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How to Minimize Your Carbon Footprint While Moving

June 3, 2024


If you’re moving to another state or city, even the most dedicated recycler will be confronted with a mountain of packing supplies and struggling to minimize carbon footprint while moving—just there’s so much stuff to transport. If the amount of wasted materials required to move your family to a new house astounds you, there are a few ways you may use to reduce your moving effect.

Rent Moving Boxes

You can, in fact, rent moving boxes. These are typically heavy-duty, multiple-use plastic bins that will be delivered to your door and returned once you have unpacked. Check with your moving company to see if they rent boxes.

Stay Natural

Use natural materials instead of plastic wrap for goods like beds and household furnishings. If it’s not snowing or pouring on moving day, old flannel linens will protect furniture just as effectively as plastic, and you can find yards and yards of basic muslin for around a dollar a yard at the largest box or fabric stores—and a yard is at least five feet wide. Tape the ends of the muslin together after placing the beds. For household furnishings, a material drop cloth works just as well as muslin. For important furniture pieces, you may also rent cushioned blankets from your local moving company.

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Make the Most of Everything You Have

You can, of course, spend a lot of money on wrapping and packing goods. Instead, why not make the most of what you currently have? Here are some ideas for repurposing things you have lying around the house.

How to Minimize Your Carbon Footprint While Moving

Seasonal Purging

Over the course of relocation, most of us discover the most dreadful element of ourselves: that we’re secret hoarders. Many of us have tangible rubbish in our homes, and to be honest, no one really knows why. Home organizing experts advise sorting through your belongings on a regular basis. After the holidays, recycle or give away any decorations or gift wrapping materials that have never been used. Also, give outgrown gear to someone with younger children who will be able to utilize it in a future season at the end of your child’s sports season. It will become second nature after a few rounds, and you will have a lot less to move when the time comes.

Donate or Sell Any Last-Minute Leftovers

Despite your best efforts, you will come across items that you simply do not want to move. Those items should be sold or donated. Most non-profits will accept anything you donate, and there are a plethora of websites for online selling, ranging from the tried-and-true eBay to neighborhood-specific ones.

In addition to the previously mentioned suggestions, it is critical to hire an environmentally conscious moving company. As a result, don’t be afraid to inquire about professional movers’ efforts to reduce their carbon footprint.

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