With the holiday season in full swing (cue the carols, home-cooked meals, and cozy evenings by the fire), many military families are in the midst of chaos and disorder. I’m talking about Permanent Change of Station (PCS) moves. That’s where “Moving with the Military” comes in.
Even though summertime remains the most common time for military families to move, many still face relocation throughout the year. Even for those already in a new home, the boxes and settling-in period can last for months. This means that families’ first holidays in a new home are often without elaborate decorations or a cozy feeling of home. For those going through a deployment, they are without the entire family together.
Maria Reed, Army wife and host of the web series “Moving with the Military,” wants to bring that sense of home to military families all around the country. Using her design know-how and experiences as a military spouse, she helps military families take ownership of their home and create spaces that help them love life in their home. And she’s doing it at NO COST to military families.
Setting a Holiday Table
The most recent episode brought Reed’s creativity to a military family getting ready for Thanksgiving. “We are thrilled to celebrate this military family with a surprise dining room makeover in our final Fall Home Décor Giveaway episode,” the show’s Facebook page said. “The handmade farmhouse table was built by a local veteran and is perfect for Thanksgiving.”
Reed brings her knowledge of what military families need to the show’s design plan. Everything from versatile accessories to multi-functional furniture ensures that the treasures can be used in a variety of homes and setups.
“We modified the plans a little bit to make it a little bit smaller and not as heavy,” she said of the handmade table. “Military families always have to take into account their weight allowances when they’re going to PCS.” Details like this are what make the show unique among the numerous design and makeover shows out there.
Reed and her team accessorized the table for a Thanksgiving feast, using items most families already have around their home, like a blanket, plates, and fall leaves. She showcased a couple of do-it-yourself projects to complete the look.
The makeover was Fort Hood Family Housing-approved, with enthusiastic reactions from housing staff. “Moving with the Military” is proof that even on-post housing can be beautiful, inviting, and one-of-a-kind.
So what did homeowner Samantha think? “Holy Smokes!” she exclaimed at the makeover. “It’s so much more than anything I could have imagined.” Samantha and her daughter explored the made-over room, taking in every detail from the DIY photo display to the tablescape ready for the holidays.
Bringing MilFams Home
The series “helps military families turn a house into a HOME,” says the show’s website. Other makeovers have included a classroom for back-to-school, a children’s bedroom to celebrate Month of the Military Child, and smaller DIY projects anyone can do.
“Moving with the Military” is getting a lot of attention. She was recently a guest on the Rachael Ray show, in Military Spouse magazine, and in TexAppeal magazine. Military families are getting more support than ever from lawmakers and corporations with hiring initiatives geared at veterans and military spouses, and from lifestyle gurus and celebrities alike.
“Through decorating and design I have discovered that treasures can be found in the most unlikely places,” says Reed. “Helping people through creativity is my passion.”
The show bills itself as more than just a home design or makeover series. “We are more than a home improvement series, we share what it’s like to be a military family; the trials and the triumphs,” the show’s website says. “We give America a glimpse in to the sacrifices your military family makes every day and the support you give to our service members from the home front.”
