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10 Tips to Help You Reduce Waste When You Move

Man carrying sofa when he moves into new home

Americans aren’t ones to settle down in one house and stay their for the rest of their lives. According to the Census Bureau, the American Community Survey estimates that the average American moves 11.7 times in a lifetime. Moving projects offer the potential to generate a fair amount of waste. How can you make your next move without generating a sizable mound of waste for the local landfill?

With every move come tough decisions on what to keep and what to toss. What’s going to fit in the new place and what needs to go in the junk or “for sale” pile? Are you going to use boxes to transport your goods or will you rent a mobile storage unit and pack it full with item after item?

Here are some tips on making your next move a little easier on you and the environment:

  • Don’t buy moving boxes. If you know months in advance that you’ll be moving on a specific date, start hoarding boxes, either from purchases you’ve made or from local businesses.
  • When you’re finished with your boxes, give them to other people who will be moving soon, or cut them down and recycle them.
  • Don’t buy packing paper. Use old newspapers, or better yet, use your towels and t-shirts to pack your breakables.
  • Save on space and boxes by using your suitcases and duffel bags to pack your clothes. Your drawers can also be filled with odds and ends, which also saves on boxes.
  • If you decide to utilize a moving company, pick one that uses fuel-efficient trucks and will help you recycle boxes.
  • Packing peanuts are great for protecting your fragile items, but make sure you get the starch-based variety, as this type is biodegradable.
  • According to the Census Bureau, the American Community Survey estimates that the average American moves 11.7 times in a lifetime. Moving offers the potential to generate a fair amount of waste.

  • You’re going to find that many of your non-recyclable items could be hazardous to the environment. Paint, disinfectants, automotive supplies, fertilizer, and batteries – these all need to be disposed of properly, so make arrangement before you get too bogged down in moving logistics.
  • Many moving companies now offer reusable storage crates. Look around for a company that offers these before you begin hoarding boxes.
  • Not all bubble wrap is recyclable. However, you can offset that problem by choosing the variety that contains post-consumer recycled plastic.
  • Giving your apartment a paint touchup before you vacate? Use recycled latex paint if you can.
  • Don’t throw everything away that you don’t want to take with you. Instead, have a yard sale. You’d be surprised what others find valuable that you consider junk. What doesn’t sell can be given to charity.

Once you get to your new location, find out about available community recycling programs and recycle all your moving materials.

Some moves are bigger than others. For instance, you might be moving into a home that needs extensive work. If that’s the case, contact A City Suburban Service, Inc. We’ve got residential dumpsters of all sizes that can fit your needs. Whether it’s 4,000 pounds or 11,000 pounds of debris you need to have hauled away – we’ve got a solution for you. Call us today and let’s talk about your move.

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