Relocating My Family

Relocating My Family

What Are Your Best Eco-Friendly Packing And Moving Options?

by Alberto Williams

If you're about to embark on a cross-country move, you may be busily packing your less-frequently-used belongings in boxes to help reduce the amount of work you'll need to do at the last minute. However, if you're someone who tries to reduce the amount of trash you produce, you may be dismayed at the amount of waste present in many moving products and packaging materials. Do you have any environmentally-friendly options that will help keep your valuables safe during a lengthy road trip? Read on to learn more about your eco-friendly moving options.

What eco-friendly packaging materials are available?

There are a number of natural alternatives to common packaging materials -- some you can even make yourself.

  • Biodegradable packing peanuts

These lightweight packing peanuts are made from corn solids that dissolve easily in water and are even edible -- despite functioning and looking just like styrofoam packing peanuts. After arriving at your destination, you'll be able to flush these packing peanuts down the toilet, feed them to neighborhood birds, or save them for reuse. 

  • Old Newspaper

Crumpled newspaper can also fill the role of packing peanuts quite well. Wrapping plates and glasses in newspaper before packing should ensure they arrive to your new home without breaking. Make sure you check the ink of the page before wrapping--you don't want it to smear on valuables. 

  • Eco-friendly tape

This tape is made from plant matter (including a plant adhesive), rather than plastic. Not only does it create fewer harmful fumes during the manufacturing process, it can easily be recycled or composted after use.

  • "Green" wrap

This eco-friendly filling material has a geometric appearance and looks similar to the permeable filter in a humidifier. Like the other eco-friendly filling materials, it's made from soy- or corn-based solids, helping it remain lightweight while cushioning your belongings.

What else can you do to make your move environmentally-friendly?

One of the biggest positive environmental impacts you can make during your move is to purge any unneeded items before moving, rather than after. Both in terms of fuel and labor costs, hauling items across the country only to throw them away (or donate them) upon arrival is wasteful. And in some cases, it can be more cost-effective to sell or donate a large, unwieldy item at your current location and purchase a new one at your new location rather than pay to transport it. You may want to check out http://www.securityselfstorageelginil.com/ for storage options, while you wait to donate or pack belongings. 

You may also want to look into moving companies that employ hybrid vehicles and other minor efficiencies throughout the moving process. Saving fuel costs and moving a (relatively) minimal amount of possessions using eco-friendly packaging will not only save money, it will help preserve the environment.


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About Me

Relocating My Family

I have always been one of those people who loves to explore new places, but a few years ago I realized that I was going to be moving in a big way. My company had recently relocated overseas, and it was really intimidating for me. I realized that we would be moving to Singapore, which was going to be a big change from what we were used to. I realized that I needed to start organizing my belongings so that the move was easier. I also worked to prepare my kids for the transition. Check out this blog for more information on moving successfully with a family.

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