Trends You Need to Know on Green Moving and Storage

In this day and age, people relocate for many different reasons. Sometimes they move their families for new jobs, opportunities, or for better social and economic reasons. Whatever the reasons, moving can cause a huge burden on the environment as moving supplies and transportation can leave a huge carbon footprint on the earth. Fortunately, there are several popular trends and methods that are being employed to make moving and storage as green as possible. Here are some top trends and strategies for making your move as green and eco-friendly.

Donate and recycle items you no longer need.

Before moving, it is a great idea to go through the items you no longer need and are not planning to move to your new home and recycle or donate them to the Goodwill or other charitable organizations. These organizations usually provide tax incentives for donations, which can alleviate some of the costs associated with moving. Any used batteries or other electronics can usually be recycled at appliances or home office stores, such as Staples. These items should never be thrown into the trash, as they are very harmful to the environment. Put into self storage the things you’re not currently using but you’ll need again in the future, whether they are clothes, furniture, toys or something else. This way, you’ll help reduce the waste involved in the manufacturing of new products.

Use green methods to pack and store.

One of the easiest and most eco-friendly way to pack your belongings in to use items that you already have such as suitcases, hampers, bags and baskets. You can also tape nightstand and dresser drawers shut and move them in your furniture, as long as you can easily move and transport them. This also eliminates the time and effort of unpacking.

Storage bins are also a great way to pack and move your belongings since storage bins can be readily placed under the bed or on a shelf. They are also weatherproof, so you won’t have to worry about your personal items being exposed to the elements.

If you must use boxes to pack and store your things, try picking up used boxes from grocery stores or other places such as warehouses or other retail stores. Family, friends or even sites like craigslist are great resources to find used boxes. Once you are finished moving, make sure to pass them along to others to use, or recycle them. You can also use paper and magazines that you no longer need to wrap fragile items such as dishes, pictures and other valuables.

Another important consideration is to try to minimize you’re the number of trips you make for transporting your items. Try packing as much as you can safely load into your car or moving truck so that you are not making unnecessary trips. Fewer trips mean lower carbon emissions from your vehicles.

Recycle or store any moving supplies.

If you have a basement, attic or adequate storage space, you can save your boxes for your next move or you can donate, recycle or pass them on to someone else who needs them. Unused storage bins can be stacked on top of each other or used around your home to store items. Lastly, any packing peanuts, bubble wrap or newspaper that was used to pack your fragile items should be recycled appropriately, as there are several benefits to recycling paper items.

Although moving can cause a burden on the environment, these are just some methods many people use to make their move as eco-friendly as possible. By minimizing your belongings and using reusable and recycled packing and moving supplies, you can successfully relocate to your new home and have a smaller impact on the environment. Promoting sustainability and practicing eco-friendly methods, will preserve and protect the environment for future generations to come.

Bio: Scott writes for MoveBuddies.com. His goal is to spread the word about proper and sustainable moving habits for everyone who wants to make a new home.