Let’s face it, moving is a lot of work and often generates a lot of waste – from unwanted items you leave behind, to packing materials, to new things for the new place and all the shopping bags and packaging that come with them. But there are simple things you can do cut down your moving footprint. Here are some steps to greener moving.
Plan ahead and make time to purge and de-clutter before you pack. This will allow you time to donate, sell, or give away items you don’t want to take with you so they don’t end up in the trash out of desperation on moving day.
Make use of used packing materials. First, if you still have the boxes/packing materials for some of your belongings (i.e. your precious flat screen), go ahead and use them! For everything else, you can get used moving boxes, either from a moving company, through on-line listings (i.e. Craigs List) or even from a store at reduced or no cost.
Get creative when packing. While you don’t want to skimp on packing materials and safety for some items (i.e. your dishes and glassware), other items can be nested to maximize space or used as packing containers themselves (think laundry baskets, drawers, suit cases, etc) – depending on how your things are travelling. You can also use older towels and bedding to protect items instead of packing material.
When you get to your new place, there are inevitably new furnishings you’ll want to get to fit the space and your needs. But before you hit the stores, be sure to check out on-line listings and/or thrift stores. I’ve seen some great furniture at Goodwill stores, especially in areas with high apartment turnover. Not only can you get a great deal, but you are also re-using instead of buying new.
When you hit the stores for supplies for the new place, be sure you grab your re-usable bags. The last thing I want to deal with is a mountain of plastic bags from the first few days of shopping!
Last but not least, put your moving boxes and packing supplies back where you found them! Some moving companies will pick up your used boxes or you can also list them for free on-line so someone else can use them. At the very least, learn the recycling rules at your new place and recycle what you can’t get rid of otherwise.
Summer is a busy season for moving. If that’s on your agenda, try out some of the above tips and add your own in the comments!
1 comment:
I like your post very much, its easy to move even heavy furniture with the help of cheap moving boxes. Thanks
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