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May 29, 2020

Make the Moving Process More Environmentally Friendly

More families want environmentally friendly options when moving. However, few have time to prioritize reasonable green moving.

Minimizing your environmental impact can be easy—fun, even. The right materials and support make your investment worthwhile.

Below are a few tips for green moving. We cover everything from moving bags to eco-friendly bubble wrap.

Donate What You Don’t Need

The first thing people notice when preparing to move: how much stuff they have! Getting rid of unwanted items can take some of the stress out of the moving process.

Give your clothes and household items a second life. Ask around about local charities that accept used items.

Donating encourages greener practices by increasing the life cycle of various items. You may not need that second blender, but another family may put it to good use.

Don’t forget about the kitchen. Donate canned or non-perishable food items to your local food pantry before your move.

Recycle What You Can’t Donate

Some items you choose to discard may not be suitable for other families to use. Stained clothing, damaged household items, or worn-down furniture might not make-the-cut. But, recycling centers have ways to refurbish or recycle waste items.

The EPA offers resources on e-waste for technology-related items. Old carpets or rugs can be recycled at textile recycling centers.

Sort everyday items to drop off at a recycling center. Most neighborhood recycling areas have a few guidelines to make your efforts go further.

Use Environmentally Friendly Packing Materials

A great way to streamline your process (and help the environment) is by using what you already own to pack.

Fill suitcases with clothing and fabric. Use towels, sheets, or recyclable newspapers, or packing paper to wrap delicate items. You can also wrap glasses and oddly-shaped kitchenware with socks and towels.

Instead of buying all brand new boxes, secure gently used moving boxes from your mover, neighbors, and friends, or find them online. Professional movers ask that all packed items be in a sealed carton, but if you are moving yourself, use laundry baskets and other baskets that you have at home to pack things like comforters and pillows.

You might also visit local grocery stores and ask for large discarded boxes that their shipments arrived in. Most stores will offer you a few boxes for free.

Sites like Boxcycle, Freecycle, or Craigslist often offer moving boxes. When your move is complete, use these same sites and apps to provide your gently used boxes to those who are moving after you.

If your boxes are damaged, or you can’t find someone to pass them onto, collapse and store them or responsibly recycle them with your municipality.