Moving can cause a lot more waste than you imagine. When packing, most people use things like cardboard boxes, plastic wrap, packing peanuts, packing paper, bubble wrap, and tape, which can cost you extra money and leave you with a lot of trash to deal with. Styrofoam packing peanuts are not only something you can avoid spending money on, but can also take between 500 to 1 million years to break down depending on their environment, and most other packing items aren’t much better. Â
1. Donate or Sell Unwanted Items
The fewer things you have, the fewer cardboard boxes you’ll need. Additionally, the moving truck burning through gallons of diesel fuel ($$$) won’t have to use as much energy if it has fewer belongings inside of it. You can try contacting any local charities or thrift stores to donate some of your unwanted goods. There are also a lot of virtual marketplaces you can use to make a little extra spending money.
2. Find Reusable or Used Moving Boxes
Ask around and see if any of your friends or family have some boxes you could borrow or keep. Think to ask people who have moved recently because it’s more likely they have some leftover boxes. If you’re looking for used cardboard boxes, you can try reaching out to stores or businesses around your town, which might have some extra boxes you can use. You can also rent plastic moving boxes from certain moving companies and storage facilities.
3. Use Eco-Friendly Wrapping Techniques
When you’re boxing up your things, you don’t want everything moving all over the place, so wrapping them up is crucial. If you don’t want to use bubble wrap, packing peanuts, or packing paper, you can use things like washcloths, old clothing, newspaper, or bath towels. If you must use bubble wrap for things like glass, ceramic, and fine china, try corrugated bubble wrap, which is made from 100% recycled cardboard.
4. Plan Your Move Right
The more trips you have to take back and forth between your old home and your new home in El Dorado Hills, the more gas you’ll burn. If possible, hire a moving company that can make one trip with all of your belongings and who use GPS devices to plan the most direct and fuel-efficient route to your new home. If you plan ahead, you can save money and avoid burning a lot more fuel.Â
5. Leave Some Kitchenware Aside
When you pack up your kitchen, make sure you save some forks, knives, spoons, plates, cups, and bowls for the meals you’ll eat during the move. You’ll most likely have to eat take-out after you’ve packed up all of your pots and pans, but if you can avoid using plastic flatware, you definitely should. Many people pack up their kitchen too early or forget to leave certain items aside, but avoiding this can help prevent unnecessary waste.
Our El Dorado Hills movers strive to provide excellent services and help you bring costs down by reducing your waste at the same time. These tips will help you do so. We hope you have an excellent move.
