8 Eco friendly Moving Tips To Save Money and the Planet

If you are getting ready to move, these eco friendly moving tips are guaranteed to help you save a bit on moving costs and minimize harm to the planet! 

This post is full of tips for reducing waste, emissions and stress as you pack up your life and head off on new adventures. 

Don’t worry if you don’t end up doing all the tips on the list, moving is overwhelming enough. Just do what you can and enjoy your new home!

This post is all about the best eco friendly moving tips.

The Best Eco Friendly Moving Tips

1. Rent reusable eco friendly boxes (or buy them if you move often)

This was a recent find for me but companies are starting to rent out boxes (yes they are plastic) in order to help people move more efficiently.

I don’t know if their main intention is to be eco friendly or just to offer a convenient service but it works for both purposes!

Instead of buying new boxes every time you have to move you can rent these durable boxes for the duration of your move and then return them! This reduces waste in the landfill and in your home. 

2. Before you plan to move, save packing materials

Once you decide you are going to move, begin to create a stash of packing materials.

Here are a few ideas of things you can save to use as a protective buffer when packing:

• newspaper
• old rags, towels, cloths  
• packaging from online orders
• wrapping paper from gifts

There really is no need to go out and buy all new materials that will be thrown away directly after use. Again, this tip is a major money saver too! 

3. Ask friends for extra secondhand packing materials

Kind of going off the previous tip, include your friends in the prep work.

See if they will hold onto boxes from online shopping or gift wrap from gifts. This will help expedite your stash of packing materials so you are ready for your move! It also gives new life to materials they would most likely be throwing out too. 

3. Take this time to note all of the stuff you have

Before you start packing things up, consider donating or selling items that you don’t get a lot of use out of. Don’t move clutter to your new home! You will be SO grateful for not having to move as much stuff and for not feeling overwhelmed with stuff in your new place.

Minimalism has grown in popularity and the concept goes hand in hand with living more sustainably. After de cluttering, be mindful of not going back to old ways and over shopping.

You can also tailor minimalism to what works for your lifestyle. You can have all your fun cute and quirky trinkets, just be mindful that they don’t end up in the landfill in a couple years. 

4. Opt for eco friendly cleaning supplies as you clean refresh spaces

I don’t know about you but I have to clean every inch of the new space that I move into.

We have a few posts on sustainable cleaning tips that I will link below. Most of all, it’s important to be mindful of the harmful toxins in cleaning products that can harm our health, animals and the environment. 

{RECOMMENDED POST: 9 Powerful Zero Waste Cleaning Products We Are Obsessed With}

5. Rent a truck to reduce trips in your car

Instead of making a zillion trips in your own car and wasting gas, consider renting a larger truck (or moving company) to move your stuff!

Not only will this be better for the environment by reducing emissions but it hopefully will reduce some of the stress of moving by minimizing trips back and forth. 

6. Sell items to ensure items are used or research amazing nonprofits to donate to

Once you have decluttered and found items that can be loved again, consider selling them for extra cash or donating them to a reputable charity.

That way, you know for sure the items are going to a home where they will be used, rather than to a large shop that may have to throw out their overstock. Last stop should be a goodwill run. 

7. Repurpose furniture for your new space rather than throwing it out and buying new

Moving into a new space can feel like turning over a new leaf and sometimes taking on a new identity. You may feel compelled to have an out with the old, in with the new mentality.

Instead, you can always just enhance the items you already own with a bit of creativity. A bit of paint and some new knobs can go a long way when updating furniture. 

8. Dispose of things properly

You never know what random stuff you may find while tearing apart your home. No judgement. Just make sure it is disposed of properly when possible. 

• food can be composted
• recycle
• many grocery stores have drop offs for small tech items. 
• sell/donate items that still have life in them

Don’t be too hard on yourself. Not everything can avoid the landfill. But as you slowly pack up your life to build a new, consider giving new life to your unwanted items as well. 

Having any eco friendly/money saving tips for moving? Let us know in the comments below!

Be sure to sign up for the newsletter if you would like sustainability and wellness tips sent directly to your inbox! 

Stay well, 

Maggie 

This post was all about the best eco friendly moving tips.

Other posts you may like: 

11 Genius Zero Waste Kitchen Organization Tips For a Peaceful Home

5 Genius Hacks for Zero Waste Cleaning (My Favorite Products and Routine!)

5 Important Things I Don’t Buy Any More Thanks to the Zero Waste Lifestyle (Saves Money Too!)

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