Tips For a More Sustainable Moving Process

How to Have a More Sustainable Moving Process! 

It’s becoming more and more clear that we are producing too much waste. We have been conditioned to throw things away instead of replace them; to prioritize convenience over durability; to believe that if we discard of our waste, it magically disappears — Out of sight, out of mind.

Unfortunately, that is not the case. Waste does not magically disappear.

Though this topic may seem overwhelming, learning how to live a more sustainable life isn’t all that complicated. From how we eat, to how we shop, to how we travel, there are always steps we can be taking to reduce our environmental footprint.

When moving from one home to the next, it is also important to consider how this process can be made more sustainable and eco-friendly.

Here Are 5 Tips For A More Sustainable Moving Process:

1. Use old boxes from packages/ rent reusable containers

If you are planning to move, start keeping boxes from packages you order online and re-use them for your move. Or rent reusable moving crates and other moving supplies from BoxUp.

2. Wrap glassware and other fragile items in clothes/blankets/sheets/towels

Instead of using disposable bubble wrap to keep your glassware safe, use T-shirts, bed sheets, blankets, towels and other linens you may already have on hand.

3. Invite your friends over to take things you don’t want

We’re sure there are tons of things you may want to get rid of during the move! While it may seem convenient to just dump everything you don’t need onto the street, try inviting friends over to go through unwanted belongings, allowing them to take some things home. If this seems too complicated, try selling your unwanted belongings on craigslist or donating it to freecycle, or to your local Goodwill.

If you are moving in NYC, join some local Facebook groups. A great resource is  Buy Nothing which has neighborhood-specific groups all over Brooklyn. Check below to find your neighborhood’s group.

• Brooklyn: Bay Ridge
• Brooklyn: Bedford-Stuyvesant (East) / Ocean Hill
• Brooklyn: Bedford-Stuyvesant (Southwest) 
• Brooklyn: Bensonhurst 
• Brooklyn: BoCoCa 
• Brooklyn: Brooklyn Heights / DUMBO / Vinegar Hill
• Brooklyn: Columbia Waterfront / Gowanus / Red Hook
• Brooklyn: Crown Heights (East)
• Brooklyn: Crown Heights (West)
• Brooklyn: Ditmas Park / Prospect Park South / Flatbush
• Brooklyn: Dyker Heights
• Brooklyn: East Flatbush (Central & West)
• Brooklyn: Fort Greene / Clinton Hill / Brooklyn (Downtown)
• Brooklyn: Gravesend / Bath Beach
• Brooklyn: Kensington (North)
• Brooklyn: Marine Park
• Brooklyn: Park Slope (Central)
• Brooklyn: Park Slope (South) / South Slope
• Brooklyn: Park Slope (North)
• Brooklyn: Prospect Heights (East) / Crown Heights (Northwest)
• Brooklyn: Prospect Heights (West)
• Brooklyn: Prospect Lefferts Gardens
• Brooklyn: Sheepshead Bay (Northwest)
• Brooklyn: Sheepshead Bay (South Central)
• Brooklyn: Sunset Park (South)
• Brooklyn: Williamsburg / Greenpoint

4. Re-upholster old furniture.

It may be tempting to get new furniture, but why not try taking old furniture and upgrading it? Maybe re-paint that old desk, or get new fabric for your couch. One way to be more sustainable is to be mindful of how we acquire and get rid of our belongings, sometimes that means taking old things and giving them a fresh new look.

5. Buy sustainable bedding/vintage furniture

If you do need to buy new furnishings, try buying vintage or used furniture. If you are in the market for new bedding, try looking into sustainable linen brands. There are many brands that try to reduce their footprint. Buffy is a brand that makes bedsheets out of eucalyptus fibers which uses far less water than cotton to make. Avocado is a leader in Sustainable and Organic Mattresses, that strives to offset the carbon emissions it produces.