Moving house takes a lot of consideration and planning. The process can be arduous and it can be one of the more stressful times in your life. As a result, the environmental impact of your move may have slipped your mind. In a time where the world is more environmentally conscious than ever, even traditionally stressful times can be adapted or changed to better serve the environment and lower the carbon footprint. Whether you need an international moving company for an international move or are relocating to the next street, here are some ways in which you can make your move more eco-friendly, without contributing to your stress levels.
Start decluttering early on
Decluttering when moving has many benefits. It gives you the opportunity to get rid of things taking up unnecessary space, remove items you no longer need and make the move that little bit easier as you are moving less stuff. Moving less stuff will also have a knock-on effect on your CO emissions. The less stuff you have to move the fewer trips you will need to make, the less packaging you will need, and the smaller transportation units you will use. This will also have the added benefit of reducing the cost of your move. When decluttering be mindful not to use landfills unnecessarily, where you can donate, recycle or sell. A word of warning, do not declutter for the sake of it. A new home does not need new furniture. If you have perfectly good working furniture then take it with you.
Limit your use of packing boxes
Traditionally house moves have involved filling cardboard boxes that typically get damaged in the move and are seldom reused. To avoid this and limit the environmental consequence of this, consider using alternatives to cardboard boxes. If you are using a removal firm they may send you strong plastic containers. Although made of plastic they are great as they can be used multiple times.
If you are undertaking the move yourself, look into renting plastic containers for your move as opposed to buying them. Alternatively, a great cost-saving trick is to utilize items you already have such as suitcases, holdalls, and even furniture items. You can still load up draws to transport items, just be sure to remove the draws from the unit first.
Another great tip when packing to keep your disposable waste down is to wrap precious items in tea towels, blankets, or even clothes. This will prevent you from using traditional plastic packaging such as bubble wrap and help to keep the move costs down.
Don’t waste your food
You will know your move date in advance and as such you will have time to empty your freezer and fridge in advance. By emptying it is not meant discarding, rather planning your meals to use up all of the items in your fridge or freezer that will not survive the move. If there are items you cannot use then why not donate them to a local charity or food bank.
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