Why You Should Pack Your Kitchen Last For More Eco-friendly Move

When you want to have an eco-friendly move, you do things like using reusable moving bins and finding containers around the house to help save on moving supplies. One thing you may not have thought of though is that you can increase the eco-friendliness of the move by packing your kitchen last.

This is because you’ll be more likely to eat up the last of the food before the move rather than throwing it away and you won’t be relying on extra take-out where you’ll be throwing away wasteful Styrofoam containers all week. For these reasons and more, packing the kitchen last will allow you to have a more eco-friendly move. Take a look at the best way to pack your kitchen and why you should do it last.

Less wasteful pantry and fridge

One major perk of waiting to pack your kitchen until last is that you’ll have the ability to cook at home for a longer time before the move. Moving often means there is going to be a lot of take-out and not enough home-cooked meals.

Saving the packing of the kitchen until last means you’ll have access to your utensils, pots and pans, dinner plates, and knives all of the way up until right before the move in order to cook regular meals and finish up the food you still have in your fridge.

While you can take your pantry items with you, many people end up tossing them or giving them away which means you’ve wasted money on them and you’re spending money eating out when you have food at home that could be made. The eco choice would be to not waste that food still at home and to avoid eating out when you could be cooking.

Avoiding paper plates

When you do decide to order pizzas and Chinese delivery, you end up buying waste paper plates and plastic cups instead of using what you own. This means you are tossing away more environmentally harmful items and killing trees to provide you with dinner plates.

Instead, you could use your own supplies at home and cook meals up until a day or two before the move to ensure you don’t have to buy plastic and take-out. When the whole family teams up to prepare meals the week of the move and then pack the kitchen up last together, everything still gets done and you got to enjoy waste-free homemade dinners all week.

Simplify and pack the kitchen

When it’s time to start packing the kitchen, you’ll first want to make sure there is nothing you may want to donate that you don’t use anymore. Then you can start sorting things by the essentials, like silverware and the coffeemaker, to the seldom used, like the platters and vases, in order to pack properly.

If you pack the things you rarely use first, then you can leave the items you use daily in a more accessible way. Pack things like the fine china, cookbooks, platters, and pitchers separately from things like the cutting knives, dinner plates, bowls, and glassware. Then make sure you prepare a bin of things you’ll use when you arrive, such as dishwasher detergent, sponges, kitchen towels, and coffee filters, in a handy place so that you can get into your new kitchen without missing a beat.

You may be tempted to pack the kitchen first since it can sometimes feel like the hardest room to pack, but save this one for last to contribute to a more eco-friendly move.

Top Packing Tips for Moving in a Hurry

Sometimes, you have to move in a hurry. Maybe you don't have a choice and a last minute move is necessary. When this is the case, you need the right supplies and you need them in a hurry.

Reusable moving boxes should be rented and the right packing supplies will help, too. However, you still have to pack and move in a hurry. Here are some of the top tips you can use when moving in a hurry.

Downsize Fast

The less you need to pack, the faster you can move. If possible, downsize your things as quickly as you can. Donate or sell anything you don't need immediately. Take a day and get things listed on sites, such as eBay or Craigslist. If it's not something you want to sell, just donate it to the nearest thrift store.

Downsizes will give you fewer things to pack and make the work easier. You can even throw away things not worth donating or selling. Getting rid of anything you don't need or want will make your last minute move much easier.

Start Packing

When you know a move is coming months ahead of time, you can create a good plan and move through the process step-by-step. However, when you need to move in a hurry, you need to think less and pack more. The sooner you get started, the sooner you will be packed and ready for the moving company to pick up your things.

Usually, you want to pack in a way to make unpacking easier, but when you need to move fast, forget about it. Simply pack quickly and worry about sorting things out later. You will likely have more time to deal with unpacking, so worry about sorting things by room later on.

Use What You Already Have

Getting the right supplies can delay the process when you have to move fast. Once your Chicago GreenBoxes arrive, start packing. Use the things you already have, such as clothing and towels to help protect your breakable items.

Ask for Help

Moving in a hurry should be an "all hands on deck" type of situation. You need to pack, but you can ask for help from family and friends. Let them know you're in a hurry and you could really use the help. Even one extra person can make packing easier and faster.

Call a Moving Company ASAP

Moving companies often book up in advance, but may leave some room for a last-minute move. They could also have a cancellation or something else could happen freeing them up to help. As soon as you know you will be moving, call a local moving company to get on their books.

If they can help you with the move, you may also want to ask if they can help with the packing. If so, consider paying them to help as it can be a huge job to do on your own, in a hurry.

Moving is stressful. When you have to move in a hurry, it becomes even more stressful. Make sure you get started as soon as possible and use the tips above to ensure you get packed and moved as fast as possible.

4 Tips to Effectively Pack Your Moving Boxes

Getting your green moving boxes is just the start. Once you have the right boxes for your residential move, you have to effectively pack your moving boxes. The right packing strategy will go a long way in protecting your items.

If you're planning to move, you need to know how to pack your boxes. Here are five of the best tips to ensure you pack your moving boxes properly.

Pack Room-By-Room

An effective method of packing your moving boxes is to do it room-by-room. With this packing method, it's easy to get unpacked when you arrive at your new home.

Start with the bedrooms and move through the house one room at a time. Make sure everything is fully labeled and use a different color marker for each room. Label the boxes with the room and the contents of the box to make sure they end up in the right place when you arrive at your new home.

If you use the room-by-room packing method, you'll be glad you did when you arrive at your new home. It's a great way to ensure your moving boxes are properly packed for a successful move.

Don't Use Large Boxes for Heavy Items

Larger moving boxes can be tempting to use for all kinds of items. However, when you put heavy items in these boxes, you make an awkward box to carry even more awkward. The last thing you need is an injury when moving. Pack lighter things, such as pillows and baskets into larger moving boxes or trash bags and try to put heavier things into your green moving boxes as they are more sturdy.

It's best to consider grouping items by size and weight as you go through each room, too. The other danger of packing larger moving boxes with heavier items is the integrity of the box. If the box breaks, you could be in for all kinds of issues. Imagine a kitchen box filled with dishes breaking under the weight. It could be a huge mess. You won't have to worry about this with our reusable moving boxes!

A good rule of thumb for the weight of your boxes is to keep them under 30 pounds each.

Pack Lighter Items on the Top

Putting heavier items on the bottom of the box is a good start. Then, you want to pack your lighter items on the top of those heavier items. This type of packing will allow your lighter items to survive the move without being crushed.

Wrap Everything That's Fragile

If it could break, wrap it. Use bubble wrap or packing paper to ensure anything fragile is protected from damage. You can even cushion the most fragile items with towels and other soft items you need to pack for the move.

Packing your boxes is important. Use these packing tips to ensure you make moving easier.