How To Make Your Move To Your New Home Sustainable And Eco-Friendly?
Jan 07, 2020
When planning to move, it is essential to consider the environment. The activity of relocation can produce packing & dumping waste, which is sent to landfills because of poorly planned moves. Therefore, focusing on making your move to the new home as sustainable & eco-friendly as possible is essential. Your aim should be to prepare for the move at least 3-4 months in advance.
With proper planning, you will declutter better, have time to sort your belongings, recycle, and dump waste properly. Besides, with time on your hands, you will be able to research and book removalists in Brisbane who support sustainable moves.
Want to know more about how to make your move sustainable? Here is your guide with information related to waste production statistics, sustainable move definition, and tips by reputed removalists in Brisbane on how to move in an environmentally responsible way.
Packing Waste Production Statistics By The Environment and Energy Department
According to the Australian National Waste Report 2018 by the DEE, 5.6 Mt of paper & cardboard waste was produced in 2016-17. Both the items are extensively used for packing & moving. Also, a lot of them are dumped while decluttering.
About 60% of the waste was recycled and the rest 40% was buried in landfills. The worrying aspect of the statistic was that the recycling rate had decreased from 66% to 60%. However, it is possible to change the statistics in the coming years by being responsible and planning moves to reduce wastage.
What is a Sustainable Move?
Expert removalists in Brisbane define a sustainable move as the practice of moving out/in while being considerate about the preservation of the environment. You can manage a sustainable movement by finding ways to use non-toxic and biodegradable materials and methods to shift from one home to another.
Tips on How to Move Sustainably By Experts
You can contribute to saving the environment by following the below-mentioned tips on how to move sustainably by some of the most reputed removalists in Brisbane.
Plan Ahead
Start planning for the move at least 3-4 months in advance. The more time you have, the better you can evaluate your belongings. If you plan ahead, some of the things you can do are:
• Downsize and
declutter your house properly
• Donate or resell things you don’t want
• Give your friends & relatives belongings to reuse
• Properly Dump Waste
• Reduce Food Wastage
You can also start saving boxes, bags, and other packing supplies that come with the products you purchase (especially online) before moving.
Donate or Resell Things You Don’t Require
You can consider donating or reselling things you don’t require but are in good condition to ensure recycling. While decluttering your house, create three piles. First for items you need to discard, second for items you wish to donate, and third for items that can be resold.
Donation: Approach your local charity or community shelter to donate clothes, beddings, utensils, appliances, food packets, or other things of use. You can also donate articles via online portals like
Givit, The Salvation Army, etc.
Reselling: Schedule and host a Garage Sale for things you want to resell. Plan the event properly. Don’t conduct the sale on holidays. It is best if you host it during days on weekends because more people will be able to attend.
Reuse Packing Supplies You Already Have
These supplies may include boxes, newspaper, bubble wraps, plastic/cloth/paper bags, containers etc. This way, you can avoid purchasing new moving boxes and creating more clutter to dispose of after the move. Check your storage room or basement for boxes, stray papers, towels, bags, blankets, and other materials that might be used for packing.
Ask For Reusable Supplies
Another excellent way to recycle packing supplies is to ask your relatives or friends to give you the ones they have but don’t need. Do your best to source boxes and other packing materials that you can recycle. You can search online community portals for packing supplies available for free or at a minimal cost. Besides this, you can obtain supplies from local commercial stores or neighbours who have moved near you recently.
Hire Green Removalists
Ask people you know or search online for Green removalists in Brisbane who offer environment-friendly packing, moving, and storage services. Such companies use recycled or recyclable packing items. In addition, their moving trucks use bio-fuels like CNG or LNG to reduce carbon footprints. If you want, they can encourage and guide you on how to pack in an eco-friendly manner.
Use Green Cleaning Products
Use eco-friendly products for performing the end of lease cleaning of your rented house. You can purchase green products or use non-toxic household items to make DIY solutions. In addition, you can be considerate towards the environment by using water and electricity wisely to avoid wastage.
If you are hiring professionals, get in touch with an
end of lease cleaning company in Brisbane that offers green cleaning solutions.
Avoid Food Wastage
According to Brisbane Government, 80,000 tonnes of food waste per year is thrown away by the city’s residents. It is common to dispose of unused food items intentionally or unintentionally to start with a fresh pantry in the new house. As a responsible citizen, please consider giving away non-perishable items to local charities or community centres.
Furthermore, you can conduct a food drive with the help of friends, family members, and neighbours. This way you can donate things you & others don’t need. However, make sure you give non-perishable goods or fresh food that can be consumed safely.
Reduce Other Household Waste Before Moving
2-3 months prior to your moving days, reduce the amount of waste produced from your household. Here are some ways you can do so
• Start by shopping smartly. Don’t buy unnecessary things.
• Buy food supplies every week rather than every month
• Dispose of organic waste such as vegetable peels, fruit rinds, food scraps, etc.
• Reuse plastic bags and containers as much as possible
Be Creative With Packing Materials
Read books or search online about different household items that you can use to pack your belongings. Many people think the only way to pack for a move is to use cardboard boxes, newspapers, plastic bags etc. But, you can use blankets, pillows, towels, storage containers and many other things in your house for packing. For example, you can use a fluffy blanket to pack flat-screen TVs or monitors to reduce the chances of breakage. Blankets can be used for packing a variety of delicate items, as they are soft and provide cushioning.
Endnote
Making your house move sustainable is in your hands. All you need to do is plan and prepare a course of action 3-4 months in advance. Be considerate of the environment by following the tips by experts on how to move in an eco-friendly manner. In addition to this, take the assistance of reputed
removalists in Brisbane offering green moving services. Also, make sure you involve your friends or family members in your green moving journey to enlighten them about the benefits of reducing waste before and after moving.
