4 min read
With all the bubble wrap, plastic, and petrol it’s understandable that moving home can have a significant impact on the environment. Here we look at six ways to make your move eco-friendly to help you reduce your carbon footprint on moving day.
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Moving to a new home is extremely exciting, however research has shown a home move can generate 17kgs of CO2. With mindfulness and planning there are plenty of ways you can make your move eco-friendly.
So, if you’re looking for ways to reduce the environmental impact, then look no further – find our top eco-friendly moving tips below!
When you move it’s natural you’ll want to get rid of your old items that won’t have a place in your new home. Going through all your things, will help you to declutter and separate out all the items you don’t want to take with you. By getting rid of things before you move, you will have fewer items to take with you. This means you will need fewer boxes and less petrol to transport your belongings.
When it comes to finding a new home for your unwanted items, try and be as environmentally responsible as possible, so items don’t go into landfill unnecessarily. There are plenty of ways of doing this. First, if the item is good enough to sell, you can use sites such as Gumtree, Vinted or Facebook Marketplace to sell your items, or even go to a car boot sale. Not only will your item go to a good home, but you’ll also make a bit of extra cash. Next, if you have items which still usable but not worth selling yourself, you can take them to a charity shop, or use sites like Freecycle. Finally, sort through your remaining bits and separate out anything that can be recycled, such as electronics, glass, paper and plastic. This might seem like a lot of effort, however anything you can do to help reduce the waste going into landfills will help in a big way.
There are a few services you may use when moving house, such as a removals, conveyancing, or storage services, each of which can have an environmental impact on your move. Choosing a company who is eco-friendly and has eco-friendly policies will help reduce the environmental impact on your move.
For example, online conveyancing companies have a reduced carbon footprint as they’re able to significantly reduce the amount of paper used during the conveyancing process, removal companies may offer hybrid vans and storage units may use renewable energy to help power their building.
At My Home Move Conveyancing, not only are we 100% online, however we’re also committed to further reducing the environmental impact of a home move and for every customer who accepts a conveyancing quote on our website, we will fund the planting of a tree in an area of need, at no extra cost to them. Additionally, we partner with companies who are as equally eco-conscious as us. The conveyancing firms that we work with all have online journeys, and our removals partner, AnyVan, has an eco-mission to be the UK’s most sustainable delivery and removals company and are the only carbon-neutral removals and delivery company in the UK, saving 8,520 tonnes of carbon annually!
When it comes to packing and packaging there are things you can do to create an eco-friendlier move. Instead of buying cardboard boxes, you could try and reuse any that you can find. Ask your friends or family if they have any left over from a previous move, ask around at local stores and supermarkets for any spare boxes, or keep the boxes from any deliveries you get in the lead up to your move. You could also use alternatives to cardboard boxes where possible, using suitcases, plastic boxes, or bins. If you do use cardboard boxes, you should avoid throwing them away afterwards, use sites such as Freecycle or Facebook Marketplace to help the next person with their move.
For packaging, although bubble wrap helps to keep breakables very secure, it’s most likely going to end up in a landfill after a move, and therefore look for alternatives you can use. Consider using items you already own to protect fragile items, such as towels, newspapers, and clothing.
Although there might not be much you can do to reduce the air pollution created from moving home, limiting your trips on moving day and in the lead up will help. Where possible, you should try and load up your vehicle as much as possible so that you will need less trips in total. Whether that’s moving your belongs from your old home to your new home, taking unwanted items to the tip, or shopping to get supplies.
There’s often a lot of cleaning involved in the moving process, whether that’s your old home, your new home, or both. Using eco-friendly, natural and non-toxic cleaning products are much safer for the environment, people and pets.
There are so many ideas and videos online now, that it can actually be quite fun to find the latest hack that actually works. White vinegar, bicarbonate of soda and lemons are usually the dream team when it comes to cleaning. You can combine them to create a multi-purpose cleaner or use combinations for a deeper clean. Adding a little bit of bicarbonate of soda to a wet sponge is such a simple and environmentally friendly way to clean surfaces and dirty walls, adding it to a lemon really helps makes glass sparkle and combining it with white vinegar can help unclog drains and deep clean white goods.
When it comes to furnishing your new home, getting second hand furniture is a great way to help the environment as you will ultimately help them from ending up in a landfill. Using sites previously mentioned, like Gumtree, Facebook Marketplace, and Vinterior, as well as looking in charity shops and car boot sales are all great ways to find hidden gems that you can re-use or up-cycle.
By using these eco-friendly moving tips, you can make your move not only smoother but also more sustainable. Every small effort contributes to reducing your environmental impact and helps to preserve the planet for future generations. So, when you’re getting ready for a move, consider using these tips for a greener move.
Looking at ways to make your home more sustainable? Our guide looks at various incentives and ways to make your home more energy efficient.
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