx, or UPS.
The options above should be carefully examined, and they're not mutually exclusive. For example, you might hire a You-Pack/We-Drive company for the bulk of your goods, but keep your most valuable items with you via the POV option. The right combination usually comes down to personal preference, cost, and destination.
How much space do you actually need?
Whatever option you choose, you'll need a rough size estimate — truck length, number of PODS containers, trailer size. We're not going to guess for you; use one of the free calculators the rental/container companies themselves provide, based on your home size and room count:
These tools are rough estimates, not guarantees — when in doubt, size up — within the truck's payload limit and what you're comfortable driving. Running out of truck on moving day is a much worse problem than having a little extra room.
Check it yourself
Size estimates and options are starting points only. Rules, prices, and instructions change and differ by service, installation, and provider — open the sources below, confirm the current details for yourself, and get your move's specifics from your transportation office in writing.
Helpful Hints
- Ask about the POV (your vehicle) option even for a small load. Many CONUS moves can use at least a partial PPM this way — it's worth asking your TO whether it's worth the weighing effort for what you'd actually carry.
- Consider how long you'll wait for housing at your new duty station. If you'll be in temporary housing for a while, your goods may need to go into storage — meaning you could end up loading and unloading twice. Some You-Pack/We-Drive companies offer built-in storage options that avoid this.
- Understand exactly how much time you have to return trucks and trailers. Late fees can be expensive and can add up fast — ask the company exactly what a late day costs before you commit.
- Check with your insurance company about coverage during your move. This includes coverage for driving a rental truck (your auto policy) and coverage of your goods in transit (your renter's or homeowner's policy — ask whether it covers a move at all). Military OneSource recommends considering insurance for your household goods whether you move yourself or hire a mover.
In This Section
Rental Trucks
Explains the Rental Truck option for performing a military Personally Procured Move (PPM).
Rental Trailers
Explains the Rental Trailer option for performing a military Personally Procured Move (PPM).
Full-Service Movers
Explains the Full-Service option for performing a military Personally Procured Move (PPM).
À La Carte Movers
Explains the À La Carte option for performing a military Personally Procured Move (PPM).
You-Pack/We-Drive
Explains the You-Pack/We-Drive option for performing a military Personally Procured Move (PPM).
POV (Your Vehicle)
Explains the POV (Personally Owned Vehicle) option for performing a military Personally Procured Move (PPM).
Small Package Shipping
Using USPS, FedEx, or UPS to ship a small portion of your belongings as part of a Personally Procured Move.