From Guest Blogger Dixie Somers: Five Green Tips for an Eco-Friendly Move

Considering an eco-friendly move may not be on the top of your list when you are planning a moving trip, however it is not difficult to do and will not create extra stress to the trip. Being eco-friendly whenever possible is a great way to make things easier for you, and for helping out in whatever way you can for the environment.

Plan in Time

Last minute planning only causes stress, and is not helpful in organizing everything you will and will not need. You do not want excess stuff in your loading truck, because that will only create more trips, which in turn more fuel would be used. Packing in advance helps you get rid of everything you will not need.

Recycle/Donate

If you are moving from one house or apartment to another, you may have accumulated a lot of stuff over the years. It would be a good idea to make a pile of clothes, furniture, accessories, and appliances that you know you will not need or be using any time soon. If you donate and recycle, you will not need to use as many packing materials, and also reduce your moving truck gas mileage. You can donate some of your clothes to Goodwill, Salvation Army, or other donation organizations. If you have a lot of stuff other than just clothes, you can hold a garage sale and make a few bucks in the process.

Packaging

You do not have to go to an office supply store to buy packaging boxes, you may have some lying around in the house and you can easily find free boxes at certain stores. There are also biodegradable packaging boxes that you can buy, instead of buying Styrofoam cushioning with packing peanuts and bubble wrap, which are not biodegradable. You can work with what you have in terms of packaging by using newspapers for wrapping up dishes, or towels, clothes, and sheets, which will also make room for more stuff, reducing double trips.

Recycle Packing Material

The goal here is to reduce as much waste as possible. If you do not want to keep your packing boxes, it is important not to throw them away. You can donate your boxes or even recycle them for others to use.

Fuel

If you’re moving with a company like Wheaton World Wide Moving, see what you can do to help make your move as eco-friendly as possible. Vehicles are huge pollutants, so it is important to consider how far you are driving, the size of your car, and how heavy the load is, because they all leave an environmental footprint. Definitely consider traveling light and using a smaller car if possible in order to use less fuel.