From Guest Blogger Emma Joyce: Eco-Friendly Ways to Keep Your Move as Green as Possible
When organizing a move, you have to multitask pretty much during the whole process, and sometimes that can be stressful and exhausting. Whether you’re downsizing or moving to a bigger place, a lot of work needs to be done, especially if you don’t have much time. And if you want to keep everything sustainable, don’t worry – there are lots of options for an eco-friendly move! Packing, cleaning, driving and moving things around will demand a lot of time, energy and fuel but you can use some smart tricks to spend less and still pay attention to the environment. Here are a few tips on how to organize a move and keep everything green, efficient, quick and stress-free.
Reuse, reduce and recycle
This is a mantra many people like to use in their everyday lives and the process of moving is no exception. During this process, you’ll be dealing with a lot of cardboard boxes, so instead of throwing them away, why not recycle them and pass them on to someone else who’s moving? Apart from that, you could take them to a local recycling center and get some money in return.
When it comes to personal belongings – such as furniture, for example – people have a tendency to throw them away and buy new things instead. Just think how much you’ll save if you reuse the old furniture by giving it a new look with a help of some paint and fresh materials. This will leave you with more money in the budget for some other much-needed things.
Use green packing materials
Instead of packing your things in plastic bags and containers, explore various green alternatives such as biodegradable options for packing and taping your boxes. Buy different plastic bins you plan on using as storage in your new home and you’ll save time packing and unpacking. This easy trick will help you pack your items in your old home and just place them on appropriate shelves in your new home. Don’t ditch the boxes after using them just once – these boxes can be reused several times, which will save you a ton of space in your new home and leave you with fewer boxes that require so much space.
If you want to use bubble-wrap, just ask for the biodegradable kind, or use paper instead. Be careful with the fragile content in the boxes and leave them for the final trip from your old to your new place. This is something you could transfer yourself and save some space for all the big furniture and boxes.
Choose your carrier with care
Australians know the benefits of choosing the right removalist company and how that choice sets the tone for the entire process. Moreover, it’s crucial to have someone trustworthy if you’re moving to a different city or region. For instance, it’s totally different if you want to relocate to a neighborhood that’s close to you and transferring your belongings a few miles down the road.
However, many Aussies who decide to move further like to organize everything more carefully and in advance. That’s why they prefer hiring experienced furniture removalists from Melbourne to help them with the organization and all the necessities that go with the moving process. Having a reliable company is the most important part of the move because you want to have your belongings transferred safely without worrying about the condition they’ll arrive in.
Donate your belongings
During the decluttering and packing of your place, you’ll surely find many things you don’t need and don’t want to bring to your new home. You probably have a lot of clothes you don’t wear anymore, books you never plan on reading or furniture pieces that won’t fit into your new property. Before packing, go through your stuff and make different piles for what you’re keeping, and what you’re donating and one for the items you’re not sure what to do with.
Instead of throwing all these things away, find a family that’s going to welcome your donations and you’ll be happy you’ve done a good deed. However, if you don’t have the time or knowledge to find someone appropriate, just call a few organizations that will help you with the logistics of the donation. Ask them to help you move those items and transport them to those who need them more than you.
These are only a few tips and tricks on how to achieve the perfect eco-friendly move. Your relocation doesn’t have to be stressful and costly and you can always opt for a more natural and relaxed move instead. The next step is to continue with this trend in your new home and continue with those changes from the first day you move in because a new house is a perfect place to start being eco-friendly every day of the week!