If you’re due to move house soon, you’ll likely have started your list of things that you’ll need – however, it’s also important to consider how you can make your move as eco-friendly as possible.
Most people don’t realise that packing, cleaning, transporting and unpacking a home can use a LOT of energy and resources. We’ve put together a list of our top tips on how to be more sustainable during your house move:
Recyclable materials are key
Most people tend to use cardboard boxes for packing up the majority of their belongings, which is great as they’re fully recyclable and reusable! If needed, we can provide you with high quality, strong cardboard boxes to ensure that your possessions arrive safely in your new home – whilst being eco-friendly too.
If you’d rather do it yourselves, we can provide you with removal grade boxes and then collect them once you’ve finished to be reused or recycled. You can also use objects that you already have – such as suitcases and holdalls – to transport items such as clothes and towels.
If you’re not careful, there can be lots of single-use plastic packaging also used in house moves too, which isn’t as good for the environment. Where possible, try to avoid using anything like this and opt for the recyclable option – we use white newspaper offcuts, which are very similar to the paper used at fish & chip shops!
At Ballards, we can supply you with just about everything you need – with lots of recyclable cardboard and paper packaging materials and reusable wool blankets to prevent bumps and scrapes.
Use the experts
By using a removal company like us to assist with your move, we’ll have access to larger vehicles and we can pack everything neatly and securely so we can fit more in without breakages. These will ensure that your move is done in as few trips as possible (sometimes just one!) which in turn will reduce the carbon emissions associated with transportation.
If you hire your own van, not only will it be much more stressful and hard work, it’ll likely mean that you need to do several trips back and forth in order to transport all of your belongings to your new home. If you’re moving a good few miles away, these will quickly add up! This will also save you a lot of time too, as you’ll be able to concentrate on unpacking, instead of worrying about going back for more.
We also hold the Environmental British Standard – ISO14001 – which sets out the criteria for a business environmental management system. We follow a set framework to ensure that we have an effective environmental management system, meaning that we are more sustainable.
At Ballards, we can offer many different service packages to make moving house as stress-free and efficient as possible. If you’d like to find out more, head here.
Declutter before you move
By recycling or donating any possessions that you no longer need, you’re reducing the amount of ‘stuff’ that you have to move. This should save you money and reduce your carbon footprint, as you’ll require less trips or a smaller vehicle.
Charity shops, schools, nurseries and shelters will welcome your unwanted donations, such as DVDs, toys, books. By donating your items rather than just throwing them away, you’ll significantly reduce the amount of rubbish that goes to landfill. If you have any broken items, there are often shops that will take these for you and dispose of them responsibly.
Having fewer items will also mean that you require fewer packing materials, which again will reduce the volume of any single use packaging that needs to be used in the move.
A lot of unwanted food tends to get thrown away during a house move, so consider sorting out your kitchen cupboards before the big day approaches. Most food banks will take any in-date dry food goods – this will not only help the community, but also reduce your landfill waste.
Make sure that your cleaning is green
There’s nothing better than having a shiny, sparkling new home to move into, however make sure to avoid using any environmentally toxic products when cleaning your new (or old) home. Some cleaning products contain harsh chemicals full of phosphates that can be dangerous to marine life if they go into the drains.
Try to opt for more natural remedies, such as lemon, baking soda and vinegar, or use eco-friendly off-the-shelf cleaning products. A great brand to use is ‘Method’, as their range of cleaners are all made with biodegradable formulas.
Some strong cleaning products can even be a potential hazard to your own health, so it’s definitely worth reading the labels before purchasing. Opt for reusable cleaning materials such as microfibre cloths, instead of single-use disposable ones such as wipes or paper towels.
If you’d like any advice or a free no-obligation quote from our friendly team, please don’t hesitate to get in touch today.