Find Moving a Chore? Turn it into a Game!

If you are planning for a move, consider some ways that you can a more positive impact on the environment. The travel, packing, and waste resulting from a move can leave a significant carbon footprint, and there are some more practical solutions that will ease up on the eco-system and your conscience.

Some tips for an eco-friendly move include these:

Make fewer trips. It may seem feasible to make many trips in your own vehicles, rather than renting a truck, van, or moving company. This equates to more emissions and a larger carbon footprint than making one trip in a larger, more-equipped vehicle.

Opt for recyclable packing materials. More moving companies are offering eco-friendly options for customers that want to reduce the footprint that they leave behind during a relocation. From starch-based packing peanuts that dissolve in water to shredded paper recycled from other sources, there are products available to help you make a positive impact on the environment. If you do find yourself up to your eyeballs in foam packing peanuts, consider some inventive ways to repurpose these packing materials:

• Tuck a few peanuts in your tool box for applying sticky substances, like glue or epoxy.
• Put a few in your plant-pots, under the soil, to provide drainage for your plants and flowers.
• Add handfuls of your packing peanuts to your dog's bed, inside with the mattress or pillow, to give it a boost and help it regain shape that is lost due to use.

Contact local electronic vendors. Reach out to a local electronics retailer to inquire about recycling items like extra extension cords, old computers, and even old Christmas lights that you no longer want and that you want to get rid of.

Skip boxes when possible. Boxes can become a big problem when it comes to recycling them later; instead, ask your moving company about renting crates or boxes that they will pick up after you are in your new place. You may also choose to buy totes that you can later use for storage in your basement or garage; these hold a lot, keep belongings dry during the move, and typically have a handy, tight-fitting lid.

Use green cleaning supplies. Try to use up any cleaning solutions that you might have on-hand during the move, which will save you the hassle of packing and transporting them later. If you do need to pick up some supplies for the move, choose green cleaning agents that don't contain toxic chemicals that could harm the environment. Also, a simple and eco-friendly solution of white vinegar and hot water will clean practically anything around the house!

Donate, don't discard. Instead of stuffing your trash can or a dumpster with items that you don't want to take with you when you move, donate them to a local thrift store or charity. Bag up what you no longer need and drop it off at the donation site during your move. This is a great way to de-clutter before settling in to your new digs.

Try these tips to make a more favorable impact on the world around you and to reduce the carbon footprint that you leave behind. Talk with moving professionals about eco-friendly alternatives to boxes and foam peanuts, and hire a company to decrease the emissions of frequent travel as well as to make the entire process a lot easier on you and your family.