Keep It Green: Top Tips for an Eco Friendly Move
It has never been more important to ensure that we work hard to minimise our carbon footprints, but from brand new cardboard boxes to protective plastic bubble wrap and sticky tape, moving house can be both a costly and extremely wasteful process.
In January 2023, more than 300,000 households wanted to move home. In that same period, an additional 230,000 households were going to move imminently, and a further 270,000 household moves were completed. That’s a lot of moving vans and packing materials!
The good news is that there are a number of steps that you can take to minimise your environmental impact whilst also streamlining the moving process and keeping your stress levels low. So, here are some of our top tips to keep in mind ahead of your next move.
1. Declutter Before You Move
Moving to a new property provides you with an ideal opportunity to enjoy a fresh start and while it can be tempting to simply put all your belongings into boxes to transport to your new home, this is actually an excellent time to declutter items that you simply don’t need any longer.
The process of recycling and donating things that you haven’t used in a while can be extremely cathartic, and you may even find that you can hire a smaller removal van, which will help you to minimise your carbon footprint. Plus, you won’t need to spend as much time unpacking and trying to find a new home for everything on the other end of your move, which is time that can be better spent exploring your new neighbourhood and making the most of everything Bristol has to offer.
2. Use Eco-Friendly Packing Materials
Many moving companies can supply brand new cardboard moving boxes for an additional fee, and there are also a range of options available online. However, buying new boxes is far from your only option.
Local shops and supermarkets may be willing to give you a selection of cardboard boxes for free, however, it is worth noting that many stores don’t keep boxes sitting around, so you will need to know when their delivery day is and be willing to pop in before they are sent to the recycling bin.
Looking at local recycling sites or online marketplaces can also be beneficial, as many people who have recently moved home list their moving boxes and packing materials for free. There are also companies that rent out reusable plastic boxes, which don’t require endless streams of single-use plastic sticky tape to keep closed. This can be a particularly good option if you’re tight on space in your moving van, as they are typically uniform in size and can be stacked to maximise space.
Alternatively, you may find that you already have a number of options in your own home. Suitcases, shopping bags for life, and laundry baskets are all ideal options that can hold a surprising amount, so you can really get creative here to minimise the number of boxes you will need to get your hands on before your move.
It is also possible to replace the need for plastic bubble wrap with a bit of creative thinking. Everything from duvets to bed sheets, oven gloves, towels and socks can be used to wrap breakable items and protect them from accidental damage during the moving process.
3. Hire a Removals Company with Eco-Conscious Services
Some removals companies now offer a range of more environmentally friendly services, many of which also take some of the stress out of the process for you.
Opting for a packing service can alleviate a lot of the pressure on you, with teams arriving with all the necessary materials and boxes ready to safely transport your belongings to your new home. Look for teams who will use recycled boxes, biodegradable bubble wrap, and paper tape to keep your move green.
While you might initially assume that eco-friendly alternatives to traditional house moving materials and services will only add an additional layer of stress to the entire process, the opposite is often true. Plus, you may also find that it’s possible to save money with a bit of creative thinking, forward planning, and support from environmentally conscious moving companies.
At On The Dot Removals we’re working hard to create innovative services with eco-conscious credentials. Our on-route service aims to minimise unnecessary trips, cut down on fuel wastage and offset harmful CO2 emissions by picking up and/or dropping off additional items for customers on route when we have a van that isn’t 100% full.
Contact us to find out more about our credentials.