If you’re moving house and want to do your bit for the environment then there are a number of little changes which you can make to decrease your carbon footprint. While they may only seem small, every little thing adds up to make a significant difference. So don’t make the environment suffer in exchange for a bit of added convenience, as with a bit of forward planning you can make your move stress-free and eco-friendly all at the same time. These little changes can even help you to save money, making it a win-win situation all round.
One of the first things you do when you’re looking to move house is to buy removal boxes. However, buying these sort of items from removal companies and retail outlets can be an expensive process and is not environmentally-conscious. To save money and to be more environmentally-friendly, you should source second-hand boxes instead. Second-hand boxes can be found for free from local businesses and retail outlets and are often just as good as buying anything new.
When you’re finished with the storage boxes you can even then pass them on to someone else so that they don’t just go to waste.
Another mistake which people often make when it comes to packing for a move is buying expensive and non-environmentally-friendly box fillers and wrapping materials. This sort of packaging is often one of the first things to get binned when you arrive at your new home and is not always recyclable or easy to reuse. That is why more and more people try to use household items or old newspapers to wrap and protect their belongings. Bathroom towels, tea towels, socks and other clothes are all great for protecting fragile or delicate items, while old newspapers or magazines can act as great box fillers. Remember that the less packing materials you have to buy the better it will be for the environment in the long-run.
Reducing the number of trips you do in a removal van is essential if you want to cut down on your carbon emissions on moving day. Hiring a suitably-sized moving van is a good place to start, as is reducing the amount of things you need to transport. If you have old furniture that you know you won’t need in your new home now is the time to get rid of it for good. Sell it, recycle it or donate it to charity and you’ll find that you have one less thing to relocate. Clearing out old clothes, books and kitchen items can also help to reduce the number of boxes you’ll fill and will give you more room on the removals van.
Once you’re in your new home, your eco-friendly changes shouldn’t stop there as there are still a number of little things which you can do to keep up the good work. Buying environmentally-friendly cleaning products is a good start, as is setting up a good recycling system right from the off. Remember that the more you do the better the impact will be, so every little change really can go on to make a big difference. Making little changes when you move house and settle down can even help you to save money, so you really do have nothing to lose!
