5 Smart Ideas For An Eco-Friendly House Move |

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Moving house can often be very stressful, and sometimes it is tempting to choose convenience over environmental efficiency to make things easier.

However, there are plenty are things you can do to reduce the carbon footprint of your move.

1. Be mindful of food waste

Possibly the easiest thing you can do to make your move eco-friendlier is to reduce any food waste you may generate during the move. It is easy to get to move day and throw away anything left over in your fridge, freezer, and cupboards rather than transporting it to your new house.

If bringing it with you isn’t practical, then be mindful of this in the lead-up to the move and use up leftovers ahead of time.

2. Go for an eco-friendly removal company

Moving house often involves lots of driving and depending on how much stuff you may have to go back and forth from the old house to the new one. If you are planning on using a removal company for this, then take some time to research more eco-friendly options.

There are plenty of green removal companies out there that are now using electric vehicles and have significantly reduced carbon emissions as a result.

3. Cut down on cardboard

It’s hard to not associate the moving house with an abundance of cardboard boxes everywhere but cutting down on the cardboard you use whilst moving is a great way to increase the efficiency of your move.

Firstly, start by utilizing anything else you have that could be used to move things, such as suitcases. Once you have maximized packing into things you already own, reach out to family and friends to see if anyone has any old moving boxes that they would be willing to give or loan to you.

If you don’t know anyone personally then try posting within a local Facebook group as people often have them going spare.

4. Consider the carbon footprint of any future renovations

As well as the physical moving of your possessions, you also need to consider the associated carbon footprint of any renovations you plan on doing once you have moved. This will totally depend on the type of property you have bought, new builds, for example, are likely to require very little work, whereas an older property may need updating. If you are planning on making changes to your home or garden, be sure to research the most environmentally way to do so ahead of time.

5. Sell on or upcycle old furniture

Like food waste, simply throwing away furniture you no longer want, or need can be tempting as it solves the problem quickly. However, this is very damaging to the environment as the furniture then ends up in the landfill. Not only is selling it better for the environment, but you could also earn yourself some extra cash too.

Consider selling on Facebook Marketplace or eBay and give it a chance at a second home. Even if you don’t think the furniture is worth anything, or that no one would want it, it is still worth listing as there are plenty of keens upcycles out there who are likely to be able to give your pre-loved furniture a new lease of life. Some green apps also offer marketplaces for used items.

Hopefully, the above house move tips will encourage you to opt for greener ways to transfer your home from one location to another. There are always easy green living alternatives for any situation.