Five Methods of Moving in an Environmentally Friendly Manner

Before you hire a mover, inquire about their eco-friendly practises, if any.

These days, more and more people want to do things in an environmentally friendly manner. While some tasks, such as moving to a new home, can be difficult to accomplish in a way that is good to the world and the environment as a whole, even these events can be transformed from the wasteful things they were once before. Thankfully, environmentally friendly moving is no longer a frontier. The pioneers have already come, and gone, and with that journey, they have brought us tried and true tips that can not only make a move more green, but can actually save you green at the same time.

So how do you exactly make your move something that you can be proud of? Something that you can say was environmentally friendly and, perhaps, even sustainable? There are a few things that you can do and a few tactics that you can employ, but here are five of the most common, and easiest to implement, when you are new to the moving scene.

1.Recycled Moving Supplies

The biggest and least environmentally friendly aspect of the moving process involves the materials that you have to use in order to pack your home and everything in it to be relocated. This is especially true if you are moving over long distances. You will likely need each and every item in your home packed into a box that can be loaded and stacked in a truck. Then, you’ll need padding and wrap to make sure that in those boxes, your delicate items are not broken. It may sound like a lot of waste, but if you go out of your way to find already used boxes, you can drastically reduce the carbon footprint you create during a move. Visit local retail stores to get yours today!

2.Eco-Friendly Cleaning Supplies

When you move, you almost always need to clean both the home you are moving into as well as the home you are moving out of. This means that you’re going to be using plenty of cleaning solutions and supplies. To reduce the impact that you have on the environment at this juncture, consider the purchase of eco friendly cleaning solutions. Furthermore, use cleaning products, like sponges and cloths, that can be washed and reused later on.

3.Environmentally Conscious Movers

Ask the prospective movers that you are thinking about hiring what they do to be more environmentally friendly. This is important because some movers do nothing and actually create far more pollution than is really necessary when moving your things to your new home. If everyone who moves makes a push to hire environmentally conscious and eco-friendly movers, then the industry may start to realize that we mean business. Sure, such companies may cost a little bit more, but in the end the reduction of your overall carbon footprint throughout the course of the move is well worth the trouble.

4. Innovative Packing Methods

Using innovative packing methods can help you reduce the waste that you generate with your move. We’re not talking about reinventing the wheel, but since you already are planning on packing things like towels and linens, and even clothes, why not put these things to use in protecting the fragile items that you will be packing as well. Instead of spending money on packing paper and bubble wrap, which just gets thrown out when you unpack at your new home, using things you are already packing can also reduce the number of boxes that you need and how much you are charged for the move, even if only by a little bit.

5. Simple Reduction

Finally, the very best way to avoid waste, and moving costs, lies in simply reducing the amount of stuff that you have. You should weed things out as you pack, getting rid of anything that you’ve not used in the past year. Not only does this reduce the boxes that you’re going to need to complete your move, but if you choose to have a sale and sell some of that stuff, you can actually make money to put towards the move, your new home, or anything else that you choose to put it towards. Make sure that you don’t throw this stuff out though; either sell it or donate it to reduce your carbon footprint the most.

Kristy Chin has twenty years of experience in the moving and relocation industry. Having worked with both consumers and moving companies around the country, she strives to offer the best advice to people who are facing a move today. From ways to save money, to methods of saving the environment, you can find a plethora of helpful information from articles like this and more on her website.

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