Moving can be stressful and exhausting, especially with number of things you have to pack. Packing can also be wasteful because you have to use tons of bubble wraps and plastic tape to safeguard your valuables. These materials may only end up in landfills once you have unpacked your things.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), about 137.7 million tons of trash ended in landfills in 2015. This amount of waste can cause pollution to air, soil, and water that can affect both human and animal health.
Apart from looking for a moving company in Fort Lauderdale that can make your move less stressful, you may also consider making your move as green as possible. Here are three ways to do it.
1. Don’t Throw What You Can Donate
When you’re packing, you might find items that you no longer need. These can be old clothes, books, or some kitchenware that are still in good condition. Instead of throwing them away, you can donate them to different organizations, such as:
- Goodwill – this a popular place to donate items. You can donate new or gently used valuables that they can sell in their stores and online.
- Local libraries – if you want to minimize your bookshelf, you can donate some of your books to your local library. You may also donate DVDs and CDs that still work.
- Dress for Success – this organization is ideal for your pre-loved clothes, especially work-appropriate clothes. It aims to help women prosper in the workplace by providing professional outfits and development tools.
2. Recycle Your Items
Not all things in your home can be donated, but you can recycle some of them. There are plenty of household items that you can recycle or re-purpose. Plastic water bottles, for example, can serve a new purpose if you use your creativity. You can browse images on Pinterest to get ideas on how to upscale your water bottles.
Paper products are also excellent for recycling. You can collect a variety of paper in your home, from milk cartons to the cardboard tubing of toilet paper. Contact your municipality if it accepts paper products for recycling and discover how you can recycle them in your area.
Some recyclable items in your home, like batteries, an old TV, or light bulbs, may contain harmful chemicals. You can drop these items in facilities that recycle them, so you don’t risk exposure.
3. Use Reusable Packing Materials
Once you’ve disposed of some of your valuables, you’ll have fewer items to pack. This means you don’t have to use plenty of packing materials. To further reduce the use of excessive bubble wraps and other plastics, consider packing your items in storage boxes. After moving, you can use these boxes to store other things in your house.
You may also use water-activated paper packing tape to seal your boxes than the plastic ones. Be careful when using paper tape, however, because it may not hold your items well. Make sure to find a strong one to keep your things safe.
Renting a moving truck is an ideal choice as it gives you full control of your moving process. But this approach means you’ll have to do everything. You might not have the time or the energy to do it all. If you’re hiring a full-service company, you can coordinate with its team and explain your goal of reducing waste, particularly plastic.
Despite the stress, moving is an exciting chapter of your life. Making it eco-friendly makes it rewarding because you’ll know that you didn’t add to the growing waste in landfills.
