5 Tips for a Green, Money Saving Move

Moving requires a lot of supplies, stress and back pain. Learn about these five steps to make a greener, money saving move that will lessen your footprint on the earth and not break the bank.

We’ve spent the last few weeks packing to move after living in the same house for the last 16 years.  Moving and packing can be stressful emotionally and on your pocket book, but it doesn’t have to be money draining or environmentally-polluting that it tends to be.   These tips will show you how easy it is to place only a little strain on your pocketbook and the planet by being conscientious of the environment if you just plan ahead.

First, start early. If you know you’re moving in August, for example, start paring down in June. Don’t wait until the middle of July to start packing. If you wait until the last minute, you end up throwing too much stuff out just because it’s easier. If you start early enough, you have time to figure out what can be recycled and where.

 Follow these 5 TIPS for a GREEN, MONEY SAVING MOVE

1.  Sort and Donate:

Think before you pack up and just throw everything you own in a box.  Take the time to think about if you really want or need items.  Do you have old clothes, electronics, books, or furniture that have no use or sentimental value or won’t fit in the new digs? Moving items you no longer need requires more boxes, and time. Instead, sift through your belongings before you pack and decide what can be donated or have a garage sale and donate what doesn’t sell.  Freecycle is also a great way to lighten your load.

2.  Get Moving Boxes for Free!:

Did you know you can call stores such as WalMart to get FREE BOXES for your move?  Each store is different, so just call and ask them how you can get boxes for your move.  I called the day before and went in at 8am the following morning where they had 2 carts full of boxes waiting for me to just load in my car!- I did that twice!

Check sites like Craigslist (the free section under for sale) and Freecycle.  This is also a great way to recycle your boxes BACK after moving!

U-haul Box Exchange. U-haul has created a message board allowing you to search by location for free boxes in your area.

3. Buy New or Used Moving Boxes Made of Recycled Materials

You can often find used moving boxes at discounted rates from moving companies or places like Craigslist. It’s a great way to reduce waste. Companies like NorthStar sell used boxes made of 100% recycled materials for a 25% discount, then they will actually buy them back from you when you are finished for 25% of the original price. That’s 50% in savings and a lot less waste!

4. Choose Recycled Packing Paper 

Newspapers isn’t actually the cheapest or greenest way to pack, once you’re done unpacking you will need to run the dishwasher several times to remove newspaper print from dishes and silverware. Purchase professional white packing paper made of recycled materials and you’ll save time, money and energy.

5.  Go One Bag:

Use GLAD recycling and compostable bags to help you go One Bag, as well as bags that are stronger with less plastic.  Make a small change that adds a meaningful difference in the world.

Even if you’re not moving, you can still Trim Your Waste!  GLAD wants everyone to reduce waste  with a few small steps!

Whatever you do, just do the best you can. Moving is stressful enough —- don’t sweat the small stuff, after all, there will be plenty of sweating on moving day! 😉

I’d love to hear how you reduce waste!

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Glad®. Take small steps to reduce waste.  As always all views and opinions are my own.