Moving home isn’t considered the most environmentally friendly task, especially with the copious amounts of moving supplies and transportation required. Luckily, there are several ways to make your moving day a little bit greener. Here, we’re sharing our very best eco-friendly moving tips, including how you can plan your move for minimal environmental impact.

Donate or Recycle What You Don’t Need 

One of the best eco-friendly tips for moving is to move with fewer belongings. Decluttering your possessions contributes to sustainable moving as you’ll have fewer things to pack and transport. The easiest way to declutter your things is to make several piles – one for donating to charity, one for recycling, and one for throwing away. Only throw away items that you can’t save. You can take any old clothing to a ‘cash for clothes’ store in your local area. Even if you only have a few well-worn items, these can be donated and repurposed rather than thrown away as waste.

Lend Reusable Moving Boxes 

Instead of purchasing moving boxes, head to local stores to see if they have anything you can use. Perishables, toiletries, and other items are delivered to shops and supermarkets in large boxes. These are usually recycled. Ask friends or family if they have spare boxes.

Discard Hazardous Waste Correctly

Rather than throwing hazardous items in the bin, follow the product instructions to dispose of them in an environmentally friendly way. This can include things like antifreeze, paint, ammonia or motor oil. Your local waste services should be able to discard these products for you, so don’t hesitate to contact them first.

Use Towels or Blankets Instead Of Packing Peanuts

Packing peanuts are used to fill in gaps in boxes. If you’re packing fragile items, such as breakables, plates, vases or mugs, wrap them in towels, blankets or anything soft and thick to protect them rather than using peanuts. This reduces the amount of waste produced.

Think Outside The Box With Packing Supplies

There are plenty of ways to think outside the box with packing your belongings. One way is to use suitcases and holdalls instead of boxes. Alternatively, you could use backpacks, bin bags, tote bags or vacuum bags to transport your possessions. If you have plastic storage totes, use these as they’re handy for packing breakable items. Just ensure you place a blanket or towel around the item first.

Use Eco-Friendly Packing Materials

Eco-friendly packing materials like paper bubble wrap, shredded paper and loose-fill chips are a great green alternative to plastic bubble wrap. You can also use biodegradable packing, compostable packing and kraft paper as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional packing materials.

Pack Smaller Items Together

To reduce the number of boxes you need to pack, place as many small items as possible in a box. For example, you can put small jugs in large bowls to maximise space. You can also place cutlery and small cups inside pans, which reduces your space by fitting smaller items into bigger things, almost like a puzzle.

Hire A Green Moving Company

Green moving companies can assist an eco-friendly move to reduce your environmental impact. A green moving company may have electric vehicles to transport your belongings, and they’ll likely use eco-friendly packing materials for sustainable moving.

If In Doubt, Call In The Professionals!

Are you looking for help moving house? Removal & Storage Experts are here to lend a helping hand. Our professional services include packing and delivering your items back to you. Our storage facilities are temperature-controlled to ensure your possessions are kept in excellent condition. Get in touch today to see how we can help you.