Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I will definitely be trying out freecycle both to donate and see what they are donating. As far as the cleaning many house cleaning services offer move out cleaning services to make your job easier. You may also consider a window washer so that when your showing the house the overall presentation is impressive.
Last edited by jasper12; 02-13-2012 at 10:47 AM..
Reason: removed URL
Okay folks, moving season 2012 is almost here. If you're thinking of moving this year, there is a lot of info here in this thread.
Got a success story? Tell us!
__________________
- Please follow our TOS.
- Any Questions about City-Data? See the FAQ list.
- Want some detailed instructions on using the site? See The Guide for plain english explanation.
- Realtors are welcome here but do see our Realtor Advice to avoid infractions.
- Thank you and enjoy City-Data.
Moving to a new home can generate a lot of waste from packing materials and burn a lot of fossil fuels. These simple tips will make short and long-distance moves greener.
All of those cardboard boxes, bubble wrap and gas-guzzling moving vans take a toll on Earth's natural resources. There are ways, however, to make packing and moving to a new home a more eco-friendly process.
De-clutter Before Moving:
Just before a move is the perfect time to let go of clutter. Purging unwanted items may not seem environmentally friendly, but letting someone else put those used items to good use reduces the waste generated by producing and shipping new goods.
Reducing the number of possessions to be moved, especially for a long-distance move, will also lighten the load on moving day. Thus saving both fuel and packing materials, and with fewer possessions, a move to a smaller home that requires less energy to heat and cool may be a possibility.
Sell Used Goods:
Getting rid of unwanted and unneeded possessions does not have to mean a trip to the local landfill. Items in good condition may be taken to a consignment shop or sold through newspaper or Internet-based classified ads, such as Craig's List.
Make a Tax-Deductible Donation:
One easy way to skim down the number of possessions to be moved is to donate unwanted items to non-profit organizations. Local libraries will often take books and DVDs. Charity thrift stores will take many items in good condition, including clothes, sporting goods, small and large appliances and even cars. With a receipt from the organization, such donations can be deducted when filing taxes.
Find Free Boxes for Moving:
For items to be moved, good packing materials are a necessity, but buying new cardboard boxes for every move is wasteful and expensive. The cardboard recycling area at the landfill or recycling center may have perfectly good broken down boxes that can be re-used rather than recycled.
Some moving rental companies also offer free used cardboard boxes for moving, provided the boxes are returned to a rental center for someone else to use. Free-cycle and Craig's List are also good places to look for free packing materials. After moving, these materials can be given away again for someone else to use.
Save Packing Materials:
For renters and others who move often, storing moving boxes and bubble wrap may not be a bad idea. Broken-down boxes can easily be taped up again and re-used for the next move, or for donating items to thrift stores throughout the year. This method not only reduces waste, but also saves the hassle and expense of buying new moving boxes.
Buy Greener Packing Materials:
Sometimes, of course, it's just not possible to reduce, reuse or recycle. Thankfully, there are more eco-friendly alternatives to nonrenewable, non-biodegradable packing materials like bubble wrap and packing peanuts. These more environmentally friendly materials, made from recycled paper and cardboard, can be purchased from office stores.
Even a cross-town move or a move to a rural area can be made a little greener with thoughtful de-cluttering and packing, by reusing and recycling materials when possible, donating unwanted goods, and buying used and eco-friendly products when necessary.
Mod cut of URL...no advertising or links. Read TOS. thank you
Last edited by jasper12; 02-13-2012 at 10:37 AM..
Reason: edit link to website.
I have not used freecycle but I have used 1-800-Got-Junk? to clean out my parents house when they went into a nursing home. I plan on using them again when I move to take away all the "stuff" that I have collected over the years that will not make the trip. They even can give you a tax receipt for stuff you want to donate for your taxes.
Okay folks, home sale and moving season 2014 is almost here. Start now while there's plenty of time.
If you're thinking of moving this year, there is a lot of info here in this thread.
Got a success story? Tell us!
__________________
- Please follow our TOS.
- Any Questions about City-Data? See the FAQ list.
- Want some detailed instructions on using the site? See The Guide for plain english explanation.
- Realtors are welcome here but do see our Realtor Advice to avoid infractions.
- Thank you and enjoy City-Data.
Hoping this thread stays updated but also hoping for tips on making some money on the stuff (I do freecycle some things but I'm not giving away all of it, plus I need the money).
If you have any truly valuable items that are not moving with you, begin early to find the best way to sell them. We were so overwhelmed in the end, that we had a huge auction that included some valuable items that went for pennies on the dollar. Also, the expenses of auctioning took 40% of the proceeds.
It may be to your advantage to donate items and write off the fair market value. At least you will get some benefit.
We moved in 2014 and will be moving again this year. I started going through boxes still not unpacked from our 2014 move and got rid of stuff we brought with us. It's amazing how much we tend to hold on to. And I am by no means a pack rat. I am pretty good with getting rid of most things. Yet over the years, it just accumulates!
I couldn't agree more with the theme of this thread. Movers - de-clutter early and often! If you know of items you won't be using between now and your upcoming move, pack it away now.
What I didn't give away to family, I donated (and will keep on doing so) to charities or sell in consignment shops. I don't want to deal with meeting up w/strangers (freecycle.org). Sorry, that's just not my MO. But a great resource for those who feel comfortable with it.
Moving is very stressful - so anything you can do in advance to give yourself a head start will help.
I want to share my story. Last year I moved from Colorado to Georgia. It was an exhausting experience. As has been pointed out moving is very emotionally exhausting. For some odd reason I wanted to keep everything that I had. Maybe it came from my Dad and his parents, the whole depression era mentality. My mom kept pointing out to me that she would happily buy me a new fan or laundry baskets. I should have listened to her and taken her advice. Get rid of things. I remember putting a plant out by the dumpster and saw a neighbor take it. Quietly I said thank you, to myself.
It is true people will take junk that is buy dumpsters. I was able to give my cousin's daughter a traffic light that my Dad had rebuilt for me. I also shared some other items with her kids.
Yesterday I purged my closets and got rid of stuff in my spare room. Felt so good to get rid of of stuff that I was holding on for too long and had not used or only used one time. Most of the stuff was cheap and I could replace it. Holding on to things that are not useful to just add more stress and anxiety in a move.
I like other suggestions, make piles of keep, toss, donate. Purge yourself of the impurities and don't be bound to materialistic items. Okay enough of a rant for today. Feels so good to let go of things. When I move from my current place I will let my fellow students the opportunity to take things off my hands and then donate the rest to goodwill. I plan to keep my free weights. Long term investments. There are a few other things I will keep, clothes, essential documents and stuff of the like, toss/donate the rest.
I don't think it has been mentioned yet, that everything with weight and mass will add to the cost of your move. It makes no sense to pay to move an object, if you can easily replace it if you need to for less money than moving it.
My last move was the most traumatic thing I've done in 35 years. We pruned down from a 6000 sq ft barn full of business and personal things, and a 2800 sq ft house. My husband could not part with some of the tools he had acquired over the years, and I did not know which furniture I wanted to keep in the new house. We moved with 3 UHaul trucks, brimming full. Thankfully, he has his own 2 car garage, besides the one for our cars, to house the tools, but I wound up getting rid of most of the furniture after we got here, so I wish I had been more ruthless and realistic before I moved.
Once you learn to let go, it is a great, freeing feeling to do so.
My daughter has 3 years before she relocates to another state. I am preaching to her that she must get things done NOW, and I hope she listens.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Cleaning out the house before MOVING - Some tips.
