Tips for Preparing a Clean Green Moving Experience

Planning is essential in relieving stress and ensuring you’re as Eco-minded as possible!

1.  Give yourself plenty of time to pack. Rushed moves are sloppy moves.
2.  Limit your purchases to bare essentials for a while.
3.  Have a yard sale.
4.  Donate what you don’t need. A good rule of thumb is if you haven’t used it in six months, you likely don’t need it.
5.  Sites like Freecycle, Craigslist, or online garage sales are great ways to pay it forward
6.  If you must throw items away and recycle them. This includes electronics.
7.  Use environmentally friendly cleaning products.

Packing Material

An average move can use upwards of 50 boxes. Here are some tips that will reduce the waste.

1. Ask local stores to set aside boxes. Many will gladly do this.
2. Professional movers often set boxes on the curb for trash after a move. Grab them!
3. Professional movers have plastic bins that close and lock. These bins can be used hundreds of times, and are more protective.
4. You can rent these bins if you aren’t using professionals.
5. Newspaper for wrapping dishes, and breakable items.
6. Biodegradable versions of packing peanuts and polystyrene can be purchased if a newspaper is unavailable.
7. Use existing hope chests, shoe boxes, reusable grocery bags, and luggage for carrying items. Towels, quilts, and blankets can be used for wrapping items.

Choosing a Moving Company or Truck for a Green Moving Experience

Researching your local movers is essential when choosing your transport.

1.  Size the truck to fit your move. Too large a truck will waste fuel.
2.  Ask for a truck that runs on bio-diesel. Get several quotes
3.  Look for companies that use Diesel Particulate Filtering (DPF) on their trucks. DPG filters approximately 85% of the soot from emissions.
4. For large items, rail delivery is more fuel-efficient than a truck. Be aware it does take longer.
5. Container services that drop off your storage unit and deliver it to your new home allow you to drive personal vehicles rather than ship them.

After the Green Moving Experience

Get a head start on the next move by continuing practices from preparing for your move.

1.  Put an end to junk mail. File a temporary change of address form. The USPS doesn’t sell the temporary list to marketers, only the permanent list.
2.  Take your boxes to a recycling center or give them to someone else who is moving when you’re all moved in.
3.  Continue to use Eco-friendly cleaning products.
4.  Stick to purchasing a few non-essentials.
5.  Use CFL or LED when replacing bulbs in your new home.
6.  When replacing appliances, look for units given the Energy Star rating.
7.  Seal windows and doors from drafts.