Green Moving

Recycling Your Moving Supplies

After you get to your new home, and unpack you will be surprised at how many of your moving supplies are in good shape. Unless you plan to store, or reuse boxes, bubble wrap, and other supplies - consider giving them a second life.

Cardboard is accepted for recycling by most municipalities, and at most local recycling drop-off centers. Check your town's web site for a complete listing of materials your town accepts for recycling. Also, moving boxes and packing supplies are readily traded on craigslist, or you can see if your community has a local Freecycle group at www.freecycle.org.

If you buy your boxes from a moving company, you can always return unused boxes for a refund.

Bubble Wrap® is also recyclable. Click here to learn more.

Reusing everyday items for packing

Remember that stockpile of grocery bags you have hiding out under the sink? Use them to fill the voids in items like coffee mugs and vases. They will take up space without adding weight.
Think about the containers you already have. Pack up your suitcases and your laundry baskets to move items. They are designed to carry clothes, but they also make a great carry-all
Don't throw away your cleaning supplies when you move. Many people think it is easier to completely replace cleaning supplies when moving into a new house. Instead, pack up the supplies you have and use them first. If you have a second floor, consider the "old" cleaning supplies as your "upstairs" stash of cleaners.
Leaving a house with some hazardous materials? If you have containers with paint cans or fuel cans, make sure to properly dispose of them. Local fire departments can educate you on how to dispose of hazardous materials.
Donate, donate, donate. Moving is the perfect opportunity to assess the amount of "stuff" you have. If you have extra "stuff," you should look into donating to a local charity. Items like old prescription glasses, shoes, coats and blankets will definitely get used by somebody else who needs them.
Re-place. We don't mean replace. Find items that you don't use and could use more frequently or effectively. Is there somewhere else they would be better used? Think of areas that you will have in your new home that you might not have had in your old one. Will you have more room to put items in a garage or den? Don't forget about your car, either. Items like blankets and flashlights serve a great purpose as emergency supplies in the trunk of a car.
The pantry is one of the most frustrating areas to pack and move. Instead of packing up pounds of uncooked pasta and cans of beans, find a local charity, like Harvest for Hunger, that can accept and use food donations. Also, determine what you will realistically use. If you have twenty cans of corn, and have only used one can in the last year, you can safely donate a large amount of the other cans.