Military PCS Binder: The Ultimate Supply List

Congratulations, you found out from the military that you’ll be PCS’ing or in other words, the military is relocating you, now what?

It’s time to create a PCS Binder to help make this military relocation as smooth as possible.

As a seasoned military spouse, I’ve navigated numerous relocations, each with its own set of challenges. One thing has consistently proven invaluable in ensuring a smooth transition (or as smooth as one can hope for) and it is having a well-organized PCS binder. I’m here to walk you through that process of creating a PCS binder to get you organized and ready for your move.

Whether you’re a seasoned military spouse or embarking on your first military relocation, this guide will arm you with the essential materials needed to tackle your next PCS with confidence.

In this blog post, I’ll be sharing materials you’ll need (and want) in a PCS Binder.

BEFORE before you can start adding items into your binder…. You need to know the basics of a PCS Binder like…. SUPPLIES!!

**This blog post does not address documents you want to include, I’ll get to that later in another blog post.

What is a PCS Binder?

If you’re not familiar with a PCS binder, it is a large binder that will contain all your important documents that you need before, during, and after your military relocation. Think of this as your… safety net…

One of the main reasons to have a PCS binder is that it serves as a safeguard for all your important documents. You may be thinking, I have a safe box for that, and that works when you’re in a house but when you’re moving, you want a safe space for these items to travel with you. You also want these documents to all be in one place should an emergency happen during your PCS.

You won’t be digging through boxes trying to locate a birth certificate for school enrollment or contact information for utilities at your new house because it’ll be easily accessible in your PCS binder.

Your PCS binder will also serve as a valuable reference guide, containing checklist, contact information, and other important details related to your military relocation. By having these documents in one place, you can make your transition to a new duty station a bit smoother.

How to Make a PCS Binder

Making your own PCS binder can seem daunting but my hope is that this blog post makes it simple for you because you already have enough on your plate.

When your knee deep in trying to relocate your family the last thing on your mind is what supplies you need for a PCS binder but trust me, it’ll help you to stay organized with all the details you’ll have to keep track of… so I’m listing all those supplies for you in one place.

Now let’s dive in to what supplies you should have for your PCS binder.

PCS Binder Supplies

This supply list is a general guideline, you can add or subtract items as you see necessary. I’m sharing what I personally use in mine to help guide you with yours.

You can find all my recommended binder supplies list here.

Binder

First up, the most important part, an actual binder. You can choose any binder you wish. I grabbed a floral 2 inch binder at my local target but if you’d prefer a more neutral option, I’ve listed a white binder for you.

Some people also prefer a zipper binder because they feel it’s more secure with their documents. I personally dislike zipper binders, I feel like they’re a pain and can get stuck on papers and I just avoid them.

I do recommend at least a 2 inch binder or larger. You want to make sure it’s big enough to hold all your important papers.

Tab Dividers

Next up is some type of tab dividers. These will help keep your documents organized and easy to find.

I bought the U Brand pastel colored tab dividers. I like that it has a pocket which means I can print a title page and place it inside.

I’ve also listed two other options, again, pick the style that you personally prefer, the goal is just a way to have your documents organized within your folder.

Sheet Protectors

Sheet protectors are what I’d consider “optional but handy.”

These aren’t required because you can get a 3 hole punch or binder folders with a closure to keep you documents secured. I actually prefer a mix, it allows me to decide how to best store my documents.

I like to keep things that I don’t want damaged in sheet protectors such as: birth certificates, health records, and school records, because I don’t want to use a hole punch on them.

Calendar

You’re going to have to keep track of a lot of dates and as much as I love my wall calendar and large purse calendar it’s nice to have everything together. I found this 3 hole punched calendar at Target and added it to my binder to make it easier to keep track of things.

3 hole punch

This one is again option but I actually think it’s really helpful. I like having a 3 hole punch in my binder, this allowed me to hole punch any documents I need to keep track of and add them to my binder.

I use this for things like our home inspection, loan/rental paperwork and new utility billing documents.

Zipper Pouch

A zipper pouch allows you to always have your pens and sticky notes handy and at the front of your binder. I prefer the double zipper but I’ve listed both options for you.

Folder with Closure

These folders with closures are nice to have in your binder. They can be used for a variety of items, such as receipts, small documents, such as social security cards, passports, etc.

Pens

I really love the way the U brand pens write, I’ve been using them for the past two or three years now so I alway have them in my zipper pouch. You can choose any pen that you love but I highly recommend having a black and blue ink pen. Official documents usually require one of those inks.

Binder Clips

Binder clips are another one of those things they aren’t “required” but they make life easier. I use binder clips to keep large documents together, this includes things such as house inspections & loan paperwork.

Post it Notes

Post it Notes are usually found all over my documents. I use these to help me remember important information without writing on the documents themselves.

Find All the Supplies!

You can find all my recommended binder supplies here.

Binder Sections

Your PCS Binder should include the following sections:

1. Housing
2. Legal: marriage certificate, copies of our driver’s licenses, social security cards, birth certificates, & passports.
3. Medical: medical records & dental records from your current ( & past) duty station to take to your new location.
4. Education: collect their report cards and any documents from the school, like their transcripts, if they are available.
5. Pets: medical records, vaccination records, and your Microchip ID information.
6. Vehicles: copy of our insurance policy numbers, registration, and title.

PCS Binder Feedback

If you’ve made a binder before and found certain supplies helpful that I haven’t listed above please leave me a comment below! I’d love to include anything you may have found helpful that I’ve missed.

Don’t forget to check out my 10 Empowering Life Lessons My Military Chidren Taught Me, it’s a good one!

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