Planning An Eco-Friendly Move

We're finally doing it! My family and I are packing up and moving back to the East Coast from Texas.   It will be great to live closer to family and actually see some Fall foliage.

In preparation for the move, I focused on two main areas. 

1. Eco-Friendly Packing Materials
The first thing I investigated was the possibility of limiting or eliminating the waste of using cardboard boxes and tape.

www.rentagreenbox.com

A few cities have some amazing options for folks moving intra-city, such as: Rent A Green Box.  For a modest fee, you can rent reusable boxes (with tops).  The company drops plastic boxes off at your point of departure for your move, then picks them up at the destination after you've unpacked them.  It also sells eco-friendly packing materials for fragile items.  And if you plant your used packing labels in the garden, you can watch lovely snapdragons spring forth!  Rent A Green Box currently operates in Orange County and Los Angeles Counties.

Live in Seattle or the surrounding areas, Canada, Idaho or Minnesota?  Take a look at Frogbox.

BungoBox serves markets in Arizona and Florida.

Rentacrate serves a number of markets and can be used for cross-country moves.

2. Moving Less Stuff
Moving is a great opportunity to pare back.  If there's anything we haven't touched in a few years, whether it's kitchen equipment, books, toys or clothes, it's going to be reviewed.  Holding a moving sale and advertising it on craigslist.org is a great way to cull your possessions.  We plan to do this two weeks before departure.  Whatever is left over will be donated to Goodwill for a tax deduction or given away on freecycle.org.

Cute garage sale sign from www.sassysigns.com.

What are your eco-friendly moving tips?