From Guest Blogger Mary Ann Keel: How to Make Your Moving Green

Nobody likes moving. Regardless of whether you are moving to a better place or simply relocating, it is always a hassle – countless boxes, sorting, dealing with movers, planning, sorting again, then resorting after that, endless packing, even longer unpacking… The list goes on and on with very few, if any items one can look forward to except maybe for the pleasure of finally finishing it. It is not easy to minimize the cost and distribute the available resources in the most efficient manner. There is bound to be plenty of waste, with boxes, tape and packing materials being the most obvious example; which can just increase your ecological footprint. Therefore, if you are determined to make your move as environmentally friendly as it can be, start planning and preparing well in advance and carefully consider the following tips.

Stalk, Survey and Pack Diligently

Moving tends to be more costly, usually lasts more and gets far more complicated that one would expect regardless of how well you go about planning and preparing it. That is why it is wise to start well upfront with choosing the new apartment and sorting your stuff. As everything else with moving, sorting is sure to last much longer that you would expect simply because no one has the right perception of the amount of stuff in his or hers possession, as everyone who has ever moved can testify. There is always more than you think and careful preparation will minimize the chances of something ending on the wrong pile and being lost forever simply because you had to rush the packing. Go through one room at the time in order not to make too big of a mess and not to lose track of everything you need on a daily basis. Make four groups of things intended for sale, donation, recycling and the ones you mean to keep. If you do not have enough space, using colored stickers will help you to keep everything well organized.

Selling

Once you have sorted everything, there is yet more sorting to be done. Primarily, you need to separate the clothes that are stylish and wearable from the ones that will just keep somebody warm, as that will help you make some money on the transaction by taking the clothes to a store instead of practically giving it away through a garage sale. The same goes for appliances, decorations, books, CDs and everything else: find a store that offers the best price for your stuff and sort them accordingly.

Blue-bin it

You recycle or donate just about anything anywhere these days, so guess what – there is yet more sorting to be done. You can use sites like Earth911 to find an adequate recycling location in your area and choose the best option available. It goes without saying you should use reusable packaging, as wasting cardboard and plastic bubble wrap cannot be considered environmentally friendly in any way. You could use old blankets and towels for fragile items and cut down on the plastic.

Offset Your Impact

Whether you decide to hire a moving company or directing your move personally, you should check the policy of the rental or moving company and try to find one that is carbon-neutral, which many of them are not. That is rapidly changing, however, an there’s no harm in asking. Your inquiries might even encourage someone to consider making their business greener. Regardless whether the company you choose is green, you can reduce the environmental impact of your move by buying carbon offsets. There are many websites that enable you to find out your exact emission rate like MyClimate and Planetair, as well as smartphone apps that can do the job just as well. Just find one pertaining you your part of the world and find out just how much your move will affect the environment.

Handling plants

Plants don’t like moving. Many of them will shed leaves, require much more water afterwards and it takes time for them to adapt. Make it easy for them by trying to find a corner in your new home with similar conditions to the ones they are used to. Also, do not water them two days prior to the move if you can help it and be sure to prune them before setting of. This will make them stronger for the trip and they’ll use less space during the move.

Moving is not something great majority of us looks forward to, but it can be made quite bearable, even borderline pleasant, if you take the time to plan and set everything up right at the start. This especially goes for people who do not wish to forsake the environment in order to save a bit of time and money.