How to Move House Sustainably

Every good house move starts with a huge declutter. Spending the time to go through everything you have and get rid of anything you no longer need can keep your new house nice and tidy.

But it’s important to do this in a sustainable way, rather than simply taking everything to the landfill. One of our top eco-friendly moving tips is to simply make sure you recycle whatever you can, however you can, rather than just tipping it.

For example, selling unwanted items second-hand has never been easier or more popular, and there are many great options including eBay, Vinted, and Facebook Marketplace. This can give anything you consider clutter a new lease on life. Alternatively, you can donate some items to places like charity shops, homeless charities, or freecycling groups.

Upcycling is also another great option, which is where you take something old and unneeded – like old clothing or by-products like jars or packaging – and turn it into something new and useful – like a new piece of clothing, a storage container for food, that kind of thing.

One of the biggest contributors to a house move’s environmental impact is the packaging you use. Being smart and sustainable with your packaging is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint when moving.

Single-use plastics in particular are especially harmful to the planet because they don’t degrade over time and eventually get into our rivers and oceans. Bubble wrap is another hugely problematic material. But thankfully, there are sustainable alternatives that you should add to your green moving checklist including:

• Reusable plastic boxes
• Biodegradable packing peanuts
• Recycled paper
• Recyclable cardboard boxes

Another great option to is borrow packaging and storage from friends and family. This can be traditional solutions like unwanted boxes, but could also include suitcases, laundry bags, or even bin bags. Not only does this help the planet, but it also helps keep moving costs down.

Instead of bubble wrap, there are plenty of eco-friendly alternatives like towels, unwanted clothing, or even compostable wraps. Whatever you decide to use, make sure to source and dispose of it in a green way, and only use eco-friendly packaging products.

Sustainable packing and transport go hand-in-hand for an eco-friendly house move. Just like packaging materials, there are plenty of green transporting options that will let you ditch the petrol or diesel car.

Electric vehicles are king when it comes to sustainable travel, as they’re undoubtedly better for the environment than traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) cars. If you can use an EV, you’ll already be well on your way to a lower carbon footprint. Even a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) is a better alternative, especially for doing multiple short trips if you’re moving locally, as the PHEV’s small battery should still allow for local zero-emissions trips.

Of course, if you don’t have access to an EV, there’s always the option to hire an electric or hybrid moving van. These may be more expensive than diesel-fuelled vans, but the planet will certainly thank you for using one!

If you simply can’t avoid using an ICE car for your house move, you could instead consider offsetting your emissions. There are plenty of excellent ways to offset your house move’s emissions, from initiatives that planet trees to schemes that invest directly into renewable energy sources like wind and solar power.

The first thing you’ll want to do in your new home, and likely the last thing in your old home, is give it a good clean. But just like packaging products, some cleaning products can be harmful, either to the planet or ourselves.

Another eco-friendly moving tip is to buy non-toxic and biodegradable cleaning products. There are many companies that specialise in these, so you’ll have plenty of choice when it comes to sustainable cleaning chemicals.

A big way you can help the planet is by avoiding single-use wipes, and to be wary of products that claim to be flushable. Many in fact won’t break down once they’re flushed into sewer systems, and instead can clump together into huge “fatbergs” than can cause major blockages.

Similarly, avoid excessive use of paper towels, as their manufacturing relies on intensely damaging deforestation, not to mention huge amounts of water and electricity to produce. There are many alternatives you can use like reusable cloths or hand towels made from recycled materials like drinks cartons.

Going through the above is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint when moving. But even after having a sustainable house move, the last thing you’ll want to do is undo all your hard work by living unsustainably in your new home. Here are just a handful of ways to make your new house sustainable from day one:

Install an EV charger

Switching to an electric car and getting a dedicated home charger can be a great way to make the next chapter of your life eco-friendly. Not only will it help you save carbon emissions, but it can also help you cut the costs of driving. This is doubly the case if you can get a solar-compatible charger and a solar array system installed to power your EV with zero carbon and potentially zero cost renewable energy.

Switch to a renewable energy supplier

A green home is a happy home, and you could further reduce your carbon footprint and make your house move ultimately more sustainable by switching to an energy supplier that focuses on using or promoting renewable energy. There are plenty of green energy suppliers for UK households to choose from, so be sure to shop around for the best one that suits your needs.

Kit your new home out with smart tech

Whether you’re moving into a modern house or an older property, you’ll have a lot of options when it comes to sustainable technology. For example, smart thermostats can be a great way to track your energy usage and get the most out of your energy supply whilst also saving you money and reducing wasted energy.

Switching to LED lighting throughout your home is another eco-friendly way to go green due to their energy efficiency and long lifespan, which will help the planet and your energy bill.

If you have a loft, you could also consider getting an expert to come in and inspect it for possible improvements to the insulation. A well-insulated loft can help keep your home warmer during the colder months by keeping heat indoors, which can help reduce your reliance on radiators.

As you can see, your next (or current) house move doesn’t have to do harm to the planet, and there are plenty of eco-friendly alternatives to traditional packaging and transport solutions that will let you move house without producing waste.

Got your own low-emission house moving tips? Be sure to share them with your fellow movers or in community groups on social media and spread the good word about eco-friendly home moving!