We’ve got exciting news! (Drum roll please…)
We are moving into our first house!
It took us years to be prepared for this next stage in our lives, and we are thrilled to step into the role of homeownership. It also has gotten us asking - how in the world do we do this with the environment in mind?
The process of moving is daunting, even without the added stress of keeping eco-friendly choices in mind. But environmentalism is an integral part of how we interact with the world, so we still wanted to answer that question for ourselves. We’ve compiled some tips and tricks for how we’ve approached the moving process so that the next time you’re packing up your own boxes and moving yourself, you’ve got some ideas up your sleeve.
Use what you’ve got!
The Trick
This trick is not only kinder on the planet, it’s also kinder to your wallet. When we started boxing up our belongings, we pulled out plastic bins that we’ve had for years that have followed us from move to move. When we ran out of space in our bins, we pulled down a set of moving boxes that my brother had used during his last move, and packed those to the brim. We scrounged around for tape and permanent markers we already owned, and used newspapers to pad our fragile items that we saved up from my mom’s morning routine. When we ran out of boxes again, I connected up with my local Buy Nothing group and picked up some extra cardboard boxes from a neighbor. So far in our move we haven’t needed to purchase any packing materials.
How Does This Help the Environment?
Reducing our consumption of paper materials while moving helps lower the demand for paper products on the market, and in turn creates less of a need for slash-and-burn methods that devastates rainforests overseas in favor of producing new tree-derived materials. It's a win-win!
Why is it Easy For You?
This method of packing takes advantage of what you’ve already got on-hand and allows you to keep more money in your pocket.
Donate or recycle what you don’t need.
The Trick
When we started sifting through our closets, drawers, and storage spaces, we came to the rather cringey realization of just how much stuff we have. This move has presented us with a great opportunity to minimize what we have and get rid of things we’ve been holding on to that don’t serve us anymore. So we started a couple bags of items to say goodbye to - everything from clothing to old electronics. In one bag, we placed items that can be donated (including baby clothes, toys, etc.) and in the other we placed items that are damaged enough they aren’t donation-approved (like a ripped pair of old sheets and broken cell phones with cracked screens.) The first bag we will donate to a local thrift store or post the items on our Buy Nothing group to be added back into circulation, and the other we will sort through and recycle in any way we can, like sending the old sheets back to a company who can properly recycle the material.
How Does This Help the Environment?
By avoiding throwing everything into the trash can and condemning everything to landfill, this action allows the items you no longer need to be used again (sometimes in a new inventive way) and helps break the cycle of new consumerism. It also can be a great way to give back to your community through donating the goods to neighbors, community shelters, or thrift shops. Plus, it means less stuff to schlep to your new space and less to haul into a heavy oil-guzzling moving truck (with the added benefit of saving you some back pain.)
Why is it Easy For You?
When packing, it can feel easy to haphazardly throw your stuff into boxes, only to find out on the tail-end of unpacking that you’re not actually going to wear that old t-shirt from a decade ago, or that you’re not intending on using that third hair straightener that you’ve been hoarding in your bathroom cabinet for years (oops, just called myself out). By eliminating as you go, you save yourself the hassle of packing (and thus, unpacking) items that you simply don’t use anymore. It simplifies the process on the back-end, and it can help others in your circle through your donations. And if you’ve got a few things worth some money, there’s no shame in selling them to earn a few extra bucks, too!
Organize as you go.
The Trick
I’ll admit that this one we didn’t excel at, but I promise that we tried. We started packing room by room, pulling out items that we weren’t planning on using for the next month until we could move into our new house. After each box was packed, I marked it with some old duct tape (decorated with tie-dye and gummy bear patterns from our teen years, no less), wrote where each box was destined in our new house, and what it contained. This helped me two-fold: it kept me organized throughout the whole process (now I’ll know how to pack my car and the moving van more efficiently) and it allowed me to fill boxes fuller and minimize the amount of boxes and packing material I used. I kept a miscellaneous bin by the side of our living room where I was collecting our already-packed boxes full of items that still needed a home in our new house. And this was where my well-intentioned plans fell apart a bit. When it was time to sort through the misc bin and reallocate all the random odds-and-ends into bins, my original plan had been to place everything into the bins already stacked in the living room, but instead I grabbed for some smaller boxes and packed new boxes destined for the same locations as the bins already piled high. Was this the plan? No. Did I have the time to disassemble my formidable wall of already-packed boxes to stuff a few odds and ends into said boxes while my almost one-year-old cruised about the house, leaning every cell of his very being into his toddler-level curiosity? Also no. We made some concessions, and now I have a few more small boxes to pack into the moving truck in exchange for a baby who didn’t get himself into too much trouble while packing.
How Does This Help the Environment?
Similar to the tip above, this trick helps reduce the amount of packing materials needed during your move, reducing the demand for new paper materials. It also produces less landfill at the end of your moving process, because there are fewer boxes, bags, and packing materials involved.
Why is it Easy For You?
Up front, this process can be more time-consuming, but it pays off once you’re in your new space. By organizing all your stuff at the start of your moving journey, it keeps your packing materials needed to a minimum and helps prevent a headache once you're unpacking your new space. Well worth it, I'd say.
To Wrap it Up
Let's be honest, moving is stressful. It's easy to lose sight of eco-friendly habits when making a big step in your life, but these tips and tricks give your wallet a bit of a break, save you time during your move, and are gentle on the planet. So dig up all those boxes you were planning on recycling, find your version of gummy-bear-patterned-tape, roll up your sleeves, and let's get moving!
Shop Sustainably With Us!
At Summit Sustainable Goods, all our zero waste household care and personal care products are truly environmentally friendly and contain clean, safe ingredients. No harmful single use items here! We work with our suppliers to make sure all the products we sell are truly safe for the environment and your body - because we believe that you and mother nature both deserve the best. It’s just another way we live into our values of being as environmentally and ethically conscious as possible.
Where can you find our curated selection of high quality and sustainable products? You know we’ve got you covered! Check out our website at www.summitsustainablegoods.eco or visit us at a local pop-up around town. (Info available through our website or socials.) Want to follow our journey and learn about future zero waste events and happenings? Adventure with us by signing up for our email list or follow us on Instagram or Facebook to keep up-to-date on all things Summit.
Much love,
Carrie, Founder
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