Anybody who has moved houses before knows how physically and mentally exhausting the process is. But what most households and businesses don’t realize is that moving also generates a ton of waste. Oftentimes, you will find stacks of cardboard boxes, plastic wrap, and packing peanuts left behind. And since most of these materials are used and needed once, they are usually thrown away after the move is finished. If you wish to leave less waste after moving, here are 4 tips to making the process eco-friendly and cost-efficient.
Don’t Take Every Item From Your Old Home
Taking everything with you makes no sense. Sure, items like antique furniture, family heirlooms, and expensive electronics merit space in your new house, but you don’t really need to take old and worn-out picture frames and unused clothes. The less items you move with, the fewer round trips you need to complete the move. This ultimately results in lower gas consumption and cost. You can either donate items in good condition to Salvation Army or a local non-profit organization or hold a garage sale to make some extra money.
Invest in Reusable Supplies
Reusable moving and packing supplies might cost a few cents more than the price of their regular disposable counterparts, but it is a worthwhile investment since you can use the supplies more than once. If there’s enough time and you are in need of moving boxes, you can put up ads online. More often than not, you’ll find reused moving boxes priced at a discount. For bulky or heavy items, you can substitute cardboard boxes for wooden crates or sturdy plastic boxes, so you can reuse them multiple times without wearing out.
Work with Movers that Use Eco-Friendly Tactics
If you decide to ask for professional help, look for an OKC moving company that drives trucks and vans running on bio-diesel. And although the technology is relatively nascent today, future moving companies might even switch to an all-electric fleet. Aside from the vehicles they drive, ask about the packing materials they use. Are the items sustainable or is it the same material spit out by large industrial ovens and assembly lines? If they avoid such questions or fail to answer appropriately, consider looking at other prospects.
Know Shipping and Fuel Choices
If you are moving miles away to another city or state, you might need to transport your vehicle via public transportation. Car owners have two eco-friendly options when it comes to transporting their vehicle cross-state, namely through moving companies in Norman that use trucks running on bio-diesel or shipping the car via railway system. With all else being equal, trains are four times more fuel-efficient than trucks. It may take longer to transport your car from Point A to Point B, but they do leave less carbon footprint.
Of course, being eco-friendly for just the moving day won’t do much good for the planet. Make sure to adopt eco-friendly practices in your new home, such as using environment-friendly cleaning products and consuming sustainable, organic food that are locally grown and consume less fuel to transport.