Go Green When You Next Move House

 

Even though it only takes a single day to move house, it’s still worth trying to do it all as eco-friendly as possible. If you don’t consider the environmental impact of moving day, you could end up creating a bigger carbon footprint than what you might think, and this going to have a negative effect on the overall greenness of your lifestyle. So, wherever possible, you should try and move house as greenly as possible.

 

Thankfully, moving house in an eco-friendly fashion isn’t too difficult. In fact, there are quite a few steps you can take to make sure your move doesn’t damage your surrounding environment too much. Here are some of the best things you can do.

 

Use Recycled Boxes

 

If possible, you should try and find some second-hand boxes to pack all your stuff into. It’s worth speaking to any of your friends or family who have recently moved. They might have kept some of their boxes. If so, you should ask them if you can borrow them for the move. This will save you buying some more, which can be highly expensive. Not only that, though, but these recycled boxes can help boost the greenness of your move. If you are unable to find any second-hand boxes, it’s important that you find some to buy that have been made using recycled materials.

 

Reduce Packaging Waste

 

When you are packing up all your stuff, it is also a good idea to be mindful of waste. If you make a lot of rubbish and waste, you will probably end up disposing of it using some non-green methods. There are some ways to get around this. First of all, try not to use any packaging materials that are made of plastic as these cannot be recycled. If you need to protect some items during transit, wrap them in soft cloths and bedding.

 

Use Environmentally Friendly Moving Firms

 

There are now quite a few moving firms that pride themselves on being eco-friendly. This means that they use environmentally practices and methods when helping their customers to move. Ideally, you should try and find a moving company near you that practices such methods. For example, a green company will operate vehicles that use biodiesel compared to regular gas in an attempt to reduce their emissions. Some eco-friendly firms might even be able to supply you with recycled cardboard boxes and materials for all your packing.

Sign Up For Green Utilities

 

Moving house is a great opportunity to switch to different electricity, gas and internet providers. So, when you are looking for new companies to go with, why not consider ones that offer environmentally minded utilities? For instance, when you are looking at new electricity companies, try and find one that will supply your new home with energy from renewable supplies, such as solar energy. Over the past few years, the number of green energy suppliers has greatly increased, so you shouldn’t have too much difficulty finding some new utility companies that can offer you a reasonable price for greener energy.

 

Recycle Unwanted Stuff

 

If you aren’t taking all of your furniture and belongings with you, you might be wondering what to do with them. No matter what you do, don’t just throw them out with the trash. They will just end up being incinerated or dumped on a landfill site, which won’t be good for the environment at all. Thankfully, you have a few different options. If the items are still in good quality, you could try selling them. You should consider listing them on sites like Gumtree and eBay. If you aren’t too bothered about making any money from them, you could simply drop them off at your nearest charity or thrift store. However, if they are quite old or broken, you will be better of simply disposing of them in green ways. Wood, glass, and paper-based items can be recycled. Unfortunately, some plastics aren’t yet recyclable and they will just have to go out with the trash.

Clean Your New Home With Green Supplies

 

When you finally get into your new home, you will need to clean it thoroughly before you start unpacking. Try not to use any cleaning products that contain harsh chemicals as these will be bad for the environment and could also be dangerous if you have young children. Instead, consider making your own natural cleaning products. Alternatively, many supermarkets now stock organic cleaning products at reasonable prices.

 

As you can see, moving house doesn’t have to put the environment at risk!